Boston Beer Supply Chain Leader Quincy Troupe to Depart April 1
Boston Beer Company senior VP of supply chain Quincy B. Troupe will exit the company on April 1, according to a separation agreement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Troupe’s departure was announced in a document sent to the SEC on February 21. According to the separation agreement, he will receive $1 million in bi-weekly payments during the next year, as well as up to $500,000 in bi-weekly payments during the next six months, or until he secures a role at a new company, “whichever comes first.” Boston Beer will also provide executive coaching services for a six-month period with “a mutually agreed upon provider.”
Boston Beer hired Troupe as its supply chain leader in January 2016. Before he joined the company, he spent five years at the Campbell Soup Company in supply chain leadership roles for the company’s North America and Pepperidge Farm divisions. Prior to that, he spent nearly a decade in senior operations roles at confection giant Mars, Inc.
Chris Hudson Joins North Coast to Lead National Accounts
Fort Bragg, California-headquartered North Coast Brewing Co. has named Chris Hudson its national key accounts director.
“I am proud to be joining North Coast Brewing Company,” Hudson said in a press release. “North Coast is an iconic, legacy brewery that has been making delicious world-class beers for almost 34 years.”
Hudson joins the brewery from Press Premium Alcohol Seltzer, where he spent nearly two years as director of sales and national accounts. Prior to that, he spent more than 22 years in a variety of sales roles at Bend, Oregon-headquartered Deschutes Brewery, including general manager of the company’s Pacific Northwest business unit and director of its western region.
At North Coast, Hudson will be responsible for growing the brewery’s relationship with key accounts nationwide. His arrival at North Coast represents the closing of a loop in his beer career, as the brewery was among the brands he sold as a rep in the early 1990s at Portland, Oregon-based Admiralty Beverage, North Coast noted in the release.
“I am thrilled to add a person of Chris’s character to our team,” North Coast VP of sales and marketing Marty Compton said in the release. “His experience and knowledge are a welcome addition to NCBC.”
Earlier this year, North Coast promoted chief financial officer Jennifer Owen to CEO; she maintains both roles.
Molson Coors’ Atwater Brewery Adds Katy McBrady as President
Detroit, Michigan-based, Molson Coors-owned Atwater Brewery has appointed Katy McBrady as its president, effective April 4, following the departure of former president and owner Mark Rieth in December.
McBrady joins Atwater, which Molson Coors’ Tenth and Blake Beer Co. acquired in early 2020, from Classic Beverage, a City of Industry, California-based, craft-centric wholesaler with a portfolio that includes offerings from Bell’s Brewery