About

Matt Milner

CEO + Co-Founder Seattle, WA

Matt provides financial and strategic oversight, enjoys working closely with BBP’s producer partners, and is highly focused on maintaining the strong company culture that is a tremendous source of pride for the entire BBP team. Matt learned the ropes from his father and mentor who imports South African food and wine.

Andrew Johnson

Chief People Officer + Co-Founder Seattle, WA

Andrew joined BBP after nearly 20 years working in technology. Now he combines his business acumen with his passion for all things fermented and distilled, managing our Mexican spirits portfolio, overseeing Human Resources and providing operational support.

Kaj Hakkinen

Chief Innovation Officer + Co-Founder Brooklyn, NY

After co-founding BBP, Kaj moved from Seattle to New York to manage east coast operations in 2013. Today, he is responsible for leading the brand innovation strategy, creative direction, and cross-department integration within the existing BBP portfolio, as well as new brand opportunities.

Matthew Riley

Chief Operating Officer + PartnerSeattle, WA

Matt builds systems and processes to help all departments operate with efficiency and transparency. He oversees sales, marketing and operations with an emphasis on integration through team collaboration and creative problem-solving. Prior to joining Back Bar Project, he managed a large craft spirits portfolio at a major distributor.

David Muñoz

Chief Strategy Officer + PartnerLos Angeles, CA

His experience working for Coca-Cola, Infinium Spirits, and Brown Forman, makes David a perfect partner and CSO. He has been instrumental in growing our distribution network across the U.S. David works with our team, suppliers, and distributor partners to drive long-term planning and strategy in both on and off-premise.

Annie Borgerding

Director of MarketingBrooklyn, NY

Annie brings passion and knowledge about food, beverage, travel & lifestyle brands. As Director of Marketing, she is equipped with a varied skill set including media relations, writing, event planning, client management, strategic planning, business development, and budget management.

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Kristina Calvert

Director of Sales – WestSan Francisco, CA

Kristina is a passionate spirits professional with more than 12 years of distributor sales experience. Formerly the leading Craft Spirits Specialist for Young’s Market, Kristina came to BBP in 2019 and quickly grew within the company – most recently having managed the West states aligned to RNDC. Kristina now works with her Team to build Back Bar Project’s sales and distribution as the Director of Sales – West.

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William Merritt

Director of Chains & Brand Development Seattle, WA

Prior to BBP, Will served as Director of On-Premise Sales for the Brown Forman division at Young’s Market Company, Washington. Will brings expertise in managing large and complex distributor relationships. His trade advocacy experience includes spirits education, brand activation, and cocktail training. As Back Bar Project’s Director of Chains & Business Development Will strategizes on how to build brands and enhance sales.

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Robert Wagner

Director of Operations Washington, D.C.

Bob spent more than 20 years in the hospitality industry. He worked positions from bus boy to Food and Beverage Director. As a founding member of the Tampa Bay Chapter, USBG, and later the Secretary of the NYC Chapter, Bob is a well-known industry veteran. He joined Back Bar Project in 2018 as our New England and Mid-Atlantic Regional Manager. In 2021 he transitioned to BBP’s Systems & Control State Manager and in 2023 was made Director of Operations.

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Michele Willard

Director of Sales – East Chicago, IL

After years in the finance field, Michele was lured to spirits and hospitality. She became an industry leader in the Southern CA cocktail community. She joined BBP in 2017 to help manage southern CA before moving across the country to run the Southeast for BBP. She then relocated to the Chicago market to help run all BreakThru markets nationally and most recently has been promoted to Director of Sales-East. In her newest role, she will help develop and strategize new and innovative ways to increase sales.

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Kate Chiquoine

Regional Manager – Breakthru Wilmington, DE

Kate’s professional journey began in the restaurant sector before transitioning to the alcohol distribution industry, where she gained eight years of experience. She advanced through various sales roles and served as the Director of On-premise Operations at Breakthru Delaware for three years. In 2024, Kate joined Back Bar Project as our Regional Manager – Breakthru. Her extensive knowledge of beer, wine, and spirits makes her a valuable asset to our team.

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Amanda de la Nuez

Regional Manager – Northeast New York, NY

With more than ten years of professional experience in NYC hospitality, and founder of her own digital marketing company, Amanda manages BBP’s brands and distributor relationships in the Northeast covering New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

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Gianna LiVigni

Regional Manager – RNDC West San Francisco, CA

Gianna’s wine and spirits journey began more than six years ago at Young’s Market Company. She discovered and fell in love with the craft spirits world, especially for all things agave. Gianna joined the BBP team in 2021 as the North California Market Manager and has been promoted to Regional Manager – RNDC West.

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Aaron Schweiger

Regional Manager – Control States Boise, ID

Prior to BBP, Aaron was with RNDC for 18 years in multiple positions across the Pacific Northwest region. Aaron brings expertise in managing control states and distributor relationships. His trade experience includes spirits and wine education. As the Regional Manager for Control States Aaron looks forward to expanding BBP’s distribution footprint in his markets.

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Andy Maurer

Regional Manager – South Houston, TX

Andy is an avid spirits enthusiast and educator with over 15 years of industry experience spanning from beverage director, craft spirits specialist for a major distributor, and manager of artisanal portfolios from the Southern US to the West. Located in Texas, he joined BBP in 2021 as Regional Manager – South.

