Writer, editor, professor, and journalist Adriana Gibbs says she has two very clear passions: wine and distillates. She does so with such professionalism that those who have seen her work in her area have not hesitated to make her the winner of the Visionary Woman 2024 title, while filling the contest’s social networks with messages praising her image:
“As a teacher, Adriana is generous and magnificent. As an author, she’s a humorous and diligent researcher. As a friend and person, extraordinary and gracious,” wrote culinary mentor Sheila Vargas Rojas. “She shares her incredible knowledge with love and passion; she always makes you know and study more,” expressed another user on Instagram.
The Visionary Woman 2024 contest was organized by Women Leading Rum and The Ultimate Awards to honor the achievements of women in the rum industry who can inspire future generations.
Gibbs is proof of that. Voting took place over the course of a week, and the author of “Ron de Venezuela: 20 Years of DOC” swept the board with an excellent advertising campaign.
More winners
Although Gibbs takes the top prize, she won’t be alone on the “podium.” Delphine Gardere, CEO of Rhum Barbancourt, and Andrea Junco, Marketing Director of Ron Matusalem at OTC Group, took second and third place, respectively.
We applaud Gardere for setting new standards in Rhum Barbancourt’s production, distribution, and advertising, as well as her efforts to create a more sustainable beverage. “Delphine’s leadership is characterized by her strategic vision and ability to inspire her team, resulting in remarkable achievements and growth for the company,” states her biography. Additionally, Gardere has demonstrated her concern for her community through her leadership of several projects at the Barbancourt Foundation, aimed at enhancing the quality of life for local children. Delphine also serves on the board of HELP (Haitian Education Leadership Program), driving a multi-year partnership to provide scholarships for higher education to talented young men and women.
Junco, a migrant, has successfully carved a niche for herself in the industry, contributing to Ron Matusalem’s marketing legacy. Junco has experience in creating sales and advertising strategies and considers herself a visionary leader who employs unconventional strategies to grow the organizations in which she thrives.
Gibbs, Gardere, and Junco will receive a certificate during the second Women Leading Rum conference at Panama Rum Fest 2024. The Rum Lab, Women Leading Rum’s partner organization, will interview them, and The Ultimate Awards website will permanently recognize their win.
Founded in 2022, The Ultimate Awards aims to recognize and honor the top performers in the rum industry. Since then, they have awarded brand ambassadors, social media groups that promote the industry, bartenders, bars, influencers, CEOs, and distilleries, with fans and members of this community nominating and voting for the winners.
It was this year that The Ultimate Awards began working hand in hand with Women Leading Rum, another organization that celebrates women’s work in the rum and spirits market, to celebrate its members and discover new female faces that are making a difference in the area.
