Brewbound Live Welcome Reception, Presented by Santa Monica Brew Works

Brewbound Live Crash Course Registration

Crash Course I: Finance & Capital Raising

• Kary Shumway

  , Founder, Beer Business Finance

  

  Kary Shumway

  Founder, Beer Business Finance

  Kary Shumway is the founder of Beer Business Finance and Craft Brewery Finance, online resources for beer industry professionals. He has worked in the beer industry for more than 20 years as a certified public accountant and a chief financial officer for a beer distributor. He currently serves as CFO for Wormtown Brewery in Worcester, MA. Craft Brewery Finance publishes a weekly beer industry finance newsletter, offers guidebooks on topics such as cash flow planning and basic budgeting, as well as an online course on improving taproom profits. The newsletter — with a free trial, industry guides and resources — is available at www.craftbrweryfinance.com.

• Kary Shumway, Founder, Beer Business Finance

Crash Course II: Branding & Design

• Fred Hart

  , Partner and Creative Director, Interact Boulder

  

  Fred Hart

  Partner and Creative Director, Interact Boulder

  Fred Hart is Partner and Creative Director at Interact Boulder, a branding and packaging design agency obsessed and dedicated to the food & beverage industry. Despite being located in microbrewery-mecca Boulder CO, Fred’s inability to grow a beard, lack of tattoos and non-existent flannel hasn’t held him back from the beer community. Since 2016, Fred has led Interact’s redesign of iconic Dogfish Head, refreshing their beers, launching their cans and forging their off-centered spirits.

• Fred Hart, Partner and Creative Director, Interact Boulder

Crash Course III: Procurement & Inventory Planning

• Tim Near

  , Procurement & Logistics Specialist,

  

  Tim Near

  Procurement & Logistics Specialist,

  Tim Near is a New York based long-term procurement and logistics specialist with decades of experience in the food and beverage industry. He started his career in Dairy with Neilson’s in Canada (now part of Saputo), then moved to Quaker Oats (Pepsico) where he was in plant operations, logistics and ultimately managed all of procurement as a Country procurement leader. He then went to Interbrew to lead global procurement for packaging and raw materials. Tim spent 14 years in leadership roles in procurement and logistics with the beer company as it grew to become InBev, then ABI. Since leaving ABI 5 years ago, Tim has been advising large global consumer products companies, as well as following his passion for helping startup and smaller food, beverage and consumer products companies improve their procurement and logistics operations.

• Tim Near, Procurement & Logistics Specialist,

Brewbound Live Pitch Slam Semi-Finals

Crash Course IV: Sales Planning & Forecasting

• Marty Ochs

  , Founder, E3 Craft Strategies

  

  Marty Ochs

  Founder, E3 Craft Strategies

  Marty is the founder of E3 Craft Strategies, and the president of sales at Brew Pipeline. As the founder of E3 Craft Strategies, he consults craft brewers on growth strategies and core competencies including sales, supply chain, key account operations and marketing. Marty will also lead the launch of Brew Pipeline, including building a new team of regional sales directors with a primary focus on brewery and distributor relations. At Brew Pipeline, he will also organize a new guest brewer program that works within the national “rotation nation” phenomenon by providing allotments to key on-and-off premise accounts and chain buyers. Prior to striking out on his own, Marty built two well-known distribution networks and field teams during stints with Oskar Blues and Ninkasi Brewing.

• Marty Ochs, Founder, E3 Craft Strategies

Crash Course V: Distribution and Retail Strategy

• Steve Almaraz

  , Craft Category Director, Reyes Beverage

  

  Steve Almaraz

  Craft Category Director, Reyes Beverage

  Steve Almaraz currently serves as the Craft Category Director for Reyes Beverage. He began his sales career in the beer industry in 1991 with one of the first California craft breweries, Shields Brewing, in Ventura, Calif. In 1993, he accepted a position as an independent sales rep for Shamrock Imports. It was here that Steve developed his love and passion for beer -- learning all sides of distribution, beer knowledge, entrepreneurial spirit, and hard work. Shamrock was the pioneer for craft and specialty-imported beer in Southern California in the early 1990s. Wine Warehouse would acquire shamrock, and Steve took a position as a regional sales manager, where he developed skills to manage a team and learned how to sell wine and spirits. In 1999, Firestone Family Estates recruited from Wine Warehouse to manage the sales team. In 2001, Steve became the vice president of sales for Firestone Walker Brewing. During his 15-year tenure with the brewery, he developed and managed the distribution network, created the sales team, stewarded the branding and marketing, and overall sales direction. He was a key leader in taking the brewery from 6,000 barrels in 1999 to over 230,000 barrels in 2014. Steve joined Reyes’ Beer Division in August, 2014 as the craft category director. His various roles include growing the Craft category (Craft beer, cider, and specialty beverages), new brand partnerships, brewery education, best practices, National account development, and enhancing brewer business relations for Reyes Beverage Group. Steve also oversees the SKU management for West coast beer brands. Steve is a member of the Brewer’s Association and National Beer Wholesalers Association. He resides in Ventura, Calif., with his wife Toni, and two sons. He also has a daughter who lives in England. He enjoys traveling, playing soccer, outdoor activities, and spending time with his family.

