NASHVILLE, Tennessee — The Tennessee Distillers Guild has named Sara Beth Urban its new Executive Director. In her role, Urban will continue to move the Guild and its initiatives, including the Guild’s flagship Tennessee Whiskey Trail, forward.
“The Guild has worked hard to get the Trail up and running. We have a large opportunity to grow the Trail and to continue to enhance our position in the State of Tennessee as a primary player for tourism,” said Kris Tatum, President of the Tennessee Distillers Guild. “Sara Beth brings the right combination of enthusiasm, energy, and relationships to elevate the Guild and Trail to a whole new level.”
Urban is a Nashville native and graduate of Middle Tennessee State University. She comes to the Guild following three years with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, where she promoted Tennessee as a global destination for music, food, and one-of-a-kind experiences.
“I am thrilled to take on this opportunity with the Guild. The team has already created this one-of-a-kind trail experience that allows visitors to explore and taste this legendary Tennessee product, and I can’t wait to enhance that vision,” Urban said. “From the well-established distilleries to the new brands that are crafting the next generation of whiskey, you won’t find a more dedicated group of individuals devoted to honoring Tennessee’s legacy. After all, when you have stars like George Jones and Chris Stapleton singing about your product, you know you’ve got something special.”
Urban joins an already-established team that has worked hard to market Tennessee whiskey since the formation of the Guild in 2014. Jill Talbert has served since 2014 and will continue to collaborate with the Guild as its lobbyist and advocate. Kim Mitchell currently manages operations for the Tennessee Whiskey Trail, and Mariko Hickerson handles PR and media relations.
Urban previously served as the Executive Director at Historic Rock Castle, a nonprofit house museum in Hendersonville, and obtained her master’s degree in public history and museum management from MTSU. She resides in East Nashville with her husband, J.P., an attorney with the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General. They have one son, James, and are expecting their second son, Dominick, in February 2020.
About Tennessee Whiskey Trail:
The Tennessee Whiskey Trail is a 26-stop tour of distilleries across Tennessee. For more information, visit www.tnwhiskeytrail.com.