John and Courtney McKee, owners of Headframe Spirits in Butte are proud members of their community, but the couple acknowledge that Butte’s past has not always evoked a sense of pride. They hope that Headframe Spirits can help shift current attitudes toward the Mining City.
The couple began their journey creating Headframe Spirits in 2010, opening their tasting room doors in 2012. In this Under the Big Sky bonus feature we learn more about how John and Courtney have used Butte’s past to cultivate future growth in the Mining City.
Since 2012, they have not only won awards and accolades for their products, but also for their impact to their community and state. In 2014 Governor Bullock recognized John and Courtney as Entrepreneurs of the Year and in 2015 as Ambassadors of the Year by the Montana Office of Tourism. Recently, they were award 2016 Small Business Champions of the Year by the Small Business Administration.
Headframe Spirits is now a Certified B Corporation® as of January 2017. They join global innovators in a movement to use business as a force for good. Certified B Corporations meet the highest standards of overall social and environmental performance, legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests and build collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand. There are more than 1,200 Certified B Corporations from over 120 industries and nearly 50 countries with 1 unifying goal – to redefine success in business.
Headframe Spirits is among five other organizations in Montana to be a Certified B Corporation®. They hope to inspire the business community to join our efforts to redefine corporate practices and elevate business life in Montana.
“Our company is a mouthpiece for our values,” expressed Headframe Spirits CEO, Courtney McKee. “We believe in making the world a better place, even if it’s just our tiny corner of the world. The opportunity to add value is as close as we get to a mandate to do so. We take that seriously and we understand that the better each of us does, the better we all do together.”
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