Executive Leadership

Julie Francis

admin — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 11:39:17 +0000

Julie Francis admin Mon, 07/21/2025 - 06:39

Ms. Francis is MGP’s President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of MGP’s board of directors. As Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Francis oversees the company’s global business strategy and operations, leveraging more than three decades of experience across the branded food and beverage industries. Ms. Francis joined MGP in July 2025.

Prior to joining MGP, Ms. Francis served as Chief Operating Officer at Schwan’s Company, a leading frozen foods provider, where she held responsibilities across the consumer brands, food service, operations, supply chain, global R&D, and marketing functions. Before joining Schwan’s Company, she served as Senior Vice President of Commercial and Category Development for Constellation Brands’ Total Beverage Alcohol platform.

In addition to her roles at Schwan’s Company and Constellation Brands, Ms. Francis served at The Coca-Cola Company as Chief Commercial Officer, Coca-Cola Refreshments USA, and in multiple leadership positions at Coca-Cola Enterprises, including as Vice President for Sales and Marketing, North America. She also played a critical role in the integration of the U.S. segments of these two companies to create the Coca-Cola Refreshments (U.S.) subsidiary.

Ms. Francis currently serves as a director and member of the Compensation & Corporate Governance Committee for Ascend Wellness Holdings (AAWH). She has also served as a Board Advisory Director for Nottingham Spirk. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Alfred University and completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.

Subtitle

President and CEO

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Executive Leadership

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Matias Bentel

admin — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:18:26 +0000

Matias Bentel admin Wed, 10/29/2025 - 13:18

Matias Bentel is Chief Marketing Officer of MGP and oversees all of the company’s marketing initiatives, including brand strategy, innovation, consumer engagement, and digital marketing. He joined the company in October 2025.

Mr. Bentel has nearly three decades of marketing experience in the alcohol beverage industry, in addition to extensive leadership and general management experience. Prior to MGP, he served as the Executive Vice President, Chief Brands Officer at Brown-Forman Corporation. He joined Brown-Forman in 2008 and served in roles of increasing responsibility, including as Senior Vice President, Global Managing Director, Jack Daniel’s Brand and VP, General Manager, Mexico. Earlier in his career, he served in marketing roles at Diageo from 2005 to 2007 and Allied Domecq from 1997 to 2005.

Mr. Bentel holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Argentine Catholic University (UCA) and has completed executive leadership programs at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Subtitle

Chief Marketing Officer

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Executive Leadership

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Brandon Gall

admin — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 02:43:23 +0000

Brandon Gall admin Sun, 01/07/2018 - 20:43

Brandon Gall is Chief Financial Officer of MGP. Mr. Gall has served in this role since 2019 and as Treasurer of MGP since 2023. Mr. Gall also served as the company’s Interim President and CEO during 2025.

Mr. Gall joined MGP in 2012 and has advanced through a steady progression of leadership roles, including Director of Financial Planning and Analysis, Director of Supply Chain Finance, Director of Business Development, and Corporate Controller.

Prior to joining MGP, Mr. Gall worked at Errand Solutions, Chicago, as Director of Finance and Human Resources. From 2005 to 2010, Mr. Gall served at Credit Suisse Securities in various analyst and associate roles.

Mr. Gall holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Miami University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago. He also earned certified public accountant accreditation.

Subtitle

Chief Financial Officer

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Executive Leadership

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Erika Lapish

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 13:25:19 +0000

Erika Lapish admin Fri, 07/02/2021 - 08:25

Erika Lapish is Chief Human Resources Officer of MGP, with responsibility for human resources strategy and implementation Companywide, and has served in this role since 2023. She joined MGP as Vice President, Human Resources, in 2021.

Ms. Lapish has more than 20 years of experience in global HR management. Prior to joining MGP, she was Vice President of Human Resources for R1 RCM – Central Operations from 2018 to 2021. She held a similar role with Benteler Automotive from 2015 to 2018, after serving as Director of Employee Relations and Talent Management at Masco Corporation. Prior to this, she spent ten years with United Technologies Corporation in roles of increasing responsibility across their Military and Commercial segments, with both domestic and international leadership assignments.

Ms. Lapish is an Emerging Leader Graduate of the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. She attended Michigan State University, where she received a master of science degree in Labor and Industrial Relations, Human Resources and a bachelor of science in Business and Environmental Studies.

Subtitle

Chief Human Resources Officer

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Executive Leadership

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Kathleen Molamphy

admin — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 08:14:09 +0000

Kathleen Molamphy admin Wed, 08/28/2024 - 03:14

Kathleen Molamphy is MGP’s Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary and oversees all legal, compliance, and governance matters across the business. Joining MGP in 2024 as Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary, she has more than 20 years’ experience as a strategic business partner with legal, governance, and management expertise.

Before joining MGP, Ms. Molamphy served as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for ICL Americas LLC from 2018 to 2024, where she oversaw all legal, compliance, and corporate governance for the Americas region of the publicly traded specialty minerals company.

Prior to that, she spent 13 years at Bunge North America, Inc., responsible for a wide range of legal oversight and support, such as contract review and negotiations for all facets of the operation, litigation, due diligence activities for mergers and acquisitions, and maintaining property holdings.

Ms. Molamphy started her career with three years in private practice at Gallop, Johnson & Neuman, L.C. as an associate in the Governmental Law and Relations department.

Ms. Molamphy earned a Bachelor of Arts in French from Truman State University and Juris Doctorate, graduating magna cum laude, from Saint Louis University School of Law.

