Kim Haasarud will step down from her role as president of the United States Bartenders’ Guild. She will be succeeded by T. Cole Newton, the organization’s current executive vice president and a long-time member of the Guild’s board of directors. Newton will assume the role immediately; Haasarud will remain a member of the board of directors.
“My affiliation with the USBG is an integral part of who I am personally and professionally,” said Haasarud. “However, between opening a new bar and being a mother to two teenagers, simultaneously balancing the role of president stretched my bandwidth beyond its capacity. Making our industry a safe and welcoming place for bartenders of all stripes is a pursuit I look forward to continuing as a member of the board of directors.”
According to USBG executive director Aaron Gregory Smith, “Kim is such a credit to our industry and to our organization. She’s served on the boards of both the USBG and the USBG National Charity Foundation; through the Foundation’s weekly Instagram Live show, The Foundation Weekly, she became the face of the USBG National Charity Foundation, keeping our industry informed as we distributed more than $10 million in emergency grants to bartenders affected by the pandemic; and she will continue to be invaluable as a member of the USBG Board of Directors.”
He continued, “That we can tap a leader like Cole as the Guild’s new president says a lot about the stable of talent the Guild is fortunate to have on its board of directors and among our network of industry leaders.”
Newton commented: “As the USBG approaches its 75th anniversary next year, I’m excited for the opportunity to help us achieve our mission to unite and elevate the bar industry through education, community, and advocacy.”
