Cornelius is a serial entrepreneur and CEO of Firewater Media, a powerful combination of digital publishing, live events, and marketing capabilities, creating a multimedia company for the beer, wine, and spirits industries.

Founded in 2008, our network includes B2C and B2B digital publishing, events and social media marketing for beer, wine and spirits brands of all sizes and capabilities.

Firewater Media operates some of the industry’s most innovative consumer and trade platforms, including Bonfort’s Wine and Spirits Journal, Bottlebooks USA, Drink Me, Craft Spirits Carnival, San Francisco Vintners Market, Wine 2.0, RadCru, and Wine Blast.

Prior to Firewater Media, Cornelius helped successfully launch Bulleit Bourbon and Don Julio Tequila with industry giant Diageo’s Reserve group.

Cornelius has been a wine and spirits judge for the American Distilling Institute and WSWA annual wine and spirits competition, and he regularly reviews, beer, wine and spirits products for Drink Me and Bonfort’s Wine and Spirits Journal.

He has conducted interviews with industry titans including Peter Mondavi Sr., Jean-Charles Boisset, Tom Bulleit, Tito Beveridge, and Martin Miller.

Cornelius has been a guest speaker at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium, the Wine Industry Technology Symposium, and Women for Winesense.

Cornelius is interested in angel investments in innovative consumer products in technology, food, non-alcoholic beverages as well as beer, wine and spirits brands and companies.