time spent assisting his team of nine U.S. sales reps as they develop their regional businesses. “Additionally, I interface with my foreign suppliers to discuss their objectives in the USA,” he says. Morales spends roughly five months out of the year developing business in foreign countries. Since Americans are more familiar with South Africa’s gold, diamond, and platinum products, Morales says he particularly enjoys educating U.S. consumers on the country’s premium wine and brandy.
JOY SPENCE Master Blender | Appleton Rum, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica
In 1997, Joy Spence became the first female master blender in the spirits industry. She was introduced to the art at Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum in the Nassau Valley by her predecessor Owen Tulloch. “Mr. Tulloch recognized that I had an excellent nose for the business — a special and rare talent — so I studied under him for 17 years.”
Primary responsibilities include approving blends for daily bottling, monitoring stocks of aged rum to ensure consistency, and hand-blending various marques of rums. Spence is also involved in strategic planning for new product development. “It [has] allowed me to express my creativity in an unusual manner; in addition, it created a diversion from the mundane laboratory work,” says Spence, 54, who joined Appleton in 1981 as a chief chemist.
Since then, she has worked for the company as product development manager, technical services manager, and total quality manager.
“My greatest challenges are managing the stocks of aged rums in order to meet consumer demand and developing new and unique blends in the premium aged rum category.”
PATRICIA PINNIX HENRY Plant Manager | Miller Brewing, Eden, North Carolina
Patricia Pinnix Henry has two career milestones to savor. She was the nation’s first black female brew master. In addition, she is the first black, female plant manager for a major brewery in the United States. At 57, she is celebrating her 10th year in the position at Miller Brewing Co.’s Eden, North Carolina, brewery, which generates $650 million in annual revenues.
Henry’s chemical degree helped her secure a position as brewery supervisor when she was 30. “It provided me an opportunity to learn about the art and science of brewing,” she says. “I moved through the organization, working in many departments until my present position.” Before becoming brewery plant manager, Henry was brew master for five years.
Since she’s responsible for the entire facility’s operation, Henry’s duties, besides leading a staff of 700 employees, include developing strategy around asset care management, performance management, organizational development, people development, and budget performance. “I continually assess where we are versus where we need to be, and I try to motivate and communicate our vision to 700 people.”
ELROY GOLIATH Brandy Master | Imoya, Paarl, South Africa
Created by Elroy Goliath, Imoya was judged best brandy in the world at the 2000 International Wine and Spirits competition in London. Goliath, 32, is presently manager of operations for the brandy and spirits division of KWV International in Paarl, his hometown in the heart of South Africa’s wine country.
After graduating in 1993, Goliath joined KWV International as an engineer-in-training