Leah Wong Ashburn

Leah Wong Ashburn took the helm of Highland Brewing in 2015, continuing the legacy of her father, Oscar Wong, who founded Asheville’s first craft brewery in 1994. Known as the "Godfather of Asheville Craft Beer," Wong launched Highland in the basement of Barley’s Taproom, helping ignite the region’s multimillion-dollar beer scene.

Before beer, Wong ran a Charlotte engineering firm specializing in nuclear waste facilities. 

“I was rather proud of what I did and didn't get much recognition,” he said. “I get into beer … and people think this is pretty cool.”

Wong passed away on May 25, 2025, at age 84. His legacy lives on through Highland, now led by his daughter and distributed across five Southeastern states. Its flagship Gaelic Ale remains a top seller, alongside newer award-winning brews like AVL IPA and Highland Pilsner.

Today, Highland is a 40-acre community hub with live music, sand volleyball, a weekly run club, disc golf, event spaces, and a rooftop bar. Ashburn, the president and CEO at Highland, remains committed to her father’s ethos: quality beer, respect for people, and deep pride in Asheville.

“From the start, he established the product and the people as high quality and treated everyone with respect,” she said. “He worked hard to be a good citizen. We want Asheville to be proud of Highland because Highland's really proud of Asheville.”