Emma Koehler was a towering figure in Pearl Brewery history. She ran the brewery after husband and Pearl founder, Otto Koehler, was killed in 1914. Emma was an ingenious CEO who kept the brewery going during Prohibition by making near beer, ice cream, and soda. While other breweries shuttered, Emma kept the entire workforce employed. After Prohibition ended, the brewery went back to full production and became the largest brewery in the South, with Emma continuing as CEO until 1942 and retiring at age 84. San Antonio’s critically acclaimed Hotel Emma opened in 2015 and is named in her honor.