Barry Becton

As the “aughts” began, Diageo as a multinational conglomerate was then only about five years old, but the decade already saw the young company undergoing further change. With acquisitions including Captain Morgan Rum, Crown Royal, Ltd., and Don Julio tequila, as well as the divestiture of most of its non-beverage holdings, the organization was seeking to focus heavily on its core assets, alcoholic beverages. Barry Becton was at that time a rising star at Diageo North America, where he played a key role in the company’s expansion into bourbon production.

Becton had come to Diageo in 2000. After 16 years in various senior management positions at the company, Becton was made Senior Director of Federal Affairs. One of his most important and well-known ventures was lobbying for the processes involved in constructing a 72,000 square-foot carbon-neutral distillery in Lebanon, KY. The distillery was to be capable of producing up to 10 million proof gallons per year while utilizing no fossil fuels. Also in his tenure, Becton helped secure stakeholder support for renovations to the old Stitzel-Weller Distillery, a historic facility that is much beloved by those both inside and outside of the active spirits community.

Concurrent with his Affairs position, while serving as Chairman of the Kentucky Distiller Association’s Governmental Affairs Advisory Group, Becton influenced a series of legislative victories that furthered the entire bourbon industry. One of the most important of these included successfully leading the argument against unfair tax increases on alcohol. Another enormous legislative achievement led by Becton involved the passage of SB-11, Kentucky’s 2016 law, which increased distillers’ premises package sale limits and sample size limits as well as other provisions, all of which were instrumental in overhauling Kentucky’s Prohibition-era bourbon tourism laws.

For over 25 years, Becton, 52, has also been heavily involved with Sky Ranch Foundation, an organization that manages grants and provides access to programs for at-risk youth, which is sustained mainly with support from beverage alcohol. Becton has also been very active in his local Little League baseball system for many years.

In 2016, Barry Becton was elected to the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame for his immense contributions to bourbon and his humble and unselfish volunteer spirit. Unfortunately for the bourbon industry, in December 2023, Becton left Diageo to become the Senior Director of Regional Government Affairs at multinational brewer Molson Coors. Although he is no longer in hard spirits, Becton’s activities while at Diageo helped promote bourbon into one of the fastest-growing, admired, and powerful spheres of the entire alcohol industry.

Contributed by: Tracy McLemore, Fairview, Tennessee