14 minute read
Corporate Spotlight
TITO’S HANDMADE VODKA
For Tito’s Handmade Vodka, it all started in Austin, Texas, in the mid-’90s, on the very same land the company occupies today. More than 23 years later, Tito’s still prides itself in making its vodka in batches using old-fashioned pot stills and taste-testing every batch to make sure fans only get the best. While there’s no cookie-cutter formula for success, founder Bert “Tito” Beveridge’s devotion to creating the best and his passion for giving back to the community have enabled the brand to become the popular product it is today.
Bringing this aforementioned passion for giving back to life, the brand’s Love, Tito’s philanthropy program has empowered the Tito’s team to give back to causes, efforts and organizations that inspire them with the overarching goal to “Turn Spirits into Love & Goodness.” Over the years, Love, Tito’s has supported thousands of nonprofits across the country through event sponsorships, service projects, grants and donations at local and national levels. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Tito’s has continued to support nonprofits, research and communities affected by the pandemic, evolving its approach to meet unfolding needs safely and quickly.
To start, Tito’s pledged a $2 million donation to organizations providing assistance to those in the service industry affected by the current pandemic. This includes an already fulfilled $1.25 million donation between five organizations — Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE), the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) National Charity Foundation, the Southern Smoke Foundation, World Central Kitchen and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
The remaining $750,000 donation is going to be determined once additional needs stemming from the pandemic are uncovered. The benefiting organizations help industry members by providing financial assistance in the form of individual grants, supporting education for chefs who turn their restaurants into community kitchens, and helping provide affordable meals to industry members and others in need.
Whether it be filling the pantries of struggling families, cooking up a hot meal for a dedicated health care worker or providing care for our four-legged companions, local organizations across the country are helping community members affected by the current global pandemic, and Tito’s is lending a hand there as well. Since the onset of the pandemic, Tito’s has donated a separate $2 million to local nonprofits in communities across the United States doing what they can to support COVID-19 relief efforts. These organizations include Frontline Foods, Off their Plate, Big Table and GreaterGood.org, among others.
Beyond national and local nonprofit efforts, Tito’s has continued to think of other ways to support those affected by the pandemic and ultimately identified important research initiatives in the company’s home state of Texas with potential to not only help the local community, but hopefully, the world as well. After learning about a research program taking place in Houston, Tito’s donated a grant of $1 million to the Baylor College of Medicine to restart research on a potential vaccine for COVID-19.
This grant enables Dr. Peter Jay Hotez and Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, dean and associate dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, and their team to continue working on the first two stages of this vaccine’s development. Once these two initial phases are complete, the team can move forward with human safety trials, then focus on the ultimate goal of not only introducing a COVID-19 vaccine accessible to the world, but also a vaccine that may fight future coronavirus outbreaks.
Tito’s is also working with the University of Texas at Austin to support the school’s COVID-19 Modeling Consortium, as well as fund the development of low-cost ventilators. These 500 ventilators are being developed and produced through a collaboration between the University of Texas Cockrell School of Engineering, Dell Medical School and the Texas Health Catalyst program. The University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium is working to help map the spread of COVID-19 and improve preparedness for future pandemic threats, both locally and nationally.
Finally, Tito’s is producing hand sanitizer to donate to critical front-line organizations across the country. Since beginning production in late March, Tito’s has produced and packaged over 325 total tons of sanitizer, donating it to well over 400 organizations in 25 states and counting.
This is only the beginning. Tito’s is supporting many other national and local efforts mobilizing in cities and states across the country. TLW
LEAGUE PROFILE
GREATER NORTHWOODS TAVERN LEAGUE
Tucked up in the state’s northeast corner along the Michigan border, the Greater Northwoods Tavern League may be small, but it’s strong. The league, which covers Iron County and “a little more,” has 47 members. These members range from in-town bars and resorts to bar and grills and supper clubs.
“The Greater Northwoods is just what it says — in the Northwoods, vacation-oriented and touristy. We have lakes, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trails and snowmobile trails,” says Robin Phillips, Greater Northwoods Tavern League president and owner of Idle Hour Saloon in Hurley.
While it is a smaller, more spread-out league, members are always recruiting.
“Some of our members are real social butterflies,” says Phillips, “so when they are out and about, they’re always talking about the Tavern League to managers and owners they meet.”
Meetings for the Greater Northwoods league are also a bit of a social affair. At present, members share rides to and from meetings to get everyone together, and even visit members along the way, notes Phillips.
