Top Shelf Award

The 2022 ABL Top Shelf Award will be announced at the ABL Honors Luncheon on July 11, 2022.  

The ABL Top Shelf Award was created to recognize and honor those who have demonstrated excellence over their career in the beverage alcohol industry either as a representative of the supplier or wholesale tiers, within an association, or in a broader role within the industry.  ABL Top Shelf Award recipients will have a successful history of positive influence in the beverage alcohol industry; demonstrated leadership abilities as recognized by their peers; and dedicated themselves to the overall improvement of their community.  This award represents the highest recognition given by ABL and is presented at the annual ABL Meeting.

ABL Top Shelf Honorees

2019 – Craig Purser, National Beer Wholesalers Association

2018 – Mark Brown, Sazerac

2017 – Tito Beveridge, Tito’s Handmade Vodka

2016 – Peter Coors, MillerCoors

2015 – Dr. Peter Cressy, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States

2014 – Bill Samuels, Jr., Maker’s Mark

2013 – Craig Wolf, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America 

2012 – Bennett Glazer, Glazer’s Inc.

2011 – Leo Kiely, MillerCoors

2010 – Eddie Block, Republic National Distributing Company

2009 – Ralph Aguera, Brown-Forman

2008 – Ernest Gallo, E. & J. Gallo Winery

2007 – Herman Merinoff, Charmer-Sunbelt

2006 – Raymond Tye, United Liquors Ltd. 

2005 – Darrell Ansel, Chicago Lake Liquors