By Richard LeComte
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Twists and turns in business have led Dan DeHart from bourbon country -- and a degree from the University of Kentucky – to starting Gander Panama Rum. He earned a B.S. in mathematics from UK in 1988 and served as a director of Capital One and vice president of First Data Corp. But in 2013, he started DeHart Spirits, which produces the premium Gander Panama Rum, which is aged in bourbon barrels and is distributed through fine alcohol stores. The Panama operation includes its own sugar-cane fields and processing facilities, which makes it less vulnerable to trade disruptions brought on by the COVID pandemic. Now he’s ready to discuss how what he learned in UK’s College of Arts & Sciences has led him to making premium rum.
Q: How did your math major help you in your business career?
A: It was a combination of