A longtime executive of Benton Harbor-based Whirlpool Corporation is moving on to a new role with one of the world’s best-known spirits companies.
Jim Peters, who until recently served as chief financial officer at Whirlpool, has been named chief financial officer of Brown‑Forman, the Louisville-based company best known as the maker of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey.
The company announced Monday that Peters will take the role effective March 31. He succeeds longtime Brown-Forman finance chief Leanne Cunningham, who plans to retire May 1 after more than three decades with the company.
Long Whirlpool career
Peters spent more than two decades with Whirlpool, including nearly a decade as the company’s chief financial officer. He was named CFO in 2016 after previously serving as vice president, corporate controller and chief accounting officer.
During his tenure, he also held several other senior roles across the company’s global operations, including finance leadership positions for Whirlpool’s North American business and earlier assignments in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
At the end of 2025, Peters stepped down as Whirlpool’s CFO as part of a leadership transition and moved into a corporate role focused on enterprise transformation. He will officially leave Whirlpool on March 30 ahead of joining Brown-Forman.
New challenge in the spirits industry
Brown-Forman said Peters will take over financial leadership as the spirits maker navigates a challenging global environment for the alcohol industry.
While the company recently reported quarterly results that exceeded expectations, it has warned that economic volatility and cautious consumer spending could create a difficult operating environment in the coming year.
Brown-Forman’s portfolio includes a number of globally recognized brands, with Jack Daniel’s serving as its flagship product.
