Breakfast & Registration

Sponsored Panel: Considerations for Producing Non-Traditional Beverages at a Traditional Brewery

• Dan Gordon

  , President & CEO, Gordon Biersch Brewing Company

  

  Dan Gordon

  President & CEO, Gordon Biersch Brewing Company

  Dan Gordon has earned a reputation as one of America's leading brewing engineers and is the current Chief Executive Officer for Gordon Biersch. Dan was the first American in more than 40 years to graduate from the prestigious five-year brewing engineering program at the world-renowned Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephan, West Germany. After the program, Dan returned to California and joined forces with restaurateur Dean Biersch to take advantage of a new state law allowing brewery restaurants. In 1988, the partners opened their first Gordon Biersch brewery restaurant in Palo Alto, Calif. And now Dan directs the operations at his state-of-the art canning and bottling brewery in San Jose, CA, the 15th largest brewing company in the country. In addition to running the brewery, Dan teaches a class on the production and business of wine, beer and spirits at UC Berkeley as well as quarterly guest speaking on Entrepreneurship at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Dan is a native of the Bay Area and is married to wife Melissa and has three children; Oliver, Haley and Cameron.

• Jessica Just

  , GM - Fermentation & Enology, Scott Laboratories

  

  Jessica Just

  GM - Fermentation & Enology, Scott Laboratories

  Jessica manages the Fermentation & Enology Department at Scott Laboratories. She’s an experienced fermentation scientist with two decades of experience and has been involved in all aspects of fermented beverage production including material handling, processing, fermentation, stabilization, and packaging. Prior to joining Scott Laboratories, she held positions at Brew Dr. Kombucha in Portland overseeing the Lab, QA/QC, food safety/regulatory compliance, and R&D programs and at Oregon State University in the Food Science Department teaching brewing, winemaking, and cidermaking. She is the first woman graduate of OSU’s Fermentation program and holds a B.S. and M.S. in Food Science from OSU. Recently, she co-authored the Hard Seltzer chapter in the forthcoming 4th Edition of The Practical Brewer.

• Nate Armburst

  , Technical Sales Representative - AAB Market, Scott Laboratories

  

  Nate Armburst

  Technical Sales Representative - AAB Market, Scott Laboratories

  Nate Armbrust is a native Oregonian who grew up in the Willamette Valley. He attended Oregon State University where he received a B.S. in Food Science and Technology with a concentration in Fermentation Science. Prior to joining Scott Laboratories as a Technical Sales Representative in Beverage Integrity and Filtration, Nate spent over 20 years in the beverage industry working in product and process development. In addition to beer and wine, he also has experience in aseptic manufacturing of low acid food and beverage, and spent a decade in the coffee industry where he pioneered many of the cold brew coffee product categories that you see on shelf in cafes and grocery stores across the country. Nate and his family live in Portland, Oregon.

• Dan Gordon, President & CEO, Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
• Jessica Just, GM - Fermentation & Enology, Scott Laboratories
• Nate Armburst, Technical Sales Representative - AAB Market, Scott Laboratories

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Growing the Family: How Top Brewers Are Creating Brand Families

• Dustin Hinz

  , CMO, Firestone Walker
• Kyle Ingram

  , Brand Director, Sierra Nevada
• Greg Gallagher

  , VP Brand Marketing, Modelo, Constellation Brands

• Dustin Hinz, CMO, Firestone Walker
• Kyle Ingram, Brand Director, Sierra Nevada
• Greg Gallagher, VP Brand Marketing, Modelo, Constellation Brands

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Ask a Dealmaker: Where M&A Goes Next

• Ryan Lake

  , Director, Arlington Capital Advisors

• Ryan Lake, Director, Arlington Capital Advisors

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Networking Break

Beer Buyers Tell All: Sell More Beer in 2023

• Mary Guiver

  , Global Principle Category Merchant Beer & Spirits, Whole Foods

  

  Mary Guiver

  Global Principle Category Merchant Beer & Spirits, Whole Foods

  With 16+ plus years in the grocery retail landscape, including over a decade of emphasis on category management in an industry-leading chain retailer for adult beverage, Mary Guiver’s dynamic background at Whole Foods Market Inc provides a unique blend of retail insights. As the Principle Global Category Merchant for Beer & Spirits she continues to grow the WFM program through commitment to artisanal, local and innovative products, alongside a steadfast focus on quality standards and consumer demands. With a keen eye for industry trends and a collaborative approach to chain retail, Mary is able to elaborate on the inner strategies and continued evolution of one of the top chain retailers in the market.