In the next month or so, the league is going to begin scheduling and planning for its annual event, the Fall Fling, which is the organization’s main fundraiser. Phillips anticipates the event is going to take place in September or October. The Fall Fling includes raffles, meat bingo, a meal and drinks. A limited number of tickets is going to be available.
clubs. League members are also working with the local domestic abuse center, Dove, to promote awareness by posting signage and information about help hotlines in their establishments.
Meanwhile, the league’s SafeRide Program is fully funded through the purchase of vouchers by participating bars.
“The Hurley area uses it the most,” says Phillips, who has served as the league’s SafeRide coordinator for eight years and president for two. “It’s a great program to get people home safe and a plus for tourists to use to get back to their motels after a night of enjoying Hurley nightlife.”
A member of the Tavern League since she opened her establishment in 2007, Phillips says the benefits of membership are many. “The benefits of group discounts are a plus to membership, as are insurance; seminars; networking for restaurant and bar supplies like novelty items, T-shirts and apparel; and finding vendors for ATM and credit card processing.”
Representation is also key.
“Having a voice at the Capitol, being represented, and knowing that someone is looking out for our interests and our needs is so important,” she says. “All of the counties and leagues in our state are unique, and yet we all know that Tavern League state office staff are concerned about our area’s needs.” TLW
IRON NUGGET
Gary Pelkola is enjoying his time as an “unpaid consultant.” While Pelkola sold Hurley’s Iron Nugget to his daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Colin DiGiorgio, a few years ago, he keeps a watchful eye on the business.
“I go in there every morning. I’m sort of an ‘unpaid consultant,’” he says with a chuckle. “My experience helps them in some regard.”
Pelkola and his wife, Shirley, opened the Iron Nugget in 1984. “We had 18-year-olds drinking [legally in Wisconsin] at that time and, right from the get-go, it seemed to take off,” he says, adding that Hurley was an especially popular hotspot at the time because Michigan’s drinking age was 21.
Then, as Wisconsin’s own drinking age moved to 21, snowmobiling started to become popular and people began to flock to Hurley for that reason. Pelkola, along with the local chamber, and other bars, restaurants and lodging establishments, lobbied to get a trail right into Hurley. The trail helped business, he says, but it also meant the Pelkolas had to evolve the menu, which at the time consisted of bar food like pizza and sandwiches.
“[Snowmobilers] wanted bigger meals, so we became more of a traditional eating establishment,” he says. “That has continued and we have been very successful.”
Today, the Iron Nugget is particularly known for its homemade pasta dishes.
It is also known as a community gathering place.
“We are here for the community and they are here for us. We are continually involved in everything at the high school and we help support the junior college over in Ironwood, Michigan. We also hold fundraisers for organizations,” says Pelkola. “I firmly believe you have to be a place the community trusts and the community supports to be a place the community gathers at. And they do here.”
Pelkola sold the Iron Nugget to his daughter and son-in-law in 2012. Pelkola’s wife passed away in 2006 and he was happy to have his family take over.
“It is heartwarming to see where it’s gone, when we started from zero and have become very successful,” says Pelkola. “It’s exceeded all the expectations my wife and I had.”
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
“I firmly believe you have to be a place the community trusts and the community supports to be a place the community gathers at. And they do here.” — Gary Pelkola, Iron Nugget
helping to assemble ravioli. “It really just makes my heart flutter to see her taking an interest in the restaurant, doing the job and doing it right.”
While he does not have an active role in the restaurant anymore, Pelkola and the Iron Nugget continue to be involved with the Tavern League.
“I attend all of the conventions I can,” says Pelkola, who has held various offices with the TLW and is currently the vice president of the Greater Northwoods Tavern League. “I have picked the brains of peers in the industry and the camaraderie has been helpful. I’ve certainly learned about different things that I wouldn’t have normally found out about if I’d just stayed in Hurley.”
He adds that it’s times like these that the Tavern League is vital and a worthwhile investment. “With the COVID-19 pandemic, having someone that can help us know what the rules are and someone fighting for us to reopen is invaluable,” he says.
Pelkola encourages members to take advantage of their membership by attending conventions, caucuses, Legislative Day, and other events and offerings. “Take an active role in the Tavern League; it’s kind of like our union. No one else is fighting for us or really gets what we are about like the Tavern League.” TLW
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
IRON COUNTY TRAIL SAFETY COMMITTEE
Following a particularly “unusual” season with numerous fatalities on the trails, the Iron County Trail Safety Committee (ICTSC) was created to improve safety awareness and preparedness along Iron County trails, which are wellknown for all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding and snowmobiling. While the committee is working on a number of fronts to increase safety, thanks to funding from the committee and the Greater Northwoods Tavern League, there are now first aid kits in establishments along the trail system.
