Charles Hand

Charles W. Hand was only eight years old when his father, Raymond C. Hand, started Ideal Distributing Company in 1949, and only 22 when he left school to take over the family business after Raymond passed away.

Charles Hand spent the next few decades growing the small, regional wholesaler into the multi-state distributor that it is today. His tireless dedication to the Hand Family business has resulted in the company being recognized as the Anheuser-Busch Tennessee Wholesaler of the Year five times (1985, 1991, 1996, 1998, and 1999), as well as being designated a Key Wholesaler by Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Charles’s accomplishments continue as he leads the Hand Family Companies into the future. From 1961 to today, the company has grown from its humble beginnings to more than 40 million cases of annual sales. The company has continued to flourish through organic growth and acquisition of beverage distribution operations in Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois.

Charles is involved in numerous philanthropic and developmental efforts in his home community of Clarksville as well as in greater Tennessee. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Clarksville Academy, Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Tennessee Malt Beverage Association, among others.