The Crew
Ryan, Jenny, & Heath Montgomery
Once upon a time, Ryan and Jenny fell in love over many memorable single malts. When their son Heath was born in 2009, they began planning in earnest to establish a traditional, small-batch distillery in Missoula. In 2010, they traveled to Scotland to learn the fundamentals of the craft. There, Ryan studied under Frank McHardy at Springbank Distillery, where centuries-old techniques still endure. During visits to small distilleries in the US, they sought out both master distillers and brilliant upstarts. Jenny obtained a certificate in herbal studies with Elaine Sheff of Green Path Herb School, which informed her choice of botanicals for Whyte Laydie gin and our tasting room cocktails. Today, the two aim to achieve a seamless blend of tradition and innovation at the distillery. Their passion is interpreting Old World spirits from around the globe using ingredients from the Montana landscape.
Tom and Chris Montgomery
Ryan's parents, Tom and Chris, operate the family farm in Heath, Montana where they grow our wheat and rye with loving care. Tenacious descendants of 19th century homesteaders, Ryan's folks work harder than the rest of us put together and have fun doing it. They travel throughout Montana spreading the word about our spirits and enjoy meeting folks wherever they go—though they already know most everybody. Tom was District Director of the USDA Farm Services Agency for 31 years, getting to know farmers and ranchers and their stories all over the state, then coming home to work his own cows in the dark. Chris taught fourth grade in Lewistown for many years. If you are a former student, she will still call you "Sweetie" when she sees you.
Production Manager
Christopher Conley
Chris "Montucky Ninja" Conley emerged from the sticks of Aurora, Indiana with a skateboard under one arm and an enlightened glint in his soulful eyes. After moving to Ohio, where his father was employed by Seagrams, Chris fell in with a Breakfast Club-esque group of youths. Amongst them, he met his Irish soul match, Bridey. Shortly after coming to grips with the need for a post-pubescent role in society, Chris had the opportunity to move to Oregon and took it. Realizing he had no idea what his role in society was, he noticed it rained a lot in Portland and left. In 1996, he gave a friend a ride to Missoula and never found a reason to leave. Employed as a vintner for several years, Chris was happy to make the leap to distilling spirits, which he classifies as both science and magic.
Tasting Room Manager
Kelsey Sparrow
Kelsey Sparrow is a fifth generation Missoulian. She has worked for Montgomery Distillery since 2019 and excels at keeping the tasting room beautiful and helping guests choose the perfect cocktail. She is an avid reader and outdoor lover. She enjoys antler and mushroom hunting in the spring and tending her gorgeous garden in the summer months. Like the majority of Missoulians, Kelsey lives for summer. She is an old soul and enjoy antiques, old films, and interesting pieces of history.She is married to her boo bear, Benjamin Sparrow, and has two cats named Edgar and Earnest. You may meet them if you are ever in her neighborhood—they charge a heavy sidewalk tax and think they rule the roost.
Assistant Bar Manager
Tui Tuesday
Tui was born in a cabin in Tumalo, Oregon, and spent her early years in her mama’s home state of Montana, moving from an abandoned cabin in the Garnet Range to a yurt in Rexford to assorted dwellings in Arlee and points south before finally landing in Missoula. She remembers wearing a lot of homemade buckskin clothing and eating way too much rosehip soup. Through this vagabond, back-to-the-land childhood she developed a lifelong love for the Montana landscape, a strong independent streak, and a disinclination toward the mainstream. Her teens and 20s were spent in Portland, where she found her place among outsiders, artists, musicians, chefs, bartenders, and other fellow travelers. Along the way she developed a passion for fine food and spirits and a keen palate that has served her well. She finally made it home to Montana and is happy to have found more fellow travelers at Montgomery Distillery, where her straight talk, homegrown hospitality, and love of old-school country music fit right in. Her favorite cocktail is the Cowboy Lullaby.
Kitchen Witch
Gina Morrill Olson
Gina grew up in Eastern Washington, where the wide open spaces whetted her appetite for the open road. After ten years of art school and twenty years as a premier tattoo artist, Gina decided to settle into her silver years making our botanical cocktail mixers, leading our bottling crew, assembling the gorgeous collection of treasures in our gift shop, and dispensing wise guidance from her command center in the Caboodle, i.e., our kitchen. Gina is a mother and grandmother, landspeed motorcycle racer, multimedia artist and master knitter. She lives at the edge of town on a fanciful homestead where she and her husband, Morto, care for around 100 vintage motorcycles.
Sales Manager
Kera Holloway
Kera hails from Lincoln, Montana and was raised in the heart of hospitality: her grandparents and parents ran the legendary 7-Up Ranch Supper Club ranch, which burned in 2001. She grew up working in in the much-loved steakhouse, where she mastered deveining shrimp and washing dishes faster than the speed of sound. After graduating from the University of Montana, she managed a local Missoula pub for years only to be lured away by the siren song of spirits sales. She fell fast for the excitement of life as a traveling saleswoman, her true calling. Her absolute favorite spirit is gin and her favorite cocktail is a Whyte Laydie Southside.
