Uncle Nearest founder Fawn Weaver is out as receiver prepares company for sale
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Fawn Weaver has been terminated as CEO of Uncle Nearest by the court appointed receiver overseeing the whiskey company, which is now being
Fawn Weaver, the founder who branded herself “The People’s CEO,” no longer holds any role at Uncle Nearest. According to the Music City Observer, the court appointed receiver overseeing the whiskey company terminated both Fawn and Keith Weaver’s employment and involvement effective June 1, cutting the founders off from the business they built nearly a decade ago.
Receiver Phillip G. Young Jr. revealed the move in his fourth quarterly report, filed July 10 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Young said he moved quickly afterward to cut off the Weavers’ access to company facilities and computer systems, while returning their personal belongings.
Defending the decision, he wrote that although it “was not made lightly,” the outcome has meant “significantly less confusion among employees and vendors” and smoother day to day operations.
The Weavers confirmed receiving the termination notices in a joint court filing, though their attorneys maintained that Keith Weaver “was not an employee,” a point of divergence from Young’s characterization. Either way, the Music City Observer noted that both remain individual defendants in Farm Credit Mid-America’s ongoing lawsuit against the company.
The termination marks a stunning turn for a brand built on historic significance. Weaver launched Uncle Nearest in 2016 after becoming captivated by the story of Nathan “Nearest” Green, the formerly enslaved distiller now widely recognized as the first known Black master distiller and the man who taught Jack Daniel the craft.
The whiskey debuted in 2017 and grew rapidly, expanding into all 50 states and a dozen countries, with Green’s great-great-granddaughter Victoria Eady Butler serving as master blender.
Beneath the growth, however, financial trouble was mounting. Per the outlet’s reporting, Farm Credit alleged Uncle Nearest had been in default since as early as January 2024, eventually suing over more than $100 million in outstanding principal and requesting a receiver, who was appointed in August 2025.
Young’s report also detailed months of bitter litigation with the Weavers, including appeals and Fawn Weaver’s failed attempt to push the company into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. He added that an ongoing forensic investigation could eventually produce legal claims against the Weavers, though none have been filed.
The company remains insolvent, and Young says he expects to file notice of a proposed sale of its core assets within 30 to 60 days.