Bob Sullivan, the vice president of sales and marketing for Boulevard Brewing Company, announced today that he is leaving the company and joining Dallas-based Andrews Distributing as the vice president of specialty and craft beer brand building.
Sullivan joined Boulevard in 1994. Under his leadership the company grew to become the tenth largest craft brewery in the country, with sales of its beer growing to 173,793 barrels in 2012.
Sullivan told Brewbound.com that he will be responsible for the growth and execution of Andrews’ specialty and craft portfolio, which includes brands like Blue Moon, Samuel Adams, New Belgium, and Boulevard, among others. Andrews is projecting over 2.7 million craft and specialty case equivalents sold in 2013, according to press materials.
“I am excited about the new challenge and a change,” he said. “It’s all coming full circle. I grew up on a beer truck and I am going to finish my career on the distributor side.”
Sullivan said he expects to begin his new role with Andrews in February.
Boulevard CEO Mike Magoulas told Brewbound.com that Steve Mills, the company’s chief operating officer, will become the interim vice president of sales in Sullivan’s absence. Mills will continue to hold the role of COO for Boulevard.
A press release from Andrews Distributing is below:
Bob Sullivan joins the Andrews Distributing team as Vice President of Specialty and Craft beer brand building. As VP of Specialty and Craft brand building Bob is responsible for the portfolio strategy, key brewer relationships, new brewer development, the specialty and craft brand management team at Andrews as well as being a key contributor to Andrews Force 4 team. The Andrews portfolio for specialty and craft beer is planned to be over 2.7mm case equivalents in 2013. Bob will also be a member of Andrews Cross Functional leadership team that collaborates on Andrews’ business strategy and alignment to ensure success against its objectives.
“Bob Sullivan is someone who we have tremendous respect for as a craft industry leader and as a high integrity person. He is a high impact addition to our team and will lead our continued investment in being a great specialty and craft brand builder for both our brewing and retail partners,” said Barry Andrews, chairman and CEO.
“Our innovative Force 4 team was designed with input from several key brewing partners, including Bob. For over five years he has been instrumental in giving us fresh ideas that make us more craft brewer friendly and capable. It will be exciting to have him engaged on a daily basis in this key leadership role,” said Mike McGuire, president.
Bob Sullivan, Jr. was born in Kansas City, and represents the fourth generation of a family dedicated to the beer business. Beginning in 1978 as a driver-salesman for the Sullivan Beverage Company, Bob moved on to become Regional Sales Manager for Moctezuma Imports, and then Division Manager for Wisdom Imports, both wholly-owned subsidiaries of FEMSA.
In 1994, Bob joined Boulevard Brewing Company as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Under his sales and marketing leadership, Boulevard has grown to be the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest and the tenth largest craft brewery in the country, with sales reaching 173,793 barrels in 2012.
After graduating from Kansas City’s Rockhurst High School, Bob attended Rockhurst University, and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management and Leadership from Friends University. He is the co-author (with James Maxwell) of Hometown Beer, a history of brewing in the Kansas City area, and author of Camp Coffee: Tales of a Wyoming Cowboy.
When Bob is not involved in beer selling activities, you can find him caring for and readying his horses for extreme cowboy racing events. Bob has raised and competitively shown horses his entire adult life. He has also dedicated countless hours of his time and talent to numerous organizations bettering Kansas City. He is a founder and past president of the Kansas City Irish Fest, was an executive board director for the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association, as well as an allied director of the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association for many years. Bob is also a frequent guest lecturer at area colleges and universities.
Bob is married to his wife Sally for 35 years, and has two daughters.
Andrews Distributing Co. is headquartered in Dallas with operations throughout North Texas and South Texas. Andrews is the Nation’s sixth largest beer distributor ranked by volume representing 28 brewing partners, over 1,100 proud employees and over 210 beer brands.