Eddie Simeón grew up in a multicultural Mexican-Filipino-American family in Oakland, California. Like many grandchildren of immigrants, language was not his primary anchor to his roots. Instead, traditional comfort foods like albondigas, enchiladas, lumpia, leche flan, and calimanci were his gateway to the rich traditions of his familial homelands. Food is Eddie’s central connection to Mexican and Filipino culture, and as it turns out, his passion as an entrepreneur.

Today, he resides once again on the left coast, Los Angeles where he upholds his post as a founder partner of the craft cocktail company, Hella Cocktail Co. There, he heads up all things related to Direct-to-Consumer (D2C), e-commerce, and underlying communication and supply chain systems. He believes that great brands define and own a clear space in which they plant their flag. Every day, his goal is to remain curious and work to design that space at the intersection of consumer insights, company DNA, and categorical awareness, while utilizing the culture surrounding all of us. 

Jomaree Pinkard is the CEO and Managing Director of Pronghorn. He currently leads the company’s overarching mission in diversifying the spirits industry by cultivating and investing in the next generation of Black founders, executives, and entrepreneurs. In his role, Pinkard leads Pronghorn’s efforts to invest in 57 brands, fill 1,800 spirits industry roles from the Black community, and generate $2.4 billion dollars in economic value by 2032.

Prior to joining Pronghorn, Pinkard served as the decade-long Co-Founder, CEO and now Chairman of the minority-owned craft beverage company, Hella Cocktail Co., where he developed several strategic brand iterations and groundbreaking product innovations to grow the brand into a national, multi-million-dollar venture. At Hella Cocktail Co., Pinkard brokered powerful, national brand partnerships with partners such as Southern Glazers’ Wine & Spirits, TGI Fridays, Disney and Delta Airlines, amongst others.

Tobin Ludwig has been passionate about food and drink his entire life. Inspired by his mother’s culinary genius from an early age, he started working in the hospitality industry at 12 years old. He continued to work in the F&B industry during his undergraduate studies at Ithaca College and then for nearly a decade in New York City until he co-founded his first enterprise, Hella Cocktail Co.

As an educator, entrepreneur and consultant Tobin has worked with internationally recognized brands such as Delta Air Lines, American Express and Diageo, to name a few. As the co-founder and COO of Hella Cocktail Co. he leads product development in addition to overseeing operations, supply chain and procurement. When he’s not trying to create the perfect balance of pH and brix, he’s spending time with his family, mostly in the kitchen.