Statement Below Attributed to Distilled Spirits Council President Peter H. Cressy on behalf of the DISCUS Board of Directors:
The DISCUS Board of Directors noted today with great regret and sadness the passing of James C. Rees, the recently retired, long-time President of George Washington’s Mount Vernon.  Jim’s 19-year tenure as President of Mount Vernon was marked by the building of the Education Center/Museum and the new Presidential Library.  He is best known to the distilled spirits industry, however, for his enthusiastic determination to rebuild George Washington’s whiskey distillery to its exact original specifications.
Under Jim’s leadership, the distillery was completed in 2006 on its original site next to the Mount Vernon gristmill with the funding support of the Distilled Spirits Council and the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America.  The distillery is fully operational and with the gristmill provides an extraordinary example of George Washington’s entrepreneurship and business acumen.
DISCUS members and the distilled spirits industry will remember Jim Rees with great affection and respect for his love of Mount Vernon and determination to ensure that every facet of Washington’s remarkable life and accomplishments were fully represented at Mount Vernon.