Jerald is one of the world’s leading authorities in the drinks space who, over the course of his 20 years as director of BTI, has professionally reviewed and analyzed over 75,000 wines, beers, and spirits and trained hundreds of hospitality and drinks professionals in the science and art of critical liquid evaluation and sensory analysis. Leveraging his deep knowledge and vast experience, he collaborates with beverage brands of all sizes seeking to create great products and winning marketing and sales strategies. Over the past two decades, Jerald has worked closely with the world’s most-admired beverage brands and holding companies, including Diageo, Pernod-Ricard, Beam-Suntory, PepsiCo, Heineken, Starbucks, Bacardi, Campari, MillerCoors, Brown-Forman, and the Boston Beer Company.

Frequently sought out for his expertise and analysis, Jerald has contributed and provided articles, insights, and critiques to media that include The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNBC, The Chicago Tribune, All About Beer, The New Yorker, BBC, and Restaurant Hospitality, and many others.

A graduate of the University of Chicago with a BA in Economics and post-graduate work in the arts, Jerald has amassed certifications and honors that include being valedictorian of his class at The Chicago Wine School, a Certified Sensory Specialist by The Siebel Institute of Technology, Pilsner Urquell’s Beer Connoisseur #2 (the late, great drinks author and BTI panelist Michael Jackson being #1), and an appointment as ‘Cavaleiro’ by the Confraria do Vinho do Porto—an honorary Portuguese Knighthood for his service in the understanding, appreciation, and promotion of Port wines.

Debra manages the day-to-day operations at Beverage Testing Institute.  With over 30 years of experience working in hospitality with a focus on food and beverage, Debra not only understands beverages from a product standpoint, but from the context in which beverages are consumed and brand loyalties are forged.

With a degree in restaurant management and extensive experience managing large-scale events at prestigious and high-profile occasions including the Kentucky Derby, Debra keeps a laser-like focus on efficiency and achieving objectives.  Clients and partners benefit from Debra’s ability to bring simplicity and order to complex undertakings.

In addition to bringing her culinary expertise to bear for clients and partners, Debra also volunteers by teaching cooking classes for Share Our Strength, a national organization working to end childhood hunger in the United States.

Andrew joined BTI with a decade-plus of industry experience. Starting in retail purchasing, sales, marketing, and independent bar and restaurant consulting, he has primarily been an educator, brand ambassador, and brand development manager for major suppliers including Edrington Group, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Pernod-Ricard, Glen Moray, and Remy-Cointreau.

A Northwestern University graduate with multiple majors, Andrew continues passionately pursuing projects and studies promoting the heritage and craftsmanship of fine libations. As an avid wine and whisk(e)y connoisseur he has studied with the Court of Master Sommeliers, WSET, and French Wine Scholars and is beginning the Master of Wine program after hopefully becoming one of the first Masters of Whiskey. Andrew is also on the boards of RieslingKenner, a charitable organization focused on fighting food insecurity and spreading a love of wine through education and inclusion to historically underrepresented groups, and The Global Council of Whiskey Masters. 

Andrew steps into this new role with a deep respect for BTI as one of the most established and venerable reviewers and evaluators of libations. Surrounded by this institutional knowledge and tradition, he seeks to teach and work with the best and most qualified judges and authors, old and new, while modernizing and capturing the attention of the next generation of beverage professionals around Chicago and the globe.

Amy has been working in restaurants and bars on the floor and behind the bar for over two and a half decades; sometimes to support creative endeavors such as freelance writing, and other times just for the love of the game. From her humble hospitality beginnings in high school as a server at a chain restaurant to working as a bartender at the original Big Star Chicago for almost ten years, Amy’s service experience runs the gamut, including teaching yoga for 7+ years, of which she has been an active practitioner for most of her life. Her Master’s Degree in Linguistics and Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism help her to effectively communicate with BTI panelists and clients alike; her hospitality experience and connections allow her to continue to grow BTI’s esteemed pool of expert panelists and keep on relevant industry trends, and her dedication to the organization allows her to stay on top of the results-driven deadlines that allow BTI to produce and publish high-quality trade marketing tools and trustworthy consumer-facing reviews.

The merging of these seemingly unrelated academic and career paths has guided Amy to this point as BTI’s Trade Development Manager; her multifaceted perspective and approach plus her love of establishing a welcoming environment allow Amy to effectively create and manage a tasting space for BTI’s methodology to be properly executed and the client’s products to be properly evaluated.

Diana’s status as a hospitality industry veteran has been cultivated through 20+ years of managing, serving, and bartending in Chicago’s top restaurants and nationally recognized cocktail lounges.

In addition to working in tandem with critically acclaimed and James Beard Award-winning chefs and restaurateurs, she is a whiskey aficionado and wine professional, having earned recognition for her intensive studies from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Her sales and marketing career boasts portfolio management from boutique Italian wines to craft-heavy spirits, and she further honed her whisky expertise as brand ambassador for both The Balvenie and Glenfiddich Single Malts.

Diana’s vast industry experience and personal values of empathy and hospitality are the driving force behind her interpersonal communications, and she draws upon this wealth of wisdom when sharing sales and hospitality insights with BTI clients.

Matthew’s combination of on-the-ground industry experience and sharp aesthetic eye provides contemporary and creative marketing solutions for BTI’s clients. Cultivated over a decade, Matthew’s tenure in the hospitality industry has spanned the food, beverage, and marketing realms. He has spent time in both front and back of house roles with the world-renowned Alinea Group, pounded the pavement in wine distribution and retail, and crunched numbers and built successful campaigns for the national reservation system Tock. Further building on his experience and education, Matthew has earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in Advertising from DePaul University, a Culinary and Hospitality Associate’s Degree from Kendall College, and numerous certifications from the International Sommelier Guild

When he’s not behind the BTI desk, you can find Matthew at the stove or in front of the oven creating delicious pastries for his beloved side-hustle, Only Child Bakery.