Name: André Hueston Mack Profession: Winemaker and owner of Mouton Noir Wines Age: 43 One word that describes you: Tenacious André Hueston Mack had reached his ceiling. Holding various C-suite level positions at The French Laundry and Per Se, Mack realized there was not much higher he could go as a sommelier and wine director in the Michelin star world. Ownership seemed like the only option left. Today, Mack is the leading black winemaker in the country and continues to reach new heights in the industry. "There were a series of moments that have confirmed that I'm doing what I should," Mack tells BE Modern Man. "Meeting benchmarks, and surpassing benchmarks or hearing someone tell me that drinking my wines makes them joyous, solidifies that I am working in my passion. Having a wine retailer share that my wines are a favorite of their customers, and still being excited to make wine after eight years keeps me wanting to pursue more." Inspired by living without limits, Mack wants to lead by example and show people that you can truly create whatever you want in life. Mack says, "Believe in yourself." "Sometimes you just have to shut out what other people are saying and just focus. Do some soul-searching to figure out what you're really good at, learn all aspects of your industry and put in the work." Finding your passion is thrown around a lot these days, but there is still work that has to be done. "You still have to be willing to put in the countless hours honing your skills. So that might mean burning the candle at both ends." Being authentic and just simply remaining who he is at his core has allowed Mack to stand apart from the crowd: "My whole message is about embracing what makes you different and using it to empower yourself." Read more on page 2... Mack's message of self-empowerment has wound its way into his home where he and his wife have taken control of their children's education. "We chose to home-school them so they can explore their passions at an earlier age," Mack tells BE Modern Man. "Our motto has always been ‘don't let school get in the way of your education.'" A tireless work ethic, which is daunting to most, has positioned Mack as a thought leader and change agent challenging the status quo within his industry. "I get up to go do my job literally knocking on doors and walking into stores being the first African American many people have seen in my role. I proudly carry the torch to illuminate the path for others who wanted to succeed not only in the wine industry but as an entrepreneur." Understanding the power in seeing someone who looks like you in the profession you're in, Mack knows that representation within his industry is imperative. "I believe that it's really important to shed the light on our industry because there's not many of us working within the space. If you look at the wine industry, it is steeped in tradition of people who don't look like us and it is rare and catches people off-guard when we show up." Becoming the leading black winemaker is great, but for Mack it is not enough. "A BE Modern Man is a man who is limitless in his capabilities for development." The BlackEnterprise.com team salutes André Hueston Mack for becoming the leading black wine maker in the country. Exceptional is the word we use to describe Mack's work ethic and dedication to his craft. Exceptional is also the word we know we will use to describe his wine. We look forward to our tasting. It's our normal to be extraordinary. Follow @blackenterprise and join the BE Modern Man conversation using #BEModernMan. Pic Title/Alt text: BE Modern Man- BE 100 - Andre Hueston Mack Pic Caption: Andre Hueston Mack, Winemaker and owner of Mouton Noir Wines. Photo Credit: