Pearl Street Brewery owner to begin speaking tour on women in the industry

Tami Plourde encouraging other women to get into beer industry

She never intended to run a brewery.

La Crosse’s Pearl Street Brewery co-owner, Tami Plourde would be the first to say it.

But now she does and she’s one of very few women at the top in the brewing industry. That, however, she doesn’t mind at all.

“Personally I love it,” Plourde said. “It’s a challenge but you also, kind of, get to stand out, get noticed and get attention. When you’re in sales, anything helps.”

Plourde is about to embark on a speaking tour for the Wisconsin Humanities Council.

She’ll be giving talks around the state about her experiences as a woman owning a business in a male-dominated field.  

“I kind of wish it wouldn’t be news,” she admitted. “You kind of wish women didn’t have to fight for equal pay and fight for their positions and fight for legitimacy in their roles, and things like that.”

Plourde, however, knows the good will come from the tour and hopes other women will follow in her footsteps.

“For women that are actually, actively pursing a career in the beer industry, go for it,” she said. “I think there’s a lot to offer. There’s a lot of potential.

Plourde has been an owner of Pearl Street for the last couple of years. She and her partner Joe Katchever are planning a big expansion of the brewery in the next few years that she will lead.