Heaven Hill’s safety record recognized by Governor at HB 100 signing ceremony
Elected officials and bourbon industry dignitaries pose for a photo as Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin prepares to sign HB 100. Photo by Sylvia Horlander. (Click to enlarge)
By SYLVIA HORLANDER
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Friday, June 2, 2017 — Well-known names in the political world and the bourbon industry filled Heaven Hill’s Bourbon Heritage Center Wednesday afternoon to celebrate two impressive milestones: The 2017 Governor’s Safety & Health Award and the ceremonial signing of House Bill 100.
Max Shapira, president and CEO of Heaven Hill Brands, proudly spoke about the historic and unique day for Heaven Hill.
Max Shapira, president and CEO of Heaven Hill Brands, presents Gov. Matt Bevin with a bottle of bourbon at the bill signing Wednesday. Photo by Sylvia Horlander.
The invitation-only event began with the award presentation. Heaven Hill has achieved 1,2777,000 production hours without a lost-time incident since October 2015.
“All of this was done through having a mindset that safety comes first in everything we do as a company and everything our employees do and consider in their daily jobs,” Shapira said.
Shapira introduced Kentucky Secretary of Labor Derrick Ramsey and Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin. He called it a “real honor” for them to be there.
Labor Secretary Ramsey and Governor Bevin presented Shapira with the 2017 Governor’s Safety and Health Award.
Bevin called the achievement truly remarkable, and said he appreciates companies like Heaven Hill.
“As our economic base grows, Kentucky continues to shine as the center of excellence in engineering and manufacturing,” he said.
Heaven Hill is one of 48 companies to earn the award.
Ramsey said the labor cabinet’s top priority is to keep each of Kentucky’s workers safe on the job.
Heaven Hill employees and display the 2017 Governor’s Safety and Health award for working more than operating more than 1.2 million hours since October 2015 without a lost-time accident. Photo by Sylvia Horlander.
“I appreciate their (Heaven Hill’s) dedication to implement safe working habits.” Ramsey said. “I applaud Heaven Hill for all their hard work towards this goal.”
The award presentation was followed by another historic moment — Bevin’s ceremonial signing of House Bill 100 into law on distillery grounds.
Shapira said the bill will be a boost to the state’s bourbon industry.
“The most important thing this legislation does is to continue to provide an environment where the industry can continue its great growth, and with this bill, it looks like it’ll be very solid for many years to come,” he said.
State Rep. Chad McCoy was the HB 100’s primary sponsor. McCoy presented the bill on the House floor in Frankfort and to the Licensing and Occupation Committee, on which McCoy is vice chair.
McCoy said he was thrilled to have the governor in town to sign the legislation.
“This is something so important to the entire state. This proves that we are the home to the bourbon industry.”
Though McCoy was the bill’s primary sponsor, he said the legislation was in the works before he was elected to the House.
“I wanted to take it on because it is Nelson County’s industry,” he said. “You will immediately see an impact in tourism, specifically for vintage spirits.”
The bill allows liquor stores and restaurants to buy unopened, original containers not owned by a distillery and not otherwise available on the market, to sell by the drink or by the bottle.
In addition to more bourbon choices, the bill requires that if Kentucky is on a whiskey bottle, the grains must be cooked, fermented and distilled here in Kentucky.
Bevin said the bill’s passage was a result of the momentum Kentucky has had from economic development combined with bourbon’s historical legacy.
“The Commonwealth is synonymous with bourbon,” Bevin said. “I tip my hat to the House and Senate to make it easier for this signature industry to succeed—it’s a very great honor for me”.
“I think we can’t even begin to imagine the upside growth, as more people get a taste for bourbon. Its impact will be very significant,” he said.
ABOUT HEAVEN HILL. Heaven Hill Distilleries is America’s largest independent, family-owned and operated producer and marketer of distilled spirits. Heaven Hill is America’s seventh-largest supplier of distilled spirits. The company has the second largest inventory of aging Kentucky whiskey in the world, with more than 1 million barrels, which accounts for nearly 17 percent of the world’s future supply of bourbon. The company has filled more than 7 million barrels of Kentucky bourbon since it was founded after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.
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