OUR TEAM
Nick Kebalo – President/Master Distiller
Nick once called Gimli, Manitoba home, where he served as the head distiller/distillery operations manager at Diageo’s Crown Royal Whisky plant for more than five years. Nick eventually landed in Grande Prairie, Alberta, using his wealth of experience, knowledge, and insight from his former job (as well as his diploma in distilling from the internationally recognized Institute of Brewing & Distilling) to found Latitude 55 with his eager partners; there’s no way we’d be where we are today without him. When Nick isn’t grooming his three lovely children to become next generation distillers, he can be found spraying balls all over a golf course while sipping a few Cuba Libres.
Nick’s L55 picks: Kakwa Rum and Canadian Whisky
Casey Brien - Tasting Lounge General Manager
Boasting over 20 years of culinary experience, Casey Brien has brought influences of big city flavours, like New York style pizza, rotating Spanish tapas, and French cuisine, to the Latitude 55 tasting lounge. Casey’s presence and personality are unmistakable, his passion for local ingredients and innovative cocktails is undeniable, and his hospitality and sociability are unrivalled. When he’s not pouring the best Old-Fashioned in town, Casey can be found operating his private catering company, Black Market Food Co., sipping a well-made Manhattan, and trying to grow a beard as good as Jeff’s.
Casey’s L55 Picks: Canadian Whisky
Jeff Warren – Distillery Manager
Jeff joined the Latitude 55 team in the summer of 2019, bringing five years of experience as a brewery production manager to the company. When he's not busy running the day-to-day at the distillery, Jeff can be found hunkered down at home reading, writing, and listening to records. Jeff is a spirits enthusiast who absolutely abides a perfectly made White Russian and easily has the best beard on staff.
Jeff’s L55 picks: Kakwa Rum and Canadian Whisky
Kylie Minelli - Marketing & Events Coordinator
Kylie joined the team in Fall 2022- mere days from opening the new tasting lounge and event space. A Grande Prairie native, Kylie received her training in Event Management while living in Calgary. With her creative mind, and ambitious spirit the sky’s the limit! Kylie looks forward to staying on top of unique event trends, exhausting local community collaborations, and welcoming visitors to our amazing city! Yoga fanatic, with a soft spot for the mountains and an ocean view, Kylie definitely puts the attitude in latitude!
Kylie's L55 picks: Northern Hare Gin