The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) Executive Committee has named Michelle L. Korsmo as incoming President and Chief Executive Officer.
Korsmo is currently Chief Executive Officer of the American Land Title Association (ALTA), the advocacy, education, networking and industry standards organization serving the real estate settlement and land title industry. She will join WSWA full-time in mid-September.
“Michelle’s experience and vision will lead the association and the industry during a pivotal time. From our bipartisan team of state and federal advocates and industry-leading Political Action Committee, to our dynamic annual convention and the suite of valuable programs for the membership, she will increase our influence and effectiveness. Michelle is an inspiring leader who will ensure that our industry and association are strong today and anticipating the ever changing consumer environment,” WSWA Chairman Barkley Stuart said.
“During his remarks at the WSWA Convention & Exposition in April, Chairman Barkley Stuart called on all three tiers of the beverage alcohol industry to commit to diversity—recruiting, retaining, training and promoting a workforce that reflects its customer base. I am inspired by his call to action and look forward to working with the many voices among WSWA’s membership, employees, industry partners and associations to continue forging consensus and achieving mutual success in the days ahead,” Korsmo said.
“I am also inspired by the industry’s record of accomplishment. Family-owned wholesalers, along with supplier and retailer partners, and state and federal legislators and regulators, have together built the safest, and most well-regulated and enterprising beverage marketplace in the world. But there is no denying that it operates in a disruptive economy and the association must be prepared for the future. Finding consumer-focused solutions for these challenges is an opportunity I welcome, and I’m excited about what the future holds,” Korsmo added.
Prior to joining ALTA, Korsmo served as executive vice president of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation and previously served as deputy chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Labor. She began her career as a business owner in North Dakota where she built an advocacy and communications firm. She attended North Dakota State University and lives in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood with her husband and three daughters.
Click here to read her full biography and click here for a high-resolution photograph.
WSWA is the national trade association representing the wholesale tier of the wine and spirits industry, dedicated to advancing the interests and independence of wholesalers, distributors and brokers of wine and spirits. Founded in 1943, WSWA has more than 370 member companies in 50 states and the District of Columbia, and its members distribute more than 80 percent of all wine and spirits sold at wholesale in the U.S. Visit www.wswa.org to learn more.