Subtitle

Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary

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Executive Leadership

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Amel Pasagic

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 20:40:48 +0000

Amel Pasagic admin Wed, 08/18/2021 - 15:40

Amel Pasagic is Chief Commercial Officer of MGP, a role he has held since 2024. In this role, Mr. Pasagic leads all commercial, strategic, and innovation activities for the company’s Branded Spirits and Distilling Solutions businesses and has responsibility for the company’s business intelligence strategy. Mr. Pasagic served as the company’s Chief Information Officer from 2021 to 2024. He joined the company as Vice President, Information Technology in 2021, at the time of MGP’s acquisition of Luxco, Inc.

Prior to the acquisition, Mr. Pasagic served in a variety of IT leadership roles with increasing responsibility during his 10 years with Luxco. Before joining Luxco, Mr. Pasagic held a variety of consulting roles across multiple business lines within healthcare, manufacturing, insurance, and financial services while working for Alliance Systems and Programming.

Mr. Pasagic received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Webster University with a focus on computer science and business management.

Subtitle

Chief Commercial Officer

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Executive Leadership

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Michael Buttshaw

admin — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 15:34:49 +0000

Michael Buttshaw admin Wed, 01/10/2018 - 09:34

Michael Buttshaw is President, Ingredient Solutions Sales. In this role, Mr. Buttshaw oversees sales, customer service, and innovation for the Ingredient Solutions business. Mr. Buttshaw joined MGP in 2014 as Vice President of Ingredients Sales and Marketing.

He previously served as Vice President of Sales for the ingredient group at Southeastern Mills, Inc. from 2010 to 2014 and as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Penford Food Ingredients from 2009 to 2010. This followed two years as Vice President of Sales and Business Development—Specialty Enzymes for DSM Food Specialties.

From 1985 to 2008, Mr. Buttshaw served in various leadership roles with Hormel Foods Corporation. He began there as a process engineer in quality assurance and later served in a series of technical and management positions. In 1999, he was promoted to National Sales and Marketing Manager for Hormel's specialty products division.

Mr. Buttshaw is an active member of key industry and professional organizations, including the Institute of Food Technologists and Research Chef's Association. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in education with an emphasis in mathematics from Gustavas Adolphus College and his MMI in management and marketing from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. He also completed executive training at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

Subtitle

President, Ingredient Solutions Sales

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Executive Leadership

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Boon Lee

admin — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:45:49 +0000

Boon Lee admin Wed, 01/07/2026 - 10:45

Boon Lee is Senior Vice President, Strategy and Insights of MGP and is responsible for all aspects of the company’s long-term strategy development and execution, including leading its integrated strategic planning process. Ms. Lee joined MGP in January 2026.

Ms. Lee has more than two decades of experience in management consulting, strategy and planning, project management, and consumer goods markets. Most recently, Ms. Lee served in various consultancy and advisor roles, including roles at MGP and several food & beverage industry start-ups. Prior to these roles, Ms. Lee served as the Vice President of Strategy and Insights at Schwan’s Company, where she held roles of increasing responsibilities in long-term strategic planning, consumer insights and innovation, and new business development.

In addition, she led cross-disciplinary innovation at Samsung’s C&T fashion division, and she previously worked at Boston Consulting Group where she helped drive strategic agenda for global companies, including their go-to-market, merger and acquisition, and performance management strategies.

Ms. Lee received an MBA from New York University. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Yonsei University and an MBA from KDI School of Public Policy and Management in Seoul, South Korea.

Subtitle

Senior Vice President, Strategy and Insights

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Executive Leadership

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Chris Wiseman

admin — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:20:28 +0000

Chris Wiseman admin Wed, 10/29/2025 - 13:20

Chris Wiseman is Senior Vice President, Operations of MGP and is responsible for all aspects of operations across the organization. Mr. Wiseman joined MGP in October 2025.

Mr. Wiseman has nearly two decades of deep manufacturing experience and supply chain expertise, cross-functional leadership skills, and a track record of operational excellence. Most recently, Mr. Wiseman served as the Vice President of Manufacturing at Schwan’s Company, where he held increasing roles of responsibility from 2017 to 2025. Before Schwan’s, he led multiple facilities for Bimbo Bakeries USA from 2012 to 2017.

Mr. Wiseman received a bachelor’s degree in bakery science and production management from Kansas State University.

Subtitle

Senior Vice President, Operations

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Executive Leadership

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Craig Bowles

admin — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 19:32:43 +0000

Craig Bowles admin Mon, 07/08/2024 - 14:32

Craig Bowles is Vice President of IT & Security. He joined the company in October 2022 as Director of Infrastructure and now oversees all aspects of our information technology and IT security. He helped standardize MGP and Luxco technology processes after the merger and will continue to create secure and employee -centered solutions to advance the Company.

Mr. Bowles has over 25 years of experience in IT across multiple industries, managing complex enterprise-level hybrid IT solutions and software applications. Prior to joining MGP he served as Director of Application Development at Drury Hotels in St. Louis, Missouri from 2018 to 2022. From 2005 to 2018, he was Manager of Application Development and GIS at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis. Prior to that he served as Manager of Information Technology at Electro Savings Credit Union in St. Louis from 1999 to 2005.

Mr. Bowles earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Management and a Masters degree in Information Management, both from Washington University in St. Louis, MO. He also holds the following certifications: CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) – (ISC)2 International Information Systems Security, Project Management Professional (PMI.org), and Project Management Certificate from Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

Subtitle

Vice President of IT & Security

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Executive Leadership

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