UNITED STATES BARTENDERS’ GUILD BOARD OF DIRECTORS: ELIZABETH PIRNAT JOINS NATIONAL BOARD; GEOFFREY THOMPSON VOTED IN FOR FIRST FULL TERM, AND JOSEPH FREDRICKSON FOR SECOND TERM
HENDERSON, NV (November 19, 2024) - The United States Bartenders’ Guild today announces that its membership has voted wine and spirits education specialist Elizabeth Pirnat to the organization’s National Board of Directors for the first time; Geoffrey Thompson for his first full term; and Joseph Fredrickson for a second term.
The Board Members:
Elizabeth Pirnat (Cleveland, OH): Pirnat is the Head Spirits Instructor for Napa Valley Wine Academy. She brings to the Board a decade of experience in the wine industry and has been a member of the Cleveland Chapter of the USBG since 2019. She has focused on wine and spirits education for the past nine years. Her passion is for working with students to deepen their knowledge and see education improve their sales and employment opportunities.
Outside of her work in wine and spirits education, she has worked as a volunteer and as an elected USBG Board of Education member, developed partnerships, and engaged in legislative advocacy.
Joseph Fredrickson (Cincinnati, OH): Fredrickson has been a USBG member since 2014, previously serving as a leader of the Cleveland chapter. His passion inside the hospitality industry is to be a positive influence to talented young industry professionals, teaching them habits that lead towards sustainable healthy lifestyles. Prior to joining the National Board, he served two terms as the chair of the National Council of Chapters.
With a background in hospitality management and community engagement, Fredrickson brings a deep understanding of organizational growth and diversity initiatives. As a founder and co-owner of Society Lounge, he spearheaded programs such as Woman Crush Wednesdays, promoting diversity and community awareness. He has also leveraged his experience as Chair of the NCC to foster inclusivity and representation, bridging connections between the Chapter Leaders and the National Board.
Geoffrey “Geo” Thompson (Boston, MA): Thompson joined the USBG as a member of the Boston chapter in 2015, serving as VP and then as President. His time serving on the board of a relatively small chapter provided him with a unique perspective on the greater organizational structure. He also served as vice-chair of the National Council of Chapters for two terms which allowed him to act as a non-voting member on the National Board. Additionally, he has been active on a number of committees and board-level task forces including MemCom, EdCom, Conference, and Bar Summit and, most recently, with the newly formed Advocacy committee. He originally joined the Board of Directors after being called into action in 2023 to fill a vacant director position.
Each member will serve a three year term from 2025-2027.
Headshots can be found HERE.
How USBG Board of Directors members are chosen:
USBG Board of Directors members are chosen through slate elections, which ensure that the Guild’s Board of Directors both encompasses the skills required to achieve the Board’s strategic vision and is representative of the Guild’s membership.
In a slate elections format, a “slate” of candidates is selected by a governing body based on qualifications of value of those who apply, determined by that governing body. In the case of the Guild, the governing body is the Nominating Committee, and the qualifications of value of those who apply are a mix of the professional, such as collaborative partnerships, supervisory level, training and workforce development, finance, and legislative advocacy; and the personal, such as occupation, gender, generation, ethnicity, sexual orientation, languages spoken, relationship statuses, and even household makeup.
Slate elections ensure that candidates for nomination and election to the Board of Directors have demonstrable qualifications that make them a fit for the post they seek and that they bring with them the lived experiences that will enrich the Guild.
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About the United States Bartenders’ Guild
Founded in 1948, the United States Bartenders’ Guild®️ is a non-profit professional society of bartenders and other hospitality professionals uniting the hospitality community to advance professional bartending. The USBG believes that every U.S. bartender achieves greater personal and professional success by connecting to diverse local and national hospitality communities. Through our network of over 40 communities nationwide, the USBG connects members with peer-to-peer learning, expert instruction, community service projects, and skills-based competition. Learn more at www.usbg.org.
Media inquiries:
Colin Baugh
Emblem Public Relations
323-219-3427