Alpine, Wyo. — Great beer attracts great people. Melvin Brewing welcomes summer with a new management structure and new faces at its Alpine headquarters. The award-winning Wyoming brewing company introduces Frank Magazine as its new Chief Executive Officer. Magazine joins Jeremy Tofte, Founder, in leading the company to provide the highest quality, cutting edge beers available to fans far and wide.
Chief Executive Officer Frank Magazine has been involved in the beverage industry for more than 35 years including a significant time specializing in water treatment and process additives for the brewing industry. He has managed and grown several multi-national food industry companies including the first SQF/GFSI globally certified food processing aid/additive company of its kind. His passion is working with a team of great people to build, grow and win in a competitive market space. He and his wife, Sunnie, enjoy family events and global travel with adventure-based challenges such as sailing, diving, sky diving and boating.
Melvin’s new management direction also brings the following people to its team:
Director of Brewing Operations Ian Fuller has been part of the brewing industry for more than 17 years. Fuller quotes, “It was in this 17 year journey where I developed my ninja assassin skills brewing. First on a brewpub level as a white belt in brewing. Moving on to production brewing and earning my red belt with a medal in the Irish style red category. Soon earning a black belt with a head brewer position. With not knowing all there is to know, I accepted a position as the innovation manager where I honed my skills learning to master flavor and aroma, I was able to pass knowledge to the next person up. This has given me the rank of master. Taking my skills to Melvin, I hope to make a difference not only with the crew but the world.” His passions include long walks on the beach, romance novels, candlelight dinners with his wife and time with his children.
Sales Director Bryan Giddens’ 25 years in the beer industry includes work at the wholesale level with suppliers such as Pyramid and, most recently, Elysian as its Sales Director for five years. Giddens’ in-depth knowledge of the regional sales environment will directly impact the expansion of Melvin’s Sales Team, brand and world class beer distribution. Giddens loves beer and believes the best beer is enjoyed with friend and co-workers. He also loves snowboarding, hockey, soccer, photography, and time with friends and family.
National Key Account Manager John Zagajeski aka “JZ” is a 20-year beer industry professional who has done everything from merchandising and driving to beer route/territory sales. His true passion is helping others in and around his hometown of Spokane, Wash., dedicating 150 hours-plus of community service every year assisting the homeless and serving coffee and teaching Sunday school at church. When he’s not working or volunteering, you will likely find Zagajeski canvasing the area for the world’s best burger or perfecting the lines in his grass. Zagajeski is a proud father of three and a happy husband to the best beer wife in the game.
Administrative Assistant Ann Gruenwald earned a degree in business management from the University of Ottawa, Wisconsin, and moved to Thayne six years ago from Wisconsin. She spent six years as the office administrator for a Belgium-based optical industry automation and robotics company overseeing payroll, accounts payables, receivables and taxes. She lives in Thayne with her boyfriend, Scott, and their horses, dogs and chickens. Ann is a proud parent to her son Tony, 31 who works in Florida as a website designer.
Melvin has been turning heads in the beer industry since 2009 with award-winning beer and, now, expansion of its pubs and tasting rooms into two locations in Wyoming and our newest brew pub specializing in sour beers in Missouri. In 2018, Thrillist named Melvin the best craft brewery in Wyoming. In 2019, Melvin founded the Boil Rumble National Homebrew Contest in partnership with MoreBeer!.com Homebrewing Supplies and the Brewing Network to celebrate the homebrewing community and its contribution to the craft beer industry. More than 80 homebrewing clubs nationwide submitted entries for judging by a panel of professionals. Based on the energy and success of the first Boil Rumble, plans are underway for a second annual Boil Rumble in 2021.
For Melvin, The Boil Rumble is an homage to its roots on a small homebrew system in the dry storage room of a restaurant in downtown Jackson, as well as a chance to make other brewers’ dreams come true by supporting and encouraging the community from which so many outstanding commercial craft brews originate.
Melvin is active in philanthropist in its backyard, providing local nonprofits in Wyoming and beyond with financial support, beer for fundraising events, and of course, real life human volunteers.
About Melvin Brewing
Melvin Brewing was born in the back of a Thai restaurant in 2009, when founder Jeremy Tofte decided to bring beers from the future to Jackson, WY. A 20-gallon brew system quickly grew into a 3-barrel system, and award-winning beers like Melvin IPA, 2×4 Double IPA and Ch-Ch-Cherry Bomb were served alongside Asian street food, classic kung fu films and old school hip-hop. After winning Small Brewpub of the Year at Great American Beer Festival in 2015, a 30-barrel production facility was opened in Alpine, WY, population 750. Shortly thereafter, Melvin started shipping beer across the U.S. and went on to win Brewery Group of the Year at GABF in 2017. Embracing the chaos and riding the wave, Melvin Brewing is now ready to take its world class beers on a worldwide tour.