By Ken Bernardo, UNC Charlotte '91

The story behind Bourbon Hearts is deeply personal.

In July 2017, I unexpectedly lost my father to cardiovascular disease. Ironically, at the time, I was serving as Chairman of the Greater Charlotte Heart Walk for the American Heart Association. Despite my involvement in raising awareness about heart disease, I never imagined it would hit so close to home.

My father's passing changed my perspective on a lot of things, particularly how I could use my relationships, professional network, and personal passions to make a meaningful difference.

I've always had a passion for bourbon and the people behind the brands. Following my father's passing, I reached out to my longtime college friend, John Little, who was a Kappa Alpha (KA) at UNC Charlotte and was the founder of Smooth Ambler Spirits in West Virginia, about creating a bourbon dinner that could raise money for cardiovascular health initiatives.

John shared my belief in giving back to worthwhile causes and immediately embraced the idea. His involvement was instrumental in helping us launch the event, lending credibility to what we were trying to accomplish and opening doors to relationships with whiskey brands and industry personalities who might otherwise never have considered participating. It's a great example of how friendships formed during our college years can continue to make a meaningful impact decades later, regardless of fraternity affiliation.

What started as a relatively simple idea has grown into something neither my wife, Tracey, nor I could have envisioned.

Nine dinners later, Bourbon Hearts has become much more than a charity fundraiser.

Through the Charlotte Bourbon Society, which Tracey and I founded in 2018, we've built an extraordinary community of enthusiasts, industry professionals, hospitality partners, and philanthropically minded individuals who share a passion for great spirits and giving back.

To date, our efforts have contributed more than $500,000 to cardiovascular health organizations, initially the American Heart Association and now our primary beneficiary, HeartBright Foundation, a Charlotte-based nonprofit dedicated to heart health education, prevention, and improving access to care for underserved communities.

Our annual dinner has grown into what we believe is the largest bourbon-focused charity dinner in the Southeast, attracting some of the most recognizable personalities and respected brands in the American whiskey industry.

What's particularly gratifying is that many of these individuals have become personal friends. They travel to Charlotte, donate rare and highly sought-after whiskey experiences, participate in our programming, and lend their reputations to help advance our mission. These are relationships built on trust, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to doing something worthwhile.

But there's another side of this story that people rarely see.

Putting together an event of this magnitude is an enormous undertaking. We spend the better part of each year coordinating brand partnerships, sponsorships, donated auction experiences, guest appearances, marketing, and countless logistical details.

Tracey has been alongside me throughout this journey, and we couldn't do it without our volunteers, sponsors, industry partners, and the tremendous support of the Charlotte community.

There are certainly moments when we ask ourselves why we take on so much. But then we hear from the people whose lives are being positively impacted by HeartBright's programs, or we see hundreds of people come together for a cause that transcends their shared love of bourbon. That's when it all makes sense.

For me, this is also about legacy, relationships, and service.

As a Delta Sig, I've always valued the importance of brotherhood and the relationships we build throughout our lives. Many of the relationships I've developed over the years, beginning in college and continuing through my professional career and involvement in the spirits industry, have helped make Bourbon Hearts possible.

I spent more than three decades in financial services, and one of the greatest lessons I learned was that relationships are ultimately our most valuable currency. Bourbon Hearts has given me an opportunity to put that philosophy into practice in a very different and personally meaningful way.

This November 6, we'll host our 9th Annual Bourbon Hearts Charity Dinner & Auction at The Revelry in Charlotte, with approximately 250 guests anticipated and more than 30 participating spirits brands. Although our journey began nearly a decade ago, we took a year off during COVID, making this our ninth dinner. We're introducing a new venue, expanding the experience, and continuing to find creative ways to raise both funds and awareness for cardiovascular health.

What means the most to me isn't the size of the event, the impressive whiskey selections, or even the amount of money we've raised. It's knowing that something born out of losing my father has become a vehicle for helping other families.

My dad may have been the reason we started Bourbon Hearts, but the lives we have the opportunity to impact are why we continue.