• Steve Almaraz, Craft Category Director, Reyes Beverage

Crash Course VI: PR & Marketing

• Erin Jones

  , Co-Founder, Point Five Creative Consulting

  

  Erin Jones

  Co-Founder, Point Five Creative Consulting

  Erin Jones began her career in 2012 when she moved back to Asheville to help open Wicked Weed Brewing. By early 2014, she was the brand manager and head of marketing. She departed in July 2016 to serve as the marketing director for Burial Beer Co. until forming Point Five Creative Consulting in late 2018 with business partner, Jordan Hughes. Jones' prior experience includes photography, content and copy writing, event management, national beer festivals, label project management, and compliance. Her field of specialty is brand narrative, storytelling, and project management. She is currently based in Denver, Colorado.

• Erin Jones, Co-Founder, Point Five Creative Consulting

Networking Break

Main Conference Begins - Registration & Lunch

Welcome Remarks & Pitch Slam Finalists Announced

• Chris Furnari

  , Editor, Brewbound

  

  Chris Furnari

  Editor, Brewbound

  Chris Furnari is the editor of Brewbound and focuses exclusively on the beer business. In addition to overseeing daily content, Furnari also plans and executes Brewbound's business networking events -- Brewbound Live and Brew Talks. He is a regular at industry gatherings and has been cited in mainstream media publications such as CNBC, USA Today, The Boston Globe, Mashable and Wired Magazine, among others.

• Chris Furnari, Editor, Brewbound

Keynote Address, Q&A

• Andy Thomas

  , CEO, Craft Brew Alliance

  

  Andy Thomas

  CEO, Craft Brew Alliance

  Andy Thomas has served as Chief Executive Officer for Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) since January, 2014, where he brings more than two decades of leadership experience in consumer packaged goods and the beer and beverage industries to his role. As President of Commercial Operations for CBA from 2011 to 2013, Andy helped establish the company’s distinctive portfolio strategy which combines the power of national lifestyle brands such as Kona Brewing Co. with strong, authentic regional craft brands. Prior to joining CBA, he served as an independent consultant and senior advisor to The Monitor Group, a global management consulting firm. From 1995 to 2007, he spent 12 years at Heineken, working with brewers and beers in more than 55 countries across four continents, and served as president & CEO of Heineken USA from 2005-2007. He holds an MBA from the Simon Graduate School of Business, University of Rochester, and a Bachelor of Science, with a concentration in Marketing, from Bryant University.

• Andy Thomas, CEO, Craft Brew Alliance

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Evolving Craft Portfolio Strategies

• Felipe Szpigel

  , President of Craft, Anheuser-Busch

  

  Felipe Szpigel

  President of Craft, Anheuser-Busch

  Felipe Szpigel is the president of Anheuser-Busch’s craft division, The High End. In this role, oversees a portfolio that includes brands like Stella Artois, Shock Top, Goose Island, Golden Road, Blue Point, 10 Barrel, Elysian, Four Peaks, Karbach, Breckenridge Brewery, Virtue Cider, Devils Backbone, Veza Sur, and SpikedSeltzer. Szpigel’s appreciation for great beer and amazing experiences led him to Anheuser-Busch InBev 17 years ago in Brazil as a global management trainee, and he never looked back, rising through the company’s sales organizations, including region sales vice president in Brazil and global vice president of trade marketing, based in the US. A lifelong learner and explorer, Szpigel currently resides in New York City with his wife Paula and daughter Stella. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from Brazil’s IBMEC and a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São Paulo.

• Ben Dollard

  , President - Craft & Specialty, Constellation Brands

  

  Ben Dollard

  President - Craft & Specialty, Constellation Brands

  Ben Dollard is the president of Constellation’s craft & specialty beer division and a member of the beer leadership team. In this recently appointed role, Ben is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Constellation’s craft & specialty beer business. Ben joined Constellation in 2001 as the senior vice president marketing of Pacific Wine Partners (PWP), a joint venture between BRL Hardy of Australia and Constellation Brands. Ben was later appointed President of PWP where he played a key role in Constellation’s acquisition of Blackstone, Rex Goliath and Black Box, turning PWP into one of the fastest growing premium wine companies in the U.S. He later served as the senior vice president of Constellation Brands International before being promoted to Chief Growth Officer. Most recently, Ben held the position of SVP – Chief Marketing Officer for the Wine & Spirits Division. Before joining Constellation Brands, Ben began his beverage career in Adelaide, Australia, with BRL Hardy Wine Company in international sales and marketing before moving to the company’s U.S. headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he assumed the position of company president.

