John George '81
John George '81 (right) with Bill Owens (left), President of The American Distilling Institute at Five Saints Distilling in Norristown, PA
Tell us a little about your company, Five Saints Distilling (FSD).
FSD was established in 2014 and opened its doors on the 4th of July to celebrate our country’s independence and my newfound independence from corporate America. We began with one product – a slow distilled, 100% corn based Vodka. Over time, we have added a White (unaged) Whiskey that is very much like a smooth silver tequila (that was a mistake, but we recorded what we did and now we make the same mistake all the time), a Savory Tuscan Style Gin based on my Tuscan family’s recipe, a Blood Orange Liqueur, our Humane No. 1 Rum, which is a maple bourbon butter pecan flavored rum, and a Raspberry Lavender Absinthe at 118 proof which we named Absinthe Americane. We are guided by our need to make products that are unique. If the world has 48 Green Anise based Absinthes, why add another?
Another unique aspect of FSD is that we are housed in a historic firehouse built in the late 1880’s. It is three stories and close to 10K square feet. We purchased it in 2014 and have been renovating ever since. Phase 1 included revisions to the first floor and basement so that we could build the actual distillery, storage, boiler room and cocktail bar. That was completed prior to opening and since then we have focused on the second and third floor, adding a full kitchen, bar, dining areas, and ballroom, event space. Bringing all of our efforts together is the goal to give back to the community. We are in the process of establishing a foundation to benefit local charities and are inspired by the lives of the five saints for whom our distillery is named. They were 5 men who were dedicated to family and community with a commitment to quality in all they did. Since we started, we have received numerous awards for our products in national and international competitions. We’re not bragging, just sharing facts! More info on FSD can be seen on FiveSaintsDistilling.com and Five Saints Distilling on Facebook and @FiveSaintsDistilling on Instagram.
This isn’t your first job—tell us a little about your previous careers, please?
I started as a stock boy in my hometown pharmacy (Park Row Drugs) in Little Falls, NY and was looking to do something in healthcare since I was doing well in sciences in school. I got to know the pharmacist and what they did. It looked like a good clean well-paying steady job (20K /YR!). I was nominated to attend West Point as cadet if I wanted but chose not to and started at ACP in 1976 instead.
After graduation, I worked first retail, then hospital pharmacy at staff and then director levels until I took time off to bicycle across the US by myself. In the fall of 1994, I returned to upstate NY and worked at Faxton Hospital for 3 years, after which I enrolled fully time in the University at Albany MBA program, majoring in finance. After graduating in 1989, I joined Rhone Poulenc Rorer Pharmaceuticals as an upstate NY sales rep and was eventually promoted into the home office located in Collegeville, PA. There I worked on marketing research, US marketing for various products, and as a managed care account rep. RPR became Aventis and moved to NJ after which I joined Wyeth in Radnor, PA first on the US marketing team for Effexor XR, then the international marketing for the same, followed by join the Asia Pacific team responsible for major products in the Wyeth pharma portfolio. In 2000, Pfizer purchased Wyeth, and I worked for Pfizer for six years. I enjoyed all these positions, learned a great deal, and worked with phenomenal individuals.
What inspired you to start this company?
I am an entrepreneur, having started a web-based, laser engraving baseball bat business in 2000. We marketed and sold custom laser engraved baseball bats for all kinds of gift and award occasions. It was a “side hustle” to my pharma career that was very satisfying. As the years passed and 2013 approached, I began to think about retiring from pharma. After seeing the changes in US distilling laws that paved the way for “micro-distilleries,” I enrolled in Moonshine University in Louisville KY for a 5.5-day distillery course. On the second day, I called my wife, Amy (whom I had met in 2006 at Faxton Hospital), and shared that I liked this "distilling movement" and was going to open a distillery! She said we could talk about that when I got home. I told her that I had a name for the distillery. Her response was, “Here we go, I can’t wait to hear this, go ahead, what’s the name? "Five Fathers Distilling” I replied. She loved it! My intent was to honor my five fathers in life. My biological father passed when I was 11 from accidental CO poisoning while on duty as a NYS policeman. I was raised by his three brothers (my three uncles) and a close family friend. I realized I was fortunate to have not one but five fathers who all taught me different values and skills. Amy googled “Five Fathers Distilling” and since Jim Beam had essentially locked up the name, I came up with another. I acknowledged that I was a PITA at times and these men were my Five “Fathers,” and they were also five “Saints” for persevering while raising me. Five Saints Distilling was born representing the values of the men: Quality in all that they did, family and community.
What has been your proudest professional moment?
In pharmaceuticals, I was fortunate to work with so many talented individuals while having responsibilities for many different parts of the business. One of my proudest accomplishments was our marketing of DDAVP from Ferring Labs in Sweden. In order to be successful, we had to essentially change the way healthcare viewed Primary Nocturnal Enuresis. Many viewed PNE as a condition children would grow out of, which is true. However, with the use of DDAVP, we could spare the children the adversities that could accompany PNE. I worked with Phil Imperial - a first class individual, an excellent manager, and a close friend.
When you first started at ACPHS, what kind of career did you envision for yourself?
I grew up as a stock boy so retail pharmacy was expected. I loved the folks who came in and brought food - great families and friends. Back in 1981, when I landed back at Park Row Drugs, retail pharmacy was a bit different than today, and I ended up moving into other areas as mentioned earlier.
Would your student self be surprised by where you are now?
I never envisioned the chain of events that shaped my life. Being from a small community in upstate NY, I had a limited view of the world and a script that called for certain life activities at select times. Never did I think I would travel and experience a majority of the world multiple times, develop lifelong friendships across borders, live in Philly, renovate an old, abandoned farmhouse, have great children and a loving wife, a satisfying career and then end up as a distiller in a historic firehouse!
What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Who shared it with you?
A neighbor in the city of Little Falls, NY. It was 1986 and I was debating whether to go to University at Albany for an MBA. Of course, at that time I was not sure and quite honestly a bit scared of making a wrong decision. I shared my situation with him and he simply gave me words that I often share with others and that I live by: “Life can be an adventure IF you let it be!” The operative word is IF.
If you could change any one thing in your own education and training, what would that be?
I would have added business courses and exposure to pharmacy opportunities outside of retail and hospital. I also would have liked to gain exposure to real life patients rather than just book learning.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Life is a series of twists and turns, wins and challenges, and often we are moving across an arched bridge that does not allow us to see the other side, but we must keep moving forward in order to arrive. When I look back in the rearview mirror at my almost 64 years, that twisted road was actually a straight line to distilling in a firehouse in Norristown. I hope that all ACP alumni will stop by. And a shout out to all of my friends and colleagues, and especially the one who shared way back that I was one of the deepest individuals she ever met. Perhaps I was just thinking about all the possible adventurers above? All the Best and "Share The Spirits!"