CJ AND ELISE MCCOLLUM
Co-Founders and Co-Owners of McCollum Heritage 91
Ages: 34 First Industry Job: We jumped into the industry head first after a few years of mentorship from Adelsheim. Rob Alstrin( President & CEO of Adelsheim Vineyard), Gina Henen( Director of Winemaking and Viticulture), Simon Burr( Farm Manager and long standing industry expert), Gary Mortenson( President of Stoller Wine Group), Melissa Burr( Founding Winemaker Stoller Wine Group) and many others have been extremely helpful in educating and mentoring us along the way. Favorite Drink: Our favorite drink is generally based on mood. Lately Elise has been enjoying bubbles. Sparkling rosè, blanc de blanc, prosecco, etc. Generally I would say that we lean towards Pinot Noir, especially Oregon pinot. We also enjoy Super Tuscans, Burgundy and Bordeaux. Our daughter’ s name is Margaux, if that gives anything away...
CJ and Elise McCollum, husband and wife duo, are redefining passion, connection and family legacy through their project Mc- Collum Heritage 91 in Oregon. The couple purchased a 318-acre property in Yamhill-Carlton AVA in the Willamette Valley with the intention of creating high-quality and expressive pinot noirs and chardonnays.
They believe in equitable wages and are strongly committed towards conscious growth and sustainable business practices across the board. The McCollums have a LIVE Certified farm and produce LIVE Certified sustainable wine that is also Salmon-Safe. Deepening their commitment, CJ is part of the LIVE Board of Directors, bringing a diverse voice and steadfast determination to the industry’ s sustainability movement.
Basketball fans will recognize CJ, who has played 13 years in the NBA, following a stellar college career at Lehigh University. His wife, Dr. Elise, is a dentist.
“ I would say the biggest challenge so far is time management and not living in Oregon full time,” he says.“ My wife and I have other career fields and young kids, so time is beyond precious. We are fortunate to have an incredible team who has boots on the ground, and are able to communicate with us in real time, allowing for us to be creative in meetings with execution around a busy calendar. We maximize our time in Oregon when we’ re there.”“ Our personal goals in this industry are to provide exceptional service, memorable moments and incredible wines made sustainably and always with the right intention,” he adds.“ We’ re looking forward to building a tasting room in the coming years and providing consumers and wine lovers with the same peace and tranquility we felt during our time in the valley. Oregon is a very special place to us and will always be home. Connecting with the community and being able to curate meaningful memories is something we take pride in.”
MEGHAN HAMILTON
Vice President of Sales, Wine- Breakthru Maryland, Breakthru Beverage Group
Age: 39 First industry job: National Accounts Field Sales Representative with Reliable Churchill( now Breakthru Beverage) Favorite drink: My blood type is champagne, but I’ ve really come to love a vodka martini these days
From her days as a national accounts field sales representative to now vice president of sales, Meghan Hamilton has lived and breathed the sales life in the beverage alcohol industry for most of her career. And she loves every second of it.
“ I’ m incredibly proud of my team and the culture we are building together,” Hamilton says.“ In an environment where it’ s easy to feel defeated by external pressures or overwhelmed by constant change, we find ways to rise to the challenge. We’ ve stayed connected and focused as a group, working as a true unit to drive momentum in our market.”
Due to Hamilton’ s dedication to growth, she’ s served as a mentor to many in the industry. She brings people together across departments to drive meaningful results, as seen when she partnered with Breakthru Maryland operations and sales to refine delivery frequency and build a cross-functional plan that benefited the entire market.
Hamilton’ s influence extends beyond Maryland through strong relationships with colleagues across Breakthru Beverage Group, where she is known for sharing insights and fostering collaboration. In every environment, she raises the bar, proving that true leadership elevates the work by elevating others.
“ I’ m also proud of how I use my voice every day, in every room, to elevate, sponsor and support my female colleagues across the beverage alcohol industry. It’ s deeply important to me to invite as many women as possible into the conversation and ensure they are seen, heard and empowered to thrive.”
Hamilton is very active in the company’ s Women Associate Resource Group( ARG) and local Champions of Change group.
Over the past two years, she has led the Breast Cancer Awareness Drive in Maryland, and she also mentors multiple associates.
Hamilton hopes to continue growing her career with Breakthru Beverage.
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