Durty Gurl, the fast-rising vodka brand produced by Second City Distillery in Augusta, Georgia, has appointed Carlos J. Carreras as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately, marking a decisive move to capture meaningful market share in the vodka category.

Carreras brings more than three decades of leadership experience in the spirits industry and is widely recognized for scaling brands, expanding distribution networks, and driving disciplined, high-performance growth in competitive markets. This move also reunites Carreras with industry leader Rene Armas, Durty Gurl’s current Executive Vice President of Sales and Strategy, further strengthening the company’s executive leadership as it enters its next phase of expansion.

Durty Gurl has built strong traction across the Southeast by delivering a superior vodka at a price point below competing premium brands. The brand is currently distributed in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas, with Mississippi onboarding as part of a broader expansion strategy.

The leadership appointment comes as the company accelerates plans for scaled distribution, structured capital growth, and disciplined national rollout.

“We’re at a point where experience matters,” said Ray Carnes, Co-founder of Durty Gurl. “Carlos has done this before, and we believe he’s the right leader for where we’re headed.” 

“Consumers are increasingly value-aware without sacrificing quality,” said Carreras. “Durty Gurl has the fundamentals, strong product, strong price positioning, and real market momentum. I am excited to join such a passionate team and build on the strong foundation they’ve established across these brands.

Durty Gurl’s managing partners; Ray Carnes, David Hopkins, Trey Enfinger, and David Long will continue to provide strategic oversight as the company enters its next stage of growth.