Margie A.S. Lehrman will retire from her role as Chief Executive Officer of the American Craft Spirits Association, transitioning into a newly created CEO Emeritus position on May 1. ACSA Chief Operating Officer Emily Pennington has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and will lead the organization into its next chapter.

Margie joined ACSA shortly after its inception and served as the organization’s inaugural CEO, building the organization from the ground up alongside its founding board members and playing a defining role in evolving the national trade association as it exists today.

Her hallmark achievements as AGSA CEO include:

• helping secure passage of a permanent Federal Excise Tax reduction,
• advancing efforts to break down longstanding market access barriers for craft producers,
• shepherding federal hand sanitizer and economic relief programs vital to many distillers’ survival of the COVID-19 pandemic,
• supporting the introduction and passage of direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping measures,
• influencing TTB’s improvement of regulations and processing times to reflect the new craft distilling landscape, and forging critical relationships with bipartisan policymakers in Washington and trade groups across the beverage alcohol and agricultural sectors.
• growing ACSA’s annual convention has grown into one of the essential gathering points for craft distillers to convene and to learn.
• leading development of the Craft Spirits Data Project, a collaborative report by ACSA and Park Street that provides vital economic data to craft spirits industry members, investors, and policymakers annually.
• playing an instrumental role in creating the StepUp Foundation, Inc. (Spirits Training Entrepreneurship Program for Underrepresented Professionals), a sister organization to ACSA whose focus is to educate and provide networking opportunities for the underserved and underrepresented individuals in the craft spirits sector. Lehrman currently serves as president of the STEPUP Board of Directors.

More recently, in the wake of the sharpest downturn the spirits industry has experienced in recent history, Margie has remained a tireless advocate for modernization and policies that better position craft distillers to survive, compete, and grow. 

Pennington joined ACSA as Chief Operating Officer in January 2025, bringing nearly 15 years of alcohol industry experience spanning content strategy, education, and organization management. She has worked closely with Lehrman on the association’s strategic priorities, with a particular focus on strengthening membership value, supporting industry outreach, and guiding mission critical operations.

Prior to joining ACSA, Pennington developed Wine & Spirits Daily and Park Street University, and also played an instrumental role in executing the Craft Spirits Data Project. 

The leadership transition comes at an important time for the craft spirits industry. As producers continue to navigate a difficult economic and regulatory environment, ACSA remains focused on advocating for modernization, expanding opportunity for independent distillers and brands, and delivering the data, education, and community support needed to help its members succeed.

As CEO, Emily will continue to focus on strengthening ACSA’s value to members, advancing the organization’s advocacy agenda, expanding industry outreach, and ensuring the association remains a strong voice for independent craft distillers during a challenging economic period.

Lehrman's "contributions to this industry are profound," Pennington said, adding that as CEO her "focus will be on advancing a modern marketplace where craft distillers have access to sell through the channels that work for their business, and consumers have the ability to safely buy where and how they want."