Trudy Thomas, CSE
Trudy Thomas, CSE is a newly elected member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Wine Educators (SWE). Trudy is a nationally known beverage professional, hospitality leader, wine director, spirits educator and mixologist. A Kentucky native, she grew up in an area rich in the tradition of moonshine which inspired an early fascination, not just with the bourbon industry, but with the people who make up the remarkable community that crafts, lives, and breathes bourbon.
Following her passion for the industry, she began working as a bartender in college and eventually moved to Chicago where she started managing beverage programs for regional restaurant chains, overseeing the entire program not just wine, spirits, beer, and cocktails, but coffee, tea, and other beverages, a path eventually leading to her first job as a National Director of Beverage when she joined the Wolfgang Puck Restaurant Group.
She later joined Marriott International at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, Arizona in 2008, and was hired to raise the bar on their beverage program during the renovation of the historic property, including opening BLT Steak Scottsdale with Chef Laurent Tourondel. In 2014 she had the opportunity to move closer to her Kentucky home when she joined Marriott’s largest property Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville as Director of Beverage. In this role she was responsible for overseeing a 25-million-dollar beverage program for 20 restaurants and lounges, Soundwaves a 5-acre Water Park, Golf Course, Paddle Boat, and Night Club as well as room service and banquets.
Trudy holds multiple certifications including being one of the first to achieve the Certified Spirits Educator (CSE) designation from the Society of Wine Educators. She was one of the first women in the United States to judge brown spirits and has served as a judge to both the prestigious San Francisco Spirit’s Competition and as a wine and spirits judge at Chicago’s Beverage Tasting Institute.
Trudy currently lives in Nashville and is employed by Southworth Development as the Corporate Director of Beverage and Beverage Experience. When she isn’t listening to live music in one of her favorite venues, Trudy enjoys hiking, golf, and thoroughbred horse racing.
Welcome to the Board, Trudy Thomas!