Board of Directors

Joe Baker

Founder, Ole Smoky Distillery & Yee-Haw Brewing Company

Joe Baker is the founder of Ole Smoky Distillery, the largest craft distillery in the U.S.  He began the company in 2010 in his hometown of Gatlinburg, Tennessee using family recipes passed down from his ancestors who were among the earliest settlers of the area, now known as the Great Smoky Mountains.  

In 2015, Joe expanded his interest in the beverage industry with the creation of Yee-Haw Brewing Company. During its short history, Yee-Haw Brewing has grown from a micro-brewery to a regional player in the craft beer world.

Prior to his career in the beverage industry, Baker served as an Assistant District Attorney General for the State of Tennessee. He also served as a United States Air Force JAG Officer assigned to the 134th Air Refueling Wing of Tennessee’s Air National Guard.

Joe led the acquisition of the iconic Ober Gatlinburg ski resort in 2022. Opened in 1973, Ober has been one of the region’s most visited attractions for over 50 years.

He is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and the University of Tennessee College of Law.

Joe lives in Nashville, TN with his wife and high school sweetheart, Jessi, and their 3 children.

Jessi Baker

Author, Co-Founder, Ole Smoky Distillery & Yee-Haw Brewing Company

Jessi Baker grew up in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a small mountain community that serves as the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and where her grandparents started Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen in 1950. Jessi recalls during her elementary school days, she would walk to the Candy Kitchen to work for her grandmother packing taffy and dreaming of running her own business one day.

After graduating from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Jessi returned home to Tennessee for law school and married her high school sweetheart, Joe Baker.  She graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law and worked as assistant district attorney in Sevierville, TN.  

In 2009, when the Tennessee legislature passed a bill that legalized distilling spirits, Joe & Jessi decided to follow his family’s 230-year history of East Tennesseans and make moonshine.  They launched Ole Smoky Distillery in 2010, and Jessi then stepped further into the distilling industry through founding the Gatlinburg Barrelhouse and its signature line of Davy Crockett’s Tennessee Whiskey.  Ole Smoky acquired it as a logical step to broaden the brand to include an aged and flavored whiskey component. Their line of moonshine and whiskeys are now sold in all 50 states and 54 countries around the world. 

Jessi embraced the many ways moonshine could spice up everything from canning pickles and okra to making cupcakes and cobblers a little bit naughty, and she authored Shining, the Ole Smoky Moonshine Family Cookbook.  The book blends craft moonshine and Appalachia history with 65 family recipes (not all of them boozy) that have fed her family for generations.

Jessi lives in Nashville, TN with her husband Joe and their 3 children.

Cathy Ackermann

President & CEO
Ackermann Marketing & PR

Cathy Ackermann is the President and CEO of Ackermann Marketing & PR. As Ackermann Marketing & PR celebrates its 42nd anniversary, Cathy is at the helm of a firm which has become one of the top mid-sized, independent PR firms in the South.  In its first five years, the company grew over 650 percent, placing Ackermann PR on Inc. Magazine’s list of fastest-growing companies in the country, and the firm has continued its track record of growth and impressive client engagements.

Cathy has been recognized by the Tennessee Women’s Caucus with the Champions Award for fostering a positive working environment, particularly in regard to offering professional opportunities to women.  She is also the recipient of Working Woman Magazine’s Entrepreneurial Awards in both the “Best Employer” and “Socially Responsible” categories.  Additionally, she received the YMCA’s Tribute to Women Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Public Relations Society of America, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Tennessee College of Communications and Information.

She is a corporate board member of SmartBank, a publicly-traded New York Stock Exchange company with offices all over the Southeast U.S.  Additionally, she is a recent past member of the board of directors of the U.S. Council for PR Firms in New York, and is a founding member of the Croft Society, a select group of 20 of the top regional PR firms in the country.  She is a nationally published author on the topic of integrated marketing and communications and on how to grow a successful professional services firm.

Cathy is very involved in community organizations as a volunteer and currently serves on the following boards of directors:  East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Legacy Parks Foundation, University of Tennessee President’s Council, UT College of Communications Board of Visitors, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, the Alliance for Better Non-profits and the YMCA, among others.