“When the first aid kit idea came up,” says Rita Franzoi, executive director of the Hurley Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the safety committee, “the Tavern League jumped on it immediately. The Tavern League is spearheading this big time and it’s great to have such strong partners.”
The Greater Northwoods Tavern League is a member of the ICTSC, along with local law enforcement, the health department, the county coroner, the board of supervisors, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, local chambers of commerce, a healthcare facility, and local ATV and snowmobile clubs. The committee was formed in January 2018, after Iron County had four fatalities on its trail system and neighboring Gogebic County in Michigan had two fatalities in the first two months of the 2017-2018 snowmobile season.
Each first aid kit was designed with input from the county health department to treat injuries that are seen on the trails. They include trauma gear to help stop bleeding and Mylar blankets to help keep an injured person warm until first responders arrive. The first 10 kits were placed in local establishments in December 2019 and the locations of the kits are marked on trail maps.
Seeing the importance of the project, the Iron County Recreational Council purchased an additional 20 kits to be assigned to each ATV and snowmobile club, county groomer, “When the first aid kit idea came up, the Tavern League jumped on it immediately. The Tavern League is spearheading this big time and it’s great to have such strong partners.” — Rita Franzoi, Hurley Area Chamber of Commerce
additional locations as determined, as well as replacements for any used kits. Franzoi notes these kits are not intended as a substitute for calling 911, but to be used at the scene after the initial 911 call has been made.
The committee is looking into additional ways to bolster safety on Iron County trails. For instance, because outlying areas may not have cell service, members discussed displaying signage that provides outlying locations’ Wi-Fi information so an individual can make a Wi-Fi call to 911. There is also talk of offering first aid training to employees at establishments and outlying areas so they can help until additional assistance arrives.
“The ICTSC is a shining example of county agencies, local clubs and organizations working collaboratively together to support safety education throughout the Iron County area,” says Franzoi. “Our No. 1 objective is to bring the accident total to zero.” TLW
MEET THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER
TIM GROTH
In Meet the Executive Officer, On Premise typically introduces an executive officer who represents the league that is highlighted in the issue (in this case, the Greater Northwoods Tavern League). However, for the July/August issue, we introduce Tim Groth, the TLW’s Third District Director. Many of you know Tim, but this column presents an opportunity for him to introduce himself.
Q. TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND, INCLUDING YOUR FAMILY, LOCATION AND BUSINESS.
I’ve been married to my wife, Diane, for 30 years. Between the two of us, we have more than 55 years in the restaurant business. We’ve owned our supper club, Westview Inn, for 20 years now. I have two children and one son-in-law.
Westview Inn is located near downtown in West Salem, which is 15 miles from La Crosse. The supper club is not only close to a campground, but also next to a bicycle and snowmobile trail. It has been there since 1975. Before that, it was an International Harvester garage. Like many other TLW districts, District 3 is diversified over a be a lot of ground to cover between TLW establishments, at
Westview Inn features all of the supper club favorites — from fried fish and prime rib to walleye and much more!
Q. WHAT INTERESTED YOU IN BECOMING A TAVERN LEAGUE MEMBER? Q. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING
A friend told me about the TLW 20 years ago. I was hooked after I went to my first meeting. I enjoy the people I met in my first year the most, but I also
Q. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A TAVERN LEAGUE MEMBER AND WHAT OFFICES HAVE YOU HELD? Q. HOW ELSE ARE YOU INVOLVED IN YOUR
I’ve been a Tavern League member for 20 years. I’ve been the convention chairperson in La Crosse County and the fundraising and coaching. We additionally sponsor many the Lake Neshonoc Protection and Rehabilitation Board
president of the Tavern League Foundation. Now, I’m the Third District Director.
Q. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING TAVERN LEAGUE MEMBERS TODAY?
The most critical obstacle facing TLW members right now is and get back to some normalcy. All of the regulations the state Legislature is now trying to pass are important, too.
Q. YOU REPRESENT THE THIRD DISTRICT. ARE THERE SPECIFIC ISSUES UNIQUE TO THE AREA?
large area. We have everything from Mississippi River bluffs to farmland and many great small towns. Although there may least it’s a scenic drive to visit all of our members!
IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION WITH THE TLW?
really enjoy how well everyone on the state level gets along for the good of the entire association.
COMMUNITY?
Diane and I are part of the American Legion Baseball program, which we helped start eight years ago by events in West Salem and nearby areas with the Tavern League Foundation, and visit quite a few golf tournaments for different fundraisers throughout the state. I’m also on COVID-19. We need to get all TLW members reopened safely
for La Crosse County.
