Dr. Howard Conyers is an engineer, technologist, pitmaster, and distiller from Paxville, South Carolina. A proud tradition bearer of Southern culture, he is known for whole-hog barbecue and is one of the few pitmasters in the country to barbecue a whole cow.

He co-founded Backyard Distillery LLC, where he and his father built the first legal distillery in Clarendon County in the 21st century. In 2025, Imbibe Magazine named him one of 75 People Shaping How You Drink Now and in the Future.

Dr. Conyers founded the National Black BBQ Hall of Fame, hosted PBS’s Nourish, and created the Kingsford Charcoal Preserve the Pit Fellowship to support emerging BBQ entrepreneurs.

A Southern Living Southerner of the Year, NASA Early Career Achievement honoree, and Bronze Telly Award winner, Dr. Conyers has been featured in The New York Times, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, and Kings of BBQ.

He holds a B.S. in Bioenvironmental Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Duke University.

“In life, bring your authentic and whole self to the universe so others can see. Working to be someone
other than you will not get you the results you desire in this world, as you have gifts that no one else has
to offer. Dream big—because in your dreams other people's dreams are embedded whom you may never
know and will inspire.”

Website: www.conyersfamilybbq.com
Instagram: @howardconyers_phd | @backyarddistilleryllc | @conyersfamilybbq