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Rachel Arnett

National Accounts Manager – On-Premise Phoenix, AZ

Rachel is an Arizona native and spirits enthusiast with over a decade of bartending experience. She joined the BBP team as the state’s Market Manager and quickly advanced to National Accounts Manager – On-Premise. Rachel has also served as a Craft Spirits Specialist at RNDC and as Business Development Manager for Remy-Cointreau. She holds WSET certifications in Wine Level 2 and Spirits Levels 2 & 3.

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John Grant

Off-Premise Chains Manager Phoenix, AZ

An industry enthusiast and educator, John began his journey in the spirits industry 19 years ago. He has had the good fortune to oversee beverage programs for independent bars, restaurants & major hotels, manage retail liquor operations as well as work in distribution representing small batch distilleries. He joined BBP in 2022 as the Market Manager for Arizona, where he excelled at activating his market in both on and off-premise and is now the Off-premise Chains Manager for BBP.

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Sunita Martini

Senior Visual Designer + PhotographerSeattle, WA

An accomplished visual designer, intrepid lifestyle photographer, and passionate foodie, Sunita puts her skills, and love for unique branding, to work, ensuring that Back Bar Project maintains a high level of visual identity across all channels.

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Erin Winch

Marketing Manager San Antonio, TX

Erin is a cocktail enthusiast and a marketing professional with a concentration in the digital space. With 10 years of experience in adult beverages and marketing, she comes to BBP from RNDC, where she helped set up the eRNDC platform. She joined BBP in 2022 as our Marketing Manager.

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Stephanie Andrews

Market Manager
Illinois + Wisconsin Chicago, Il

For most of her career, Stephanie has been Chicago-based, thriving at a handful of the city’s top cocktail bars. In these friendly confines, she fully immersed herself into the beverage world. A passion for cocktails quickly turned into a knack for vintage spirits — where she fell in love with the story each bottle tells us. After a decade of storytelling and hospitality, Stephanie is thrilled to join the BBP team as the Illinois Market Manager

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Glenn Boiles

Market Manager
Central Texas + Louisiana Austin, TX

Glenn joined BBP in 2022 after working with award winning bars, restaurants, and retailers for over 16 years. His experience includes bartending, bar management, wholesale management, spirits buyer, and sommelier in both Texas and Oregon. He has a love for spirits and wine education and strives to be a friend and resource to anyone he meets.

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Ranjini Bose

Market Manager
New York + New Jersey Jersey City, NJ

Ranjini started bartending during a “gap” year after college and fell in love with craft cocktails. She tended bar and managed beverage programs for over a decade before moving over to spirits distribution. Passionate about education and Negroni riffs, she is excited to share her love of spirits with New York.

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Hal Brock

Market Manager
South Texas + Indiana Houston, TX

Hal is a seasoned hospitality veteran and spirits consultant with two decades of industry experience including cocktail program management for craft bars, sales and mixology in distribution, and advocacy and marketing for spirits suppliers. He joined BBP in 2024, and manages the market in South Texas and Indiana.

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Lauren Darnell

Market Manager
Washington + Oregon Seattle, WA

Lauren climbed the ranks of the beverage industry as beverage director in some of Seattle’s most prestigious cocktail bars. With 20 years of service experience and a passion for the history and culture of spirits, she is excited to join the BBP team as the Market Manager for Washington state.

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Chris Dempsey

Market Manager
North Texas + KentuckyDallas, TX

Chris is the quintessential barman, with 25 years in the food and beverage industry running some of the top bars in Dallas. A spirits educator with a passion for agave & Mexican spirits, Chris was the Director of Education for the Dallas USBG from 2012 to 2014. In 2019 he left his beloved bars to pursue consulting on the supplier side. He joined BBP at the end of 2022 as the Market Manager for North Texas and looks forward to sharing his love for these craft spirits.

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Daniel Guess

Market Manager Florida

Daniel is a stalwart in the Florida bar community. For more than a decade he ran some of Tampa’s most progressive programs. His love for spirits and education led him to help develop programs with a high focus on training and education. He joined the BBP team in 2021 as the North Florida Market Manager and now oversees the whole state.

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Tim Hagney

Market Manager
San Diego/Orange County + Hawaii San Diego, CA

Tim joined BBP in 2023 after 15 years of bartending and managing bars from Boston to San Francisco to San Diego. He has always been a creative nerd with a passion for the history and cultural significance behind the development and consumption of spirits globally. Tim now oversees the San Diego and Orange County markets.

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Daniel Rutkowski

Market Manager
New York + Conneticut Brooklyn, NY

Daniel joined the Back Bar Project team in 2022 as a Market Manager in his hometown of New York City. With a background in music and a penchant for eating, he has been shaking Manhattans and stirring Daiquiris for the last decade.

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Zack Safron

Market Manager
Northern California + Reno/Tahoe Benicia, CA

Zack has thrived in the hospitality world for the past 21 years. During a visit to Oaxaca in 2012, Zack met his first true love, Mezcal. The years following, Zack led tours with people from all over the globe focused on mezcal, before moving to Oaxaca to be a tour guide for Casa Cortés and to run Mezcalogia. After returning to San Francisco to bartend, he moved to the supplier side, where he worked for five years before finding a home at Back Bar Project managing the Northern California market.

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Rory Smith

Market Manager
Arizona + Colorado Phoenix, AZ

Rory brings a wealth of experience to the BBP team, with 12 years in distribution and a decade in the hospitality industry, his expertise lies in representing family-owned estate properties in both the wine and spirits sectors. Rory is eager to continue this tradition as he takes on the management of the Arizona and Colorado markets.

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