Merrilee Kick is the CEO/Founder of BuzzBallz/Southern Champion LLC, the only woman-owned Distillery/Winery/Brewery combination in the United States.

The Texas-based company manufactures ready-to-drink cocktails called “BuzzBallz” and “Uptown Cocktails”, as well as spirits like rum, vodka, gin, and bourbon.  The family-operated company sells products in all 50 states and 21 countries and is home to over 650 employees. 

She earned her a bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana, an MBA from Texas Woman’s University, and she is recently an alumnus of Harvard Business School.  She is married to her husband of 35 years and has two children who also work in the business with her.

Merrilee received the Dallas Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO Award, EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Top Women in Grocery Award, and WPO/Chase Bank’s “50 Fastest” Woman Owned companies in the United States.  She is also a winner of the Enterprising Women of the Year Award, and Enterprising Women’s Top 20 Award. 

Check out our Keynote’s session and the rest of the Women of Innovation Summit here!

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