Gary R. Wade

Education: The University of Tennessee, B.S., l970 

The University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D., l973 

Professional Experience: 

Shareholder, London & Amburn PC (2020-present) 

Vice President and Dean, Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law (2015-2020) Chief Justice, Tennessee Supreme Court (September 1, 2012-August 31, 2014) Justice, Tennessee Supreme Court (2006-2015) 

Presiding Judge, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals (1998-2006) 

Judge, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals (1987-1998) 

Ogle & Wade, P.C., Attorneys at Law, l973-l987 (Managing Partner) 

Vice Mayor of Sevierville, 1975-1977 

Mayor of Sevierville, l977-l987 

City Attorney, City of Pigeon Forge, l973-87 

Civic and Charitable: 

Co-Founder and President, Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (1993- 2005); Board Chair (2005-2006); Chairman Emeritus (2007-Present) 

Co-Founder, Leadership Sevier (1996) 

Board of Directors (1996-Present); President (2001)  

Board of Directors, Knoxville Zoological Gardens (2000-2006)  

Vice Chair (2002-2004); Chair (2005-2006); Honorary Director (2006- ) 

Special Awards or Honors: 

Judicial Excellence Award, Knoxville Bar Association, 2004 

Friends of the Smokies Legacy Award, 2010 

Appellate Judge of the Year, Southeastern Chapters of the American Board of Trial  Advocates (SEABOTA), 2014 

The Frank F. Drowota III Outstanding Judicial Service Award, TBA, 2014  Great Smoky Mountains National Park, All Time Top 100 (2016) 

UT Centennial Alumnus, 2017 (Top 100) 

East Tennessee Business Hall of Fame, Honoree, 2018

wife, Sandra F. Wade; children, Aaron Zachary Wade, Katherine Victoria Demuth, and Elizabeth  Jeanne (Gigi) Simonis; six grandchildren: Gretchen Sydney Wade, Chaz Nicolas Wade, Taegan  Grace Loveday, Claire Victoria Loveday, Reagan Diann Simonis and Sidney Jeanne Simonis. 

Heath Shuler

Heath Shuler has translated his success and versatility from the gridiron to the halls of Congress and the corner office. Following his NFL career, Heath became a successful entrepreneur, a Congressman, and a corporate executive for a Fortune 150 company. These experiences have guided Heath as he follows his passions for solving complex business issues, mentoring leaders, and identifying high return investment opportunities. 

Heath is Co-Founder of Integrated Strategy Group (ISG), a business consulting firm that advises domestic and international businesses, in areas of strategy, operations, capital deployment, team development, public affairs, and government relations. In addition to his role at ISG, Heath operates his private family office and works with private equity groups identifying both domestic and international investment opportunities. He also currently serves as a Senior Advisor to BakerHostetler, one of the nation’s most respected law firms.

A natural born entrepreneur, Heath has pioneered multiple businesses including extensive involvement in the world of commercial and residential real estate. He created a very successful real estate practice and led the planning, development, and management of multiple projects in the single family, multi-family, and commercial markets.

Heath served as the SVP, Federal Governmental Affairs for Duke Energy Corporation where he structured a successful government relations program for the company’s diverse business units. He managed a team of Vice Presidents engaged in policy development, external relations, analysis, advocacy, and strategic planning. He also identified and leveraged trade associations, coalitions, third-party allies, and consultants to favorably affect legislation and regulations.

As a Member of Congress from the 11th Congressional District in North Carolina, Heath was the Democratic Caucus Senior Whip, National Prayer Breakfast Co-Chair, Blue Dog Coalition Administrative Co-Chair and Coalition Whip, Co-Chair of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Caucus, Founder and Co-Chair of Professional Sports Caucus and Founder and Co-Chair of Gateway Caucus for communities around National Parks. He served on various Committees: Budget; Small Business; Transportation and Infrastructure; Natural Resources and was Chairman of Subcommittee on Rural Development, Entrepreneurship and Trade. Heath was appointed as a conferees to the 2008 Farm Bill and to the 2010 Dodd- Frank Financial Reform Legislation Conference Committees.

