Kathryn Petty

Kathryn conceived of the Sir Aubrey brand in 1998, and within six months had product in over 150 retail outlets. She has assembled a management team that is the envy of the industry. The start up has encompassed brand development, product development, packaging, manufacturing, procurement, sales and distribution. She has opened distribution channels with major DSD distributors such as Gourmet Award, and food service distributors such as Sysco. In this short period, the brand has been recognized as one of the top three launches in 1998, and the signature retail line won a national packaging award for design.

In college, she parleyed a nursing scholarship into a dual degree that also earned her a bachelor's degree in business. Starting with State Farm Insurance Company at the age of 17, she grew her starting position into the eventual ownership of her own agency, which over the course of 14 years, grew into a multimillion-dollar business occupying a complex that she built and owned. In 1994, she sold this profitable business to move with her husband to South Carolina.

In 1996, Ms. Petty moved to Arizona and once again called upon her entrepreneurial skills to start Trade Winds Gourmet, a specialty foods brokering business dealing in Epicurean items that included smoked salmon, Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee and other upscale foods. Recognizing the importance of having a brand product, not just a commodity, she was considering the importation of a British line of tea when she was referred to Aubrey Franklin, Tea Ambassador and former spokesman for the United States Tea Council. This blending of ideas, talent and knowledge led to the development of Sir Aubrey's Tea Company.

Kathryn is a member of several tea organizations along with woman's organizations where she won awards.