Nayana Doletta Ferguson (born October 23, 1973) [1] [2] [3] is an African-American businesswoman. Co-founder and CEO of Anteel Tequila, [4] [5] [6] [7] she is the first Black woman to own and run a tequila company. [4] [5] [2] [8] [6] [7]
Nayana Doletta Ferguson (born October 23, 1973) [1] [2] [3] is an African-American businesswoman. Co-founder and CEO of Anteel Tequila, [4] [5] [6] [7] she is the first Black woman to own and run a tequila company. [4] [5] [2] [8] [6] [7]
Ferguson was born and grew up in Detroit, Michigan. [9] She graduated from Cass Technical High School. [9] [10] Ferguson later had a career in business before launching Anteel Tequila (previously known as Teeq Tequila) in August 2018 with her husband Don Ferguson in Detroit. [5] [2] [6] [7] The company's name was inspired by the Antillean Crested hummingbird, which Ferguson and her husband saw on their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic. [4] [7] The couple and company moved to Atlanta around 2022. [8] Ferguson's Anteel Tequila products have received numerous industry awards, including SIP Awards, [4] [11] [12] and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. [13] [5] [6]
Ferguson promoted her company as a featured guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show on February 17, 2022. [14]
Ferguson was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2005 and with breast cancer in 2012. [2] She was involved with PanCan Detroit affiliate of volunteers which is connected with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. [2]
Aretha Louise Franklin was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the "Queen of Soul", Rolling Stone twice named her as the greatest singer of all time. With global sales of over 75 million records, Franklin is one of the world's best-selling music artists.
Diageo plc is a British multinational alcoholic beverage company, with its headquarters in London, England. It operates from 132 sites around the world. It is a major distributor of Scotch whisky and other spirits. Distilleries owned by Diageo produce 40% of all Scotch whisky with over 24 brands, such as Johnnie Walker, J&B and Old Parr.
Manon Rhéaume is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender. An Olympic silver medalist, she achieved a number of historic firsts during her career, including becoming the first woman to play in an exhibition game in any of the major North American pro-sports leagues.
AGCO Corporation is an American agricultural machinery manufacturer headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1990. AGCO designs, produces and sells tractors, combines, foragers, hay tools, self-propelled sprayers, smart farming technologies, seeding equipment, and tillage equipment.
E & J Gallo Winery is a winery and distributor headquartered in Modesto, California. It was founded in 1933 by Ernest Gallo and Julio Gallo of the Gallo family, and is the largest exporter of California wines. It is the largest wine producer in the world, producing over 3% of the world's entire annual supply of 35 billion bottles with an annual revenue of $5.3 billion it is also the largest family-owned winery in the United States. Gallo provides about 3,500 jobs to Modesto residents and 2,500 jobs in other parts of the state, country, and world.
Cîroc is a brand of alcoholic beverages produced in France since 2003 and owned by the British-based multinational alcoholic beverage maker Diageo. The brand family includes vodka, flavored products containing vodka, and brandy. From 2007 the marketing and promotion for Cîroc in the United States was in conjunction with rapper Sean Combs in an "equal-share venture" with profits from the brand being split between Combs and Diageo, but this was terminated in 2024 after a legal dispute, leaving Diageo the sole owner.
Kenya Summer Moore is an American actress, and former beauty pageant titleholder, who won Miss USA 1993. She is a main cast member on the TV reality series, The Real Housewives of Atlanta, since its fifth season in 2012.
Jose Cuervo is the best-selling brand of tequila, selling a fifth of the tequila consumed worldwide.
Davide Campari-Milano N.V., trading as Campari Group, is an Italian company active since 1860 in the branded beverage industry. It produces spirits, wines, and non-alcoholic apéritifs. From its signature product, Campari, its portfolio has been extended to include over 50 brands, including Aperol, Appleton, Cinzano, SKYY vodka, Espolón, Wild Turkey, Grand Marnier, and Forty Creek whisky.
The Edrington Group Limited, trading as Edrington, is a privately owned international spirits company based in Glasgow, Scotland. It produces single malts such as The Macallan, Highland Park, The Glenrothes, Naked Malt, and The Famous Grouse blended Scotch whisky. The spirits portfolio also includes Noble Oak Bourbon of Independence, Kentucky, and Brugal, the leading golden rum in the Caribbean. It also owns shares in Wyoming Whiskey, an American whiskey made in Kirby, Wyoming, and No. 3 London Dry Gin.
Luxco, Inc. is a privately owned producer and marketer of distilled beverages and liqueurs based in St. Louis, Missouri. It has been owned by MGP Ingredients since 2021.
A'Lelia Perry Bundles is an American journalist, news producer and author, known for her 2001 biography of her great-great-grandmother Madam C. J. Walker.
Beam Suntory, Inc. is an American-founded, Japanese multinational company that produces alcoholic beverages. It is a subsidiary of Suntory, based in Osaka, Japan.
Rosalind G. Brewer is an American businesswoman and former CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, before stepping down in September 2023. Brewer is the first woman to become CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, group president and COO of Starbucks, and CEO of Sam's Club.
Casamigos, often Casamigos Tequila, is an American tequila company founded by George Clooney, Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman. It has been owned by Diageo since 2017.
D'AngelaDiaSimms is an American business executive. In 2020, Simms was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal. She was previously the president of Combs Enterprises, a position she had held since May 15, 2017. Simms was appointed to this position by Combs Enterprises founder and CEO, Sean Combs, and was the first person to assume the role of president at the company.
Fawn Weaver is an American entrepreneur and author who holds the position of CEO at Grant Sidney Inc. In 2017, Weaver co-founded Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey where she serves as the chief historian. She is the founder of the Nearest Green Foundation. In March 2021, she was named to Endeavor's board of directors.
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey is a brand of Tennessee whiskey produced by Uncle Nearest, Inc., headquartered in Shelbyville, Tennessee, United States. The whiskey is named after the formerly enslaved man, Nathan "Nearest" Green, who taught a young Jack Daniel the craft of distilling.
McBride Sisters Wine Company is a Black-owned, female-led wine company in the United States. The company was founded in 2005 by African American winemakers Robin and Andréa McBride, who first met as adults and bonded over a shared passion for winemaking. The brand uses grapes from both California and New Zealand, and is focused on providing quality bottled and canned wines that are affordable and "celebrate inclusivity". As of 2020, Wine Spectator noted that it was the largest Black-owned wine company in the US by volume. According to the Boston Globe, McBride Sisters is also "one of the few Black-owned wine labels that encourages consumers to be socially conscious."
Melly Barajas Cárdenas is a Mexican master distiller of tequila. As of 2018 she was one of only 12 female master distillers in Mexico. According to La Opinión she is known in Mexico as the Queen of Tequila.