In 1994 the Washington Redskins selected Heath in the first round, with the third pick overall in the draft. He was named team captain of the New Orleans Saints and played for the Oakland Raiders. He had a standout collegiate career as a quarterback at the University of Tennessee, where he was honored as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, the SEC Football Player of the Year, and a Second Team All American. In 2009, Heath was inducted as a SEC Legend and in 2019 he received the NCAA Silver Recipient Award. In 2020, he was inducted the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. 

Heath holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He has served on several local, state, and national boards focused on businesses, philanthropic organizations, and community groups. As a sought-after speaker he has shared his insights on leadership as an inspirational speaker for numerous Fortune 250 corporations.

He is married to his high school sweetheart, Nikol. They reside in Knoxville, TN and have two children, Navy and Island who both attend the University of Tennessee.

Eugene Naughton

Eugene Naughton is a seasoned theme park executive who began his career at Paramount’s Kings Dominion while earning a culinary management degree, eventually rising to Vice President of In-Park Services and later holding leadership roles at Carowinds and corporate-level positions within Paramount and Six Flags. At Six Flags, he spent 14 years focusing on revenue strategies and international development, helping to design and build parks in the UAE, China, and Saudi Arabia. Naughton joined The Dollywood Company in 2019, became president in 2020, and has since led the company through the pandemic while launching a $500 million, 10-year expansion plan including the HeartSong Lodge & Resort, which opened in 2023. Eugene holds a bachelor’s degree from Radford University and completed his MBA at the University of Tennessee in 2022.

Jerry Caldwell

President & General Manager, Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway

Jerry Caldwell’s career at Bristol Motor Speedway epitomizes the quintessential American Dream. He started working for the racetrack as an intern while pursuing his business degree at King University in Bristol, Tennessee. After an announcement in January 2022, he now serves as President & General Manager of the Speedway and Dragway. Under his guidance, Bristol Motor Speedway has become a multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue, one that made headlines for its award-winning transformations into a premier NCAA college football stadium, world-class dirt racing facility, award-winning country music arena and soon to be Major League Baseball stadium.

The appeal of Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway’s rich history and traditions lures guests from all 50 states and more than 25 countries annually. Caldwell’s predecessor and mentor, the late Jeff Byrd, was an innovative, customer-centric leader that inspired his staff to “Exceed Expectations.” Since assuming day-to-day oversight and management in 2010, Caldwell continues to build on Byrd’s foundation and pioneers new strategies to encourage new generations to visit the iconic destination. As a result of his dynamic leadership, he was named the 2023 Tennessee Tourism Leader of the Year Award winner, by Hospitality Tennessee.

In 2024, Caldwell announced with Major League Baseball executives that the first regular season Major League Baseball game would be played in the state of Tennessee at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 2, 2025. The “MLB Speedway Classic” will feature the Atlanta Braves vs. the Cincinnati Reds. Meanwhile, in September of 2024, Caldwell stepped up in a time of crisis to partner with state and national officials to establish the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center at the BMS South Building in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The large operation in association with TEMA was a critical receiving, processing and distribution center to help transport essential supplies to those affected by the hurricane over a twelve-county wide footprint in Northeast Tennessee.

After decades in the making, Caldwell power-brokered a deal to bring “College Football’s Biggest EVER” game to Bristol Motor Speedway Sept. 10, 2016. The Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol featured neighboring state rivals – the University of Tennessee Volunteers and Virginia Tech Hokies – meeting in the middle for an historic clash. The game set an NCAA record for the largest single-game attendance at 156,990.

Of course, the MLB Speedway Classic, the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center and the innovative football game are only a few of Caldwell’s major accomplishments. He fosters relationships with Fortune 50 companies like Chevrolet and Coca-Cola, and he enhances other long-term local partnerships as the Speedway and Dragway continues to achieve major milestones. Examples include:

• Growing a 30-plus year partnership with Food City, which boasts being one of the longest-running title sponsors in NASCAR while signing two new multi-million, multi-year title sponsors in 2021
• Leads a team to transform the revered all-concrete BMS surface into a world class dirt track and host the NASCAR Cup Series on dirt from 2021-2023, taking NASCAR back to its roots
• Hosting the prestigious NASCAR All-Star race in 2020 in front of a socially-distanced capacity crowd of 30,000
• Oversees sold-out music events such as the Country Thunder festival featuring Morgan Wallen, Alabama and America; The 2022 Country Thunder Bristol was named Outdoor Festival of the Year by the Academy of Country Music (ACM)
• Under Caldwell’s guidance BMS also gained notoriety by hosting significant YouTube events featuring the social platform’s biggest sensations like Cleetus McFarland, Dude Perfect and MrBeast
• Caldwell has been named Speedway Motorsports’ Promoter of the Year two times and under his leadership Bristol Motor Speedway was named the company’s Track of the Year in 2016; It was the first time in history that a single SM track swept both top awards
• In April 2016, BMS unveiled an engineering marvel: the world’s largest, outdoor center-hung video display, appropriately named Colossus TV, with the tightest resolution of any major outdoor screen and a robust sound system of 540,000 watts
• Driving financial growth since 2011 under Caldwell’s leadership, Bristol Dragway hosts one of the largest NHRA national events and more than 50 events annually, including several lucrative bracket races

In addition to his direct responsibilities, Caldwell plays an integral leadership role with the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) entity that provides funding for children’s-based nonprofits within the 18-counties surrounding the venue. This past year the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities announced a charity total of $804,560, bringing the BMS-SCC career total to over $20 million that goes directly to more than 70 rural regional child-advocacy organizations.

Caldwell has served as chairman on numerous board of directors for local business and tourism organizations in the Appalachian Highlands region. He is also a member of the prestigious Leadership Tennessee class of 2018-’19.

From intern to full-time employee in the events department, Caldwell joined the sales and marketing department in 1997. The track honored him twice in the following years by naming him the BMS Employee of the Year and then recognized him as the Speedway Motorsports Salesperson of the Year. In 2009, he took on the role of vice president of corporate sales and only a year later rose to executive vice president and general manager of the facility until named to his current position.

A native of Lexington, N.C., Caldwell and his wife, Belton, are active members of numerous civic and religious organizations. In 2020, the couple were honored at the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s (CCAI) Angels in Adoption® at a gala in Washington, D.C. They are the proud parents of six children ages 5 – 18 and reside in Jonesborough, Tennessee.

John F.A.V. Cecil

President, Biltmore Farms, LLC, Asheville, NC

John “Jack” Cecil joined Biltmore Farms in 1984, serving in various capacities until being named President and CEO in 1992. Along with his late father, George H.V. Cecil, Biltmore Farms has focused its efforts on community building through developing an extensive portfolio of real estate projects, including a regional shopping mall, a mixed-use urban village, master planned communities, corporate offices, hotels, apartments, medical office buildings, and over 1,500 homes. Prior to his tenure with Biltmore Farms, Cecil was Assistant to the President at Foremost McKesson International in San Francisco.

As a steward of economic development across Western North Carolina, Cecil serves as past Chair and member of the National Advisory Board of the Institute for Emerging Issues, Governor for the Urban Land Institute Foundation, and is on the Board of Directors of the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina. Cecil is also a Director of NC GlaxoSmithKline Foundation, Trustee of the Duke Endowment, Chairman of Dogwood Health Trust, Past Director of myFutureNC, and Director of Barron Collier Management, LLC.

Cecil received his Bachelor of Arts from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Masters in International Management from the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird).

Cecil and his wife, Sarah, have been happily married since 1993 and they have four wonderful sons, Thomas, Hugh, John, and Owen.

Katrina Wernick

Katrina Wernick has been the CFO for the Baker Associates Family Office for the past 6 years. She provides oversight to a diverse portfolio of business and personal assets.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors for YeeHaw Brewing Co, Ober Mountain, and Mountain Ways.

Katrina was previously with Hillwood Country Club as their COO/ General Manager. There she oversaw all operations, with responsibility for over 275 staff members and a $15MM annual budget. She managed several master plan expansions and spearheaded a two-year effort to prepare the club to host one of the 13 national championships for the United States Golf Association. Before her time at Hillwood Country Club, Katrina was with Brentwood Country Club as the CFO for 9 years.

Katrina earned her BBA and her Master of Accountancy from the University of Tennessee. She is a CPA and began her career with Arthur Andersen as an audit manager in the Nashville office.

Katrina was born and raised in Cocke County, TN and her mountain heritage holds a special place in her heart. She and her husband, Jeff, have three children and currently live in Brentwood, TN.