• Felipe Szpigel, President of Craft, Anheuser-Busch
• Ben Dollard, President - Craft & Specialty, Constellation Brands

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An Interview with Brooklyn Brewery

• Eric Ottaway

  , CEO, Brooklyn Brewery

  

  Eric Ottaway

  CEO, Brooklyn Brewery

  Eric Ottaway is the CEO of The Brooklyn Brewery, the 11th largest craft brewery in the U.S. He was appointed to the CEO position in 2014. Prior to taking over as CEO, Eric served as chief operating officer of the New York City-based company. Eric, along with his brother Robin Ottaway, who serves as the brewery’s president, have been with the company since the mid-’90s. Eric joined Brooklyn Brewery in 1996, after previously serving as a manager of The Craft Brewers Guild in Boston, a distribution company that at the time was owned by The Brooklyn Brewery. Ottaway earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a bachelor’s degree from Yale University. He is married and has two sons, ages 24 and 21. The Brooklyn Brewery, founded in 1988, produced 293,000 barrels of beer in 2017. Its beer is sold in 26 states and in more than 20 countries. In 2016, Brooklyn Brewery sold a 24.5 percent minority stake to Japan’s Kirin Brewery. The following year, it acquired minority stakes in California’s 21st Amendment and Colorado’s Funkwerks. The company has also forged several international brewing partnerships.

• Eric Ottaway, CEO, Brooklyn Brewery

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Exploring the Emerging Cannabis Market

• Keith Villa

  , Founder, CERIA Beverages

  

  Keith Villa

  Founder, CERIA Beverages

  Keith Villa is a third generation Coloradan, whose higher education began with an undergraduate degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. His first job out of school in 1986 was with Coors Brewing Company, conducting molecular biology research on yeast. In 1988, Keith and his wife, Jodi, traveled to Belgium where Keith earned a Ph.D. in brewing science and fermentation biochemistry from the University of Brussels. Keith is credited with creating Blue Moon Brewing Company in 1995 as an operating unit of Coors, which later became MillerCoors. Blue Moon’s Belgian White, garnished by a Valencia orange slice, grew to become the number 1 craft beer in the U.S. During this time, and Keith became a well-known brewmaster in the industry, appearing in Blue Moon TV commercials. Now retired from MillerCoors after 32 years, Keith and Jodi are focusing on the next stage in their careers – the creation of non-alcoholic brews infused with THC that offer consumers a socially acceptable and responsible way to enjoy cannabis. These new products will be offered by their CERIA Beverages Company and sold first in Colorado.

• Jocelyn Sheltraw

  , Director of Regional Strategy, Headset

  

  Jocelyn Sheltraw

  Director of Regional Strategy, Headset

  Jocelyn Sheltraw is the Director of Regional Strategy at Headset. She is responsible for strategy and operations in California, along with new market expansion. Jocelyn spent 10 years working in mobile advertising and technology with fortune 500 brands including; Flipboard, Amazon, Uber, Pandora, SoundCloud, and CBS, among others. An entrepreneur at heart, Jocelyn built and launched her own app, and sat on the leadership team for the non-profit, Women in Wireless, advocating for women in technology leadership positions. She now advocates against the social stigma of the cannabis consumer.

• Marco Hoffman

  , Founder, Evergreen Herbal

  

  Marco Hoffman

  Founder, Evergreen Herbal

  Marco Hoffman is the CEO and Founder of Evergreen Herbal. Marco originally began his career as a cinematographer where he worked for networks such as National Geographic and The Food Network. In 2008, he witnessed firsthand the drastic benefits of cannabis as a medicinal aid and made the decision to enter the cannabis industry. After much success in California and the creation of the iconic 4.20 Bar, Marco turned his attention north to Washington state, founding Evergreen Herbal in 2013. Today, Evergreen Herbal is the largest cannabis-infused edibles producer in the State of Washington. The company has the highest quality control standards in the industry, with the most responsible packaging and labeling standards possible. Marco and his team are committed to providing the same great quality products to the recreational market as they have been for the medical industry all these years.

• Keith Villa, Founder, CERIA Beverages
• Jocelyn Sheltraw, Director of Regional Strategy, Headset
• Marco Hoffman, Founder, Evergreen Herbal

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Brewbound Awards

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Networking Party, Presented by House Beer & YETI