This Global Trade Adventure Podcast By Jim Ray cover art

This Global Trade Adventure

This Global Trade Adventure

By: Jim Ray
Listen for free

About this listen

 The World Trade Center Kentucky provides insights and services related to global trade for Kentucky companies. Episodes will focus on international business, trade issues, supply chain management and other topics. These brief discussions will involve guests from various companies already doing business on a global scale. They'll share observation, perspectives and advice to help other professionals navigate this global trade adventure.2023 Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • The Rise of Bourbonism: An Interview with Eric Gregory

    The Rise of Bourbonism: An Interview with Eric Gregory
    Jun 9 2025
    Episode 25: Today, Omar Ayyash, President & CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky interviews Eric Gregory, President of the Kentucky Distiller’s Association discuss the Kentucky bourbon industry, its history, standards, and the challenges it faces in the global market. They explore the rise of bourbonism, the impact of tariffs on exports, and the importance of tourism in promoting Kentucky's bourbon heritage. The conversation highlights the collaborative spirit of the distillers and the economic significance of bourbon to the state of Kentucky. Meet Eric Gregory Eric is a born and raised Kentuckian, from Henderson County. He attended the University of Kentucky. He has a background in journalism, public relations and political consulting. He later became a lobbyist. In 2007, he became the President of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA). He considers it an honor and privilege to have played a role in the incredible rise in the popularity of bourbon and bourbonism during the past 10-15 years. What Is the Kentucky Distillers’ Association? Eric notes the KDA was founded in 1880. A group of distillers met at the Galt House in Louisville to discuss how they could better deal with the increasing taxes on bourbon. Labeling and whether a spirit was truly bourbon or not were other important themes, in the early years. The mission of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is to protect, promote and elevate Kentucky’s signature bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Over 100 Kentucky distilleries are members of the KDA. These distilleries produce 95% of the world’s bourbon. There is also a significant tourism arm of the KDA. In 1999, the KDA launched the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Experience. It’s focus is to promote bourbonism throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. What Makes Bourbon Different from Whiskey? To begin, all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. The KDA’s website has some very interesting FAQs about bourbon. There are actual federal standards that define elements which qualify a spirit to be called bourbon. Primarily, the spirit must be at least 51% corn and it must be aged in a brand new, charred oak container. Additionally, it can’t be bottled at less than 80 proof. It can’t go into the barrel if it exceeds 125 proof. To be called a Kentucky bourbon, it must be fermented, distilled and produced in Kentucky. Additionally, it must be aged in the Commonwealth for at least 1 year. If the label calls it a “straight bourbon,” that indicates it’s been aged for at least 2 years. If there is no aged statement on the bottle, that means it’s at least 4 years old. Eric points out that bourbon is the only indigenous spirit of the United States. In 1964, Congress passed a law requiring the whiskey to be made in the US, if it’s to be called a bourbon. Bourbon Is Steeped in Family Tradition Bill Samuels is a legend in Kentucky bourbon. He’s the son of the founder of Makers Mark. His godfather was Colonel Jim Beam. Many of the families behind some of the most recognized brands are related, along the way. Eric describes how many of the family names are iconic throughout the world, as it relates to distilled spirits. It’s important to note that the distilleries all get along with each other, based in part because of the 200-year family heritage. Through the years many of the distilleries have helped their competitors in times of emergencies, such as floods and fires. The Bourbon-Boom and the Global Phenomenon of Bourbonism While bourbon was popular in the 50’s, it experienced a decline during the 60s and 70s. It was no longer considered hip or cool. The consumer began demonstrating a preference for clear spirits. This trend continued into the 1980s. Eric points out that Kentucky had 8,000,000 barrels of bourbon in 1960s to 2,000,000 barrels or less in during that decline. In the 1980s, the distillers began producing single-barrel and small-batch bourbons. Blantons, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden and Booker’s are a few important examples. The quality of these product were very high. In the 1990s, international free-trade agreements (such as NAFTA and with the EU) contributed to the expansion of Kentucky bourbon. Tariffs were set at zero, enabling distillers and the KDA to sell to new markets that were unfamiliar with Kentucky bourbon. Other factors include the increase in bourbon tourism and the rise of the cocktail culture in the US. Bourbonism was surging and it began to reclaim that dominant image position, across the US and beyond. In 1999, as a state, Kentucky filled 455,000 barrels of bourbon. In 2024, it had risen to 3.2 million barrels. Production has substantially increased to meet the growing demand. Challenges and Opportunities Facing the Bourbon Industry Omar asks Eric to discuss some of the issues impacting bourbon sales both domestically and globally. The obvious ...
    Show more Show less
    38 mins
  • Interview with David Brulotte, Québec's Delegate General in New York

