Katie Welter

I attribute my success to having exposure in multiple departments across the industry and within my family's company, to being confident and having an outgoing personality, to showing up even when it is hard, to trusting in my team, and to always trusting in God's plan for me.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is to build and foster the great team that is around you, to never take that for granted.

My advice to young women entering this industry is to be confident, have a firm handshake, and to not be afraid to learn from and lean on others.

The beer and alcohol business is always changing, with growth in certain areas and decline in others. Right now we are facing the decline in alcohol consumption overall, which means a surge in non-alcoholic beers and products. Conversely, we're seeing growth in the canned cocktail and ready-to-drink segment as younger consumers look to sweeter, more convenient high-alcohol brands as a regular option. Beer itself is struggling, with younger consumers' tastes shifting and with typical beer-drinking consumers aging and cutting back on their alcohol intake. All of these challenges present opportunities for us to expand our portfolio in certain areas and simplify in others.

The most important thing to me is maintaining relationships - we have amazing partnerships with our customers and suppliers. Being involved in the community is also paramount to who my family is both personally and professionally; we give back through our financial support of nonprofits in our territories and through volunteering. Every year we hold a Thanksgiving food drive, with donations going back to local food pantries. I plan to adopt the same philanthropic mindset as an owner, just like the generations before me. In my personal life, being a mom is the most important thing to me. I come home from work, shed off all the worries and stress (what little there is), and I just play with my kiddos and husband. We talk about God, play in our woods, read books, use our imaginations, do everything to make childhood as whimsical as possible. I also enjoy hard, physical work to relieve stress and satisfy the "clean so I can relax" part of my brain. Yard work, house work, and checking off items on my personal to-do list are a great stress reliever for me. I also love exploring more of my Catholic faith, and spending time at church, praying, reading the Bible, and listening to the Hallow app.