Spirits Canada is delighted to share that Jan Westcott, President & CEO has received the Award of Distinction from the Public Affairs Association of Canada on October 24, 2023.

Mr. Westcott has extensive experience in strategic planning, marketing, communications, public affairs and international trade gained through his work in senior levels of government, industry and the not-for-profit sector. From 1984 through 1988, Mr. Westcott was President and CEO of the Canadian Wine Institute, a national industry organization. In 1989, he became the founding CEO of the Brewers of Ontario, a provincial body representing both licensed brewers and their distribution channel, Brewers Retail Inc (The Beer Store).

Previous to these assignments, he served as Assistant to the Chairman of the Board of Denison Mines Limited, Executive Assistant to the Ontario Minister of Revenue and Senior Advisor to the Ontario Minister of Finance. Earlier in his career, he worked for Foster Advertising Limited where he directed advertising for the Canadian National Exhibition, Ontario Hydro and the Toronto Harbour Castle Hotel.

Mr Westcott currently serves as a Founding Director of Smart Serve Ontario, a provincially chartered group assigned responsibility for directing and providing mandated server training for all persons involved in the sale and service of alcohol. He also serves as board chair of Halton Region Crime Stoppers and is a member of the board of directors of The Empire Club of Canada.

For four years concluding in May, 2013, he served as a director of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation and from 1999 through 2004 of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, a provincial philanthropic organization overseeing the annual distribution of more than $100 million in cultural, recreation, social service and environmental grants. While at Trillium, Mr. Westcott chaired the Province-wide Grants Committee. For five years, he was also a member of the Earth Day Canada board of directors and has been a director of the Recycling Council of Ontario as well as the Canada Safety Council.

Mr. Westcott is a member of the Albany Club of Toronto. He is married with two adult children and lives in Oakville, Ontario.

For nearly 30 years, Mr. Westcott has moved the needle and played a critical role in the public affairs landscape in and out of the beverage alcohol industry. 

His incomparable knowledge and passion for the industry has made such a large impact across Canada, and the team at Spirits Canada is extremely grateful for the work he has done.

Congratulations, Jan!