    Interview with David Brulotte, Québec's Delegate General in New York
    May 12 2025
    Episode 24: Today, Omar Ayyash, President & CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky interviews David Brulotte, Québec’s Delegate General in New York. David and his team are touring various Kentucky companies and meeting with officials. Kentucky and Québec have significant, commercial relationships. Meet David Brulotte David explains his role is to promote and defend Québec’s interests in the US. The team in New York City consists of 30 people. This is their most senior team in the United States. In total, there are 9 offices in the United States. The province of Québec has 34 offices across 20 countries. The Ministry of International Relations of Québec leads the group. It consists of roughly 600 employees. Approximately 100 of them are in the US, with the remainder spread across Europe, Asia, South America and Africa. The New York office has responsibility for a region which includes Kentucky. At its core mission, David’s office focuses on expanding Québec businesses and exports throughout the region. The help to establish JVs, as well as, brownfield and greenfield investments. David’s team also helps US companies to grow and invest in Québec, with an emphasis on foreign direct investment opportunities. They foster government relationships at the city, state and federal levels. The promote Québec culture including artists, enterprises and universities. Québec’s Focus on Kentucky Both Québec and Kentucky are states. The Delegate General’s office has made previous trips to Kentucky. There are always new opportunities to be found and being on the ground is a great way to discover them. It also provides a the chance to establish personal relationships in the area. David will keynote this evening’s Global Executive Forum at the UK Gatton College of Business and Economics. The Role of Cultural Diplomacy Omar asks David to comment on the role of cultural diversity in his office. David notes that this is the core of his efforts on the international scene. It’s one of the reasons Québec has numerous offices across the world. Canada itself is a very decentralize country. The individual provinces have a great deal of jurisdictions and powers. For instance, healthcare and education are province-based jurisdictions. Québec has always had a proud cultural identity. They regularly promote their native artists, such as Cirque du Soleil. Additionally, they actively promote their businesses, the French language, etc. Three members of his 30-person team specifically focus on cultural promotion opportunities. David points out that cultural experiences help to create memories, which can be helpful when working through challenges in other areas of a common relationship. Those cultural experiences help to foster interests, which fortify the friendships and help to build bridges between two people, organizations or governments. Omar and the World Trade Center Kentucky was able to assist in setting up meetings for David’s delegation in Louisville, Bowling Green and Lexington. They’ve met with company leaders, elected officials, various chambers of commerce and more. It was a terrific opportunity to listen to the needs of companies regarding new suppliers in their supply chains or even new clients. Several companies in Kentucky already have Québec inputs. Several Québec companies have subsidiaries in various parts of Kentucky. It's also a good time to discuss how the tariff situation might affect companies sourcing from or exporting to Québec, and Canada at large. David and his team can convey messages to elected officials and to other businesses, on behalf of the various Kentucky companies. Omar notes how the World Trade Center Kentucky is unique in that it’s the only organization focused on both imports and exports. Many of the government entities you might think of are primarily export-focused. As often noted, Kentucky exported $42 billion in 2024. The WTCKY recognizes the importance of imports and works to help companies to build resiliency into their operations, including supply chain. On this same day, Omar will participate in a webinar focused on duty drawback, which is another tool Kentucky businesses can use to improve financial results. Québec Is a Logistics Hub While Kentucky boast the presence of UPS and DHL, Québec also is known as a logistics hub for North America and Europe. Québec encourages European companies to consider shipping product to Québec. This can help them to take advantage of the USMCA agreement. This may be more advantageous than attempting to ship directly to the US. Aerospace is an extremely competitive sector for Québec. There’s also a strong presence for AI, tech and battery manufacturing. The also have a significant SK battery investment near Montreal, which will enable them to work closely with the new Ford-SK battery plant, in Kentucky. Montreal and ...
    Show more Show less
    24 mins
  • Local to Global an Interview with Entrepreneur Ricky Mason

    Local to Global an Interview with Entrepreneur Ricky Mason
    Apr 14 2025

    Episode 23: Today, Omar Ayyash, President & CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky interviews Ricky Mason, an entrepreneur who is earning a lot of visibility these days. From a stint with the CIA, to working on actual rockets to launching a new company, Ricky is making an impact on many in his orbit.

    Meet Ricky Mason

    Omar and Ricky met at an International Trade Certification course, sponsored by the WTCKY. Ricky later participated in the 2024 Trade Mission to Dubai.

    Ricky grew up in Louisville. He attended the University of Kentucky. He earned his Master’s degree at Johns Hopkins. Ricky spend time working for the Department of Defense as a weapons test engineer. He transitioned to a role at Cape Canaveral and helped to launch rockets. After a period of time, he took a role as a computer engineer for the CIA.

    Ricky eventually returned to the University of Kentucky and after speaking with the dean, he was able to leverage his experiences in a role that involved developing agriculture-related tech, including drone technology, applications involving the Internet-of-Things (IOT) and more. One of his projects benefits soybean producers.

    Recently, he returned to Louisville to develop and launch a new company, BrainSTEM University. This concept is meant to create a pipeline for students interested in pursuing STEM-careers.

    Ricky shares that while growing up, he didn’t have a mentor to encourage him to focus his abilities on STEM. BrainSTEM University provides schools and non-profits with a high-quality curriculum to help get students on a track toward a STEM-related career.

    To Learn More:

    Website: http://www.brainstemu.com/

    Upcoming WTCKY EVENTS:

    · 05/06/25 – Global Executive Forum: Navigating the Evolving Landscape: US-Canada Commercial Relations in a Changing World

    · 09/15-24/25 – Discover Ireland Trade Mission

    · 10/13-19/25 – Trade Mission to Dubai 2025

    · 11/11-13/25 – International Trade Certification Program

    The next episode of our podcast will launch on 05/12/25. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow This Global Trade Adventure on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.WTCKY.com/podcast.

    We hope you enjoyed this episode. Our schedule is to publish a new episode on the 2nd Monday of each month.

    Please consider sharing this with your colleagues. Until next time, thank you for listening and welcome to This Global Trade Adventure.
    Show more Show less
    34 mins
No reviews yet