Brown‑Forman Corporation has announced the appointment of Larry Combs to the newly created role of chief information officer (CIO) and director of supply chain integration and strategy; and Melvin Keebler to the role of general manager, Jack Daniel Distillery supply chain.
The drinks firm said the appointments will be effective immediately.
Larry Combs
Combs will be responsible for the strategic direction of Brown‑Forman’s application technologies, enterprise architecture, data and analytics strategy and framework, and portfolio management, as well as the continued development and execution of logistics, procurement, planning, and production strategies.
Over his 30-year career at Brown‑Forman, he has worked in a variety of roles including global quality director, vice president production services, and senior vice president technical services. Combs has been responsible for functions including engineering, R&D, environmental compliance, package engineering, and quality assurance.
Most recently, Combs served as the senior vice president, global director, Jack Daniel’s supply chain/procurement/planning/logistics.
"Larry’s knowledge of Brown‑Forman’s supply chain, global manufacturing acumen, and record of leading transformational change through technology makes him uniquely qualified to ensure we meet our future supply chain and technology demands and opportunities," said Tim Nall, senior vice president, chief global supply chain and technology officer.
Melvin Keebler
Keebler has been employed by Brown‑Forman for over 20 years, rising through numerous leadership roles at the Jack Daniel Distillery including quality, warehousing, engineering, maintenance, production, and used barrels operations. He previously served as the general manager, Jack Daniel Distillery, where he led all site and homeplace operations.
In addition to leading the Jack Daniel Distillery operations in Lynchburg, Tennessee, Keebler will be responsible for Brown‑Forman Cooperage operations. This includes overseeing the production of new barrels and the process and distribution of used barrels.
“With Melvin leading the Jack Daniel Distillery, we’ll continue to ensure best-in-class sourcing, distilling, and bottling of the Jack Daniel’s family of brands. He is a trusted leader that brings a wealth of experience in production and supply chain to this role,” said Tim Nall.
© 2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest drinks news. Article by Robert McHugh. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
