Lewis Alumni Feature: Jesse Steward '14

According to the 2019 Annual Business Survey (ABS), approximately 18.3 percent (1.0 million) of all U.S. businesses are minority-owned. Born and raised in Chicago, Jesse Steward Jr. '14, Founder and CEO of Alexander James Straight Bourbon Whiskey, has broken down barriers and pushed the limits to build his legacy as a Black entrepreneur.

"I credit the Lasallian standards and morals that are emphasized on campus; integrity and character shape who you are, not only as a person, but also as an entrepreneur."

Jesse has fond childhood memories of his grandfathers who would get together for a glass of whiskey, share family stories and talk about history. One day years later, while enjoying a drink with them, Jesse decided that he wanted to make his own whiskey - to continue the tradition of storytelling and share the legacy they had built many years ago.

Fast forward to 2017, a few months before his son was born, when he began to solidify plans for this dream. He knew he was going to launch a whiskey brand, but was still in search for the perfect name.

"I decided to name the brand after my son’s first and middle name, Alexander James, because legacy is very important to me. His first name, Alexander, is his maternal grandfather’s last name and his middle name, James, is his paternal great grandfather’s first name."

With that, he launched Alexander James Whiskey on his 30th birthday in October 2021.

"The greatest stories of my family’s legacy were always told over a glass of whiskey," says Jesse. "Because of that, I wanted to make a whiskey so my legacy, along with yours, can continue to be shared for years to come. I have enjoyed the reaction on people’s faces when I tell them the story behind my brand as they take their first sip. To hear people tell me how much they like my whiskey is one thing, but for people to go to a store and buy bottles, brings me an overwhelming feeling of joy and accomplishment."

Alexander James is an American made, black-owned straight bourbon whiskey aged 3 years in charred oak barrels to provide a premium taste. As of today, Jesse has taken on multiple roles: managing the day-to-day operations, marketing, and overseeing the distribution company that sells the whiskey to stores and restaurants. 

But that has not stopped Jesse from going after his dream. He has seen a lot of success in the short three months that he has been on the market and plans to expand his operation nationwide.

While at Lewis, Jesse was a student athlete on the track and field team while pursuing a degree in Air Traffic Control Management. After graduating in 2014, he worked at UPS O’Hare as an Aircraft Load Planner/ Industrial Engineer before accepting a role as Road Dispatch Supervisor at UPS Freight. Shortly after, he began working as Airport Operations Supervisor at O’Hare, a role which he has held for nearly six years in addition to his new adventure as an entrepreneur.

Jesse is excited for this next chapter for him and his family's legacy. You can learn more about Alexander James at www.alexanderjameswhiskey.com.