Amanda Knudsen

Born and raised in rural Indiana, Amanda Knudsen is a graduate of Purdue University. During her childhood, she would often travel with family to east Tennessee where her mother’s large extended family has deep roots. So it only made sense that after earning her BA in Communication, she’d move to east Tennessee to start her career.

Amanda started at The Dollywood Company in Training & Development and evolved over the next ten years into roles in Human Resources, Marketing, Sales, and Administration Support.

When distilling spirits became legal in Tennessee, Amanda had the opportunity to assist the founders of Ole Smoky Distillery with its development and growth.  In her four years’ time there, she again stretched her skills in the areas of human resources, guest experience, project management and administrative support.

In 2019, when her husband’s photography business evolved into work with country music artists, they moved to Nashville where they currently reside. Amanda worked as the assistant to the General Manager of the Grand Ole Opry, putting her well-rounded experience in tourism and business to good use, before finding her way back to the founders of Ole Smoky, Joe & Jessi Baker, where she currently supports them and their businesses with project management and executive support.

Amanda considers it a great honor to serve as the Secretary of Mountain Ways.

Lori Moore

Lori Moore is an accomplished professional in the fields of sports tourism, business development, and destination marketing, with a focus on driving revenue growth and enhancing operational efficiency. With a proven track record in managing cross-functional teams and making critical decisions in high-pressure environments, Lori has effectively overseen significant venue assets and economic impacts throughout her career. As Vice President at Sports Facilities Companies, she managed a portfolio valued at $125 million, ensuring optimal profitability while maintaining high performance standards with various stakeholders.

Lori’s extensive experience includes her role as General Manager at Rocky Top Sports World, where she successfully met revenue goals and implemented crucial operational improvements. Notably, during the 2016 Gatlinburg wildfires, she served as the Command Center Representative and Emergency Response Lead, coordinating shelter operations and emergency responses. Previously, as Executive Director of the Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Council, Lori played a pivotal role in marketing partnerships In the Great Smoky Mountains, enhancing regional tourism initiatives.

A graduate of the University of Tennessee with a B.S. in Public Administration/Business, Lori has also pursued further education in tourism marketing and leadership training through Marriott and the Southeast Tourism Society. Her professional contributions have been recognized through numerous awards, including being named one of the Top 9 Women in Sports Tourism by Collinson Media and Connect Sports. Actively involved in her community, Lori has served on multiple boards, including the Mountain Tough Board of Directors and Leadership Sevier.  

Beyond her leadership roles, Lori is a published author and a sought-after speaker, having presented at various national conferences on topics related to sports tourism and facility management. Her articles and webinars reflect her commitment to sharing knowledge and best practices within the industry, solidifying her reputation as a leader in sports tourism and community development.

Lori is now living her dream by serving neighbors during times of disaster with Mountain Ways and leading youth in leadership and networking opportunities through Moonshot.

Casey Hite

CEO of Aeroflow Health

Casey Hite is the visionary CEO and co-founder of Aeroflow Health, a leading healthcare organization that has transformed the Home Medical Equipment industry by prioritizing patient-centered care and operational excellence. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare, Casey brings a deep understanding of the sector’s challenges and opportunities. His strategic initiatives and innovative solutions have driven Aeroflow’s growth, establishing it as a national leader with a unique model focused on empowering patients through technology and streamlined service selection.

Since launching Aeroflow Healthcare with his brother Don in 2002, Casey has led the development of multiple successful divisions, including Aeroflow Mom & Baby, Motif Medical, Aeroflow Sleep, Aeroflow Urology, and Aeroflow Diabetes. Under his leadership, Aeroflow Health has set a new industry standard for patient satisfaction, outpacing competitors in customer service and commitment to quality care.

A passionate advocate for people, Casey’s leadership philosophy centers on creating a culture of excellence, compassion, and growth. This commitment has earned Aeroflow recognition as a Great Place to Work and a recurring spot on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies. Casey’s dedication extends beyond his professional life to his role as a father of three, inspiring him to foster a work environment where both patients and employees thrive.

Headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, Aeroflow reflects Casey’s values of community and integrity, impacting lives nationwide with exceptional service and patient-centric healthcare solutions.