Management Team / Advisory Board Bios
Stuart McPherson & Cameron Watt
Directors
Like so many other travelers, Canadian comrades Cameron Watt and Stuart McPherson came to Los Cabos for a short getaway, and found themselves wanting to stay forever. And stay they did. Cameron and Stuart were drawn to a particular parcel of land in Los Cabos; the only land in the area where palm trees naturally grew. This oasis of sorts spoke to the two friends, who decided that this could be a permanent dwelling place. In five short years these business partners have built what is possibly THE premier restaurant & resort in Cabo. They also operate The Keefer Bar, Canada’s #2 rated cocktail establishment, in Vancouver.
Jordan Haddad
CEO
Jordan Haddad is a young entrepreneur with a passion for developing, launching, and eventually selling, young businesses. He first cut his teeth in the high powered world of finance, first as a mergers and acquisitions investment banker with Lazard and later as a high yield bond analyst with Oaktree Capital, two of the most respected financial institutions on Wall Street. Jordan worked hands-on with M&A transactions ranging from over $100 Million (Del Real Foods) to $50 Billion (Kraft/Heinz) in the consumer goods industry. He departed finance to pursue more personally rewarding opportunities, which is how he came into contact with the Acre Resort and eventually launched Acre Mezcal. Jordan graduated with distinction from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan in 2014.
Scott Ballin
Advisor
Scott Ballin is consistently recognized by industry experts as a pioneer in developing, launching and growing brands & businesses. Known for creating and implementing innovative brand extensions, technologies and first-to-market sales and marketing programs that significantly enhance revenue streams across some of the world’s most iconic and influential brands while delivering measurable ROI’s. Scott developed, launched and sold a successful 80 plus associate marketing agency, B-12 to the 4th largest agency in U.S., Aspen Marketing. Once bought, he managed 3 divisions totaling 280 employees. Scott’s beverage business experience includes 1800 Tequila, Hendricks Gin, Malibu Rum, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Sailor Jerry, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Three Olives Vodka, Smirnoff, Goldschlager, DiSaronna Amaretto, and Pete’s Wicked Ale.
Marijke Uleman
Head of Marketing and Strategy
Marijke Uleman is a brand strategist and digital marketing expert with 10 years’ experience producing growth strategies and campaigns for brands across a variety of industries. From CPG to entertainment, Marijke Uleman is known for revitalizing brands and helping them grow, innovate, and build community around their products. With Marijke’s guidance, her clients have tripled their e-commerce revenue, doubled their audiences across digital platforms, and quadrupled their qualified web traffic. She has earned a solid reputation as a visionary problem-solver and creative tactician in the fields of brand strategy, digital marketing, e-commerce strategy, growth marketing, customer experience, and storytelling.
Marijke is a mezcal aficionado and enthusiast of all things food and beverage. She is the co-founder of The MezGals, a mezcal tasting and education group. Marijke contributes approximately 40 hours per week to Acre Mezcal.
Erika Bautista
Director of Advocacy
With 15+ years of experience in event marketing, Erika has helped a variety of brands across industries - including Heineken, Pernod Ricard, Nestle, Clorox, and The Wine Group - connect with their audiences through engaging activations that surprise, delight, and leave lasting impressions. With familial roots to the mezcal traditions of southern Mexico, Erika is a mezcal aficionado and co-founder of The MezGals. Erika contributes approximately 40 hours per week to Acre Mezcal.
Chris Hong
Head of Creative & Design
With 9+ years of experience as an art director and designer, Chris has led creative campaigns for various brands in entertainment, CPG, and lifestyles including Hulu, Live Nation, Guns N Roses, Do LaB, Dirtybird Campout, Keebler, Ferrara Candy, Cesar’s Way, and more. Chris contributes approximately 20 hours per week to Acre Mezcal.
Lanny Grossman
Head of PR
For the past 20 years, Lanny Grossman has specialized in Public Relations, luxury lifestyle marketing and consumer outreach for some of the world’s preeminent hospitality and spirits brands. After having spent his career understanding and responding to the wants, needs and attitudes of luxury consumers working for brands such as Small Luxury Hotels of the World, The New York Palace Hotel and famed Tavern on the Green, Lanny founded the boutique, full-service Public Relations firm EM50 Communications in 2008 capitalizing on all of his global experience and knowledge. Bringing a multi-prong approach to clients’ needs, EM50 creates integrated marketing strategies to develop and elevate brand profile, increase visibility among target consumers and drive overall business growth. From media outreach to marketing partnerships and corporate branding, Lanny and the EM50 team apply an analytical and goal-oriented approach to creating complete and unique marketing solutions for hotel and spirits clients around the world having worked with the likes of Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh’s Singani 63, Baron Tequila, Grey Goose, Acre Resort in Cabo, Entre Cielos Wine Hotel + Spa in Mendoza, The Singular Hotels in Chile, Lario Hotels in Italy, Nizuc Resort in Mexico and many more stretching from the ends of the earth in South America, across Europe and closer to home in the U.S.
