Earlier this month, former 21st Amendment (21A) president and Crux Fermentation Project co-founder David Wilson died at age 54 after a brief battle with cancer.
21A co-founder and COO Nico Freccia shared the following remembrance of Wilson with Brewbound:
David Wilson passed away quietly on Sunday, June 9, surrounded by his family after a brief fight with cancer. It was his 54th birthday.
Dave started out in the beer business 30 years ago working for distributors in Southern California and then Olympia, Washington. He moved to the supplier side and began to work in sales for Deschutes Brewing Company. There, he rose to become their national sales and marketing director.
In 2008, when we were still a small upstart brewpub in San Francisco looking to get into distribution and sell our beer in cans, we had the incredible good fortune of meeting Dave, who had just left Deschutes. We thought he was way out of our league, but he was intrigued by this scrappy startup trying to do something differently. He came on as our first national sales director and built our sales and distribution network from the ground up.
Dave later went on to co-found Crux Fermentation Project in Bend, Oregon, where he set up their sales and distribution strategy and retail operations.
We had the incredible good fortune for a second time to have Dave return to the 21st Amendment just a few years later and he was made president and partner and was instrumental in the build-out of our new San Leandro brewery.
Dave was the man that anyone could go to with any question about business or family. He always wore a huge, warm, smile, and gave giant bear hugs. He was the consummate family man and his life revolved around his wife, five children, and multiple grandchildren. He was the patriarch of his family and became the patriarch of ours.
In addition to being my colleague, Dave was my mentor and one of my best friends. His loss is towering for the industry.
Dave’s family will plan for a celebration of life in August in Bend, Oregon.