Meet the Board: Gary Pickard, CSE

Gary Pickard, CSE

Gary Pickard, CSE is a newly elected member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Wine Educators (SWE). Gary started his wine and spirits journey in a place where most do not—the library. Fascinated by the behind-the-scenes aspects of the industry, he earned his Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS) certification promptly began work as a Craft Spirits Specialist for New York-based distributor, Empire Merchants. This job—working with Manhattan and Brooklyn’s elite wine and spirits retail accounts—led to a position in Brown-Forman’s newly-established Emerging Brands division as a Market Manager for the state of New Jersey.

While at Brown-Forman, Gary was also the United States point person for their global Old & Rare Whisky project. Currently, Gary is employed at Pacific Edge Wine & Spirits as their Regional Manager for the Northeast market.

Along the way, Gary has earned other certifications, including his Level 3 Award in Wine and Level 2 Award in Spirits from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), and his Executive Bourbon Stewardship from Moonshine University. Most recently, Gary has earned his Diploma in Single Malt Whisky from Edinburgh Whisky Academy and his Certified Spirits Educator (CSE) certification from the Society of Wine Educators.

Gary has been a wine and spirits judge for competitions and publications over the past 8 years, including The Fifty Best, The Tasting Alliance’s New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, Winemaker Magazine, and others. He has been interviewed on the subject of spirits by media outlets such as Whisky Advocate, Fire & Barley, and Livestrong.com. He is also a member of International Drinks Specialists. Originally from Mastic Beach, Long Island, NY; Gary now resides in Jersey City with a sizable bottle collection and a very understanding wife.

When asked about his goals for his time as a SWE Board Member, Gary replied, “I believe that I owe so much of my career in this industry to SWE. As a newcomer and unknown applicant in the ever-competitive field of beverage alcohol, achieving my CSS set me apart from the pack and I believe it showed my employers and future colleagues that I was serious about my trajectory and that they could rely on me for being a resource of knowledge for whichever products I was representing at the time. Being a Director on the Board is my way of attempting to pay the debt that I owe to SWE for giving me a jump start in this new chapter of my life. I also hope it will allow me to help other people who are currently struggling to establish themselves in the beverage industry.”

Welcome to the Board, Gary Pickard!