• Jamie Carawan

  , VP Brand Menu and Culinary, Buffalo Wild Wings

• Mary Guiver, Global Principle Category Merchant Beer & Spirits, Whole Foods
• Jamie Carawan, VP Brand Menu and Culinary, Buffalo Wild Wings

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Brewbound Pitch Slam Final Round

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Lunch & Beers

Speaking Authentically to Gen Z

• Mario Carrasco

  , Co-Founder & Principal, ThinkNow

• Mario Carrasco, Co-Founder & Principal, ThinkNow

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Slinging Suds on the Internet: Navigating the E-Premise

• Sara Goucher

  , Director of eCommerce, North America, Molson Coors

  

  Sara Goucher

  Director of eCommerce, North America, Molson Coors

  Sara Welch Goucher leads the US eCommerce business at Molson Coors Beverage Company. In her tenure at MCBC, the eCommerce channel has grown triple digits and become one of the top growth drivers for the company. She joined MCBC in 2018 after 10 years with Kimberly-Clark Corporation, where she worked in sales, brand marketing, global marketing, and eCommerce. When not slinging suds on the internet, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, salsa dancing, traveling, and watching documentaries. Sara lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband and 2 small children. Sara graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

• Steve Koenig

  , E-Commerce National Accounts Manager, Sierra Nevada
• Beny Ashburn

  , CEO and co-founder, Crowns & Hops Brewing Co.
• Derek Hahm

  , Chief Commercial Officer, The E-Premise Group

• Sara Goucher, Director of eCommerce, North America, Molson Coors
• Steve Koenig, E-Commerce National Accounts Manager, Sierra Nevada
• Beny Ashburn, CEO and co-founder, Crowns & Hops Brewing Co.
• Derek Hahm, Chief Commercial Officer, The E-Premise Group

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The Chain Game: Crafting a National Accounts Strategy

• Elizabeth Isenbart

  , Director of National Accounts, JuneShine
• John Byrne

  , Director of National Accounts, Firestone Walker

  

  John Byrne

  Director of National Accounts, Firestone Walker

  John Byrne is the Director of National Accounts at Firestone Walker. This role includes managing a team of national account managers & category managers, collaborating with our internal sales and distributor teams, developing strategy with leadership at Firestone Walker, and enhancing partnerships with our key retailers. Prior to joining Firestone Walker in 2012, he spent 10+ years with Miller Brewing Company and MillerCoors with a background in both field sales and national account management. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, he now resides in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with his wife Rachel and daughter Quinn, and enjoys spending time outdoors, trail running, and hiking (and, of course, enjoying a delicious pint of beer).John Byrne is the Director of National Accounts at Firestone Walker. This role includes managing a team of national account managers & category managers, collaborating with our internal sales and distributor teams, developing strategy with leadership at Firestone Walker, and enhancing partnerships with our key retailers. Prior to joining Firestone Walker in 2012, he spent 10+ years with Miller Brewing Company and MillerCoors with a background in both field sales and national account management. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, he now resides in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with his wife Rachel and daughter Quinn, and enjoys spending time outdoors, trail running, and hiking (and, of course, enjoying a delicious pint of beer).

• Olympia Anton

  , Director of National Accounts, Scout Distribution

• Elizabeth Isenbart, Director of National Accounts, JuneShine
• John Byrne, Director of National Accounts, Firestone Walker
• Olympia Anton, Director of National Accounts, Scout Distribution

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Know Yourself: The Importance of Brand Identity

• LeAnn Darland

  , Co-Founder, Talea Beer Co.

  

  LeAnn Darland

  Co-Founder, Talea Beer Co.

  LeAnn Darland’s love for beer and dream of owning a brewery was first ignited while stationed in San Diego, serving in the US Navy as a Signals Intelligence Officer. Living in this popular craft beer destination, LeAnn was inspired by the casual, communal vibe of local taprooms. After five years of naval service, LeAnn used her Masters in Finance and MBA to pursue a career in corporate finance at Google. She began homebrewing and cold-emailing breweries to see if she could work for free and learn about the business in exchange. Unfortunately, no breweries responded, but during this time, LeAnn was serendipitously introduced to the founder of Hopsy, who was in the beginning stages of fundraising for the craft beer delivery company. LeAnn joined the Hopsy team full time as the Head of Finance and later interviewed and convinced Tara Hankinson, her future TALEA co-founder, to join. Once colleagues, the two found that they had a mutual dream of opening a brewery of their own and serving easy-to-love beers. Within three months of meeting, TALEA Beer Co. was born.

• Rich Bloomfield

  , Co-Founder, Funkytown Brewery
• Haidar Hachem

  , Co-Owner and Head Brewer, Shojo Beer Co.

  

  Haidar Hachem

  Co-Owner and Head Brewer, Shojo Beer Co.

  Shojo Beer Co. is a Nicaraguan & Lebanese inspired brewery with a Japanese aesthetic. Our goal is to show the world our story through our beers and art incorporating flavors found in our cultures, heritage and most importantly memories from our countries and growing up in an immigrant household. We also involve our community in our efforts by hosting fundraisers for every new beer release supporting various local and global charities and collecting supplies for those in need.

• LeAnn Darland, Co-Founder, Talea Beer Co.
• Rich Bloomfield, Co-Founder, Funkytown Brewery
• Haidar Hachem, Co-Owner and Head Brewer, Shojo Beer Co.

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Brewbound Pitch Slam Winner Announcement

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Wrap Party, Presented By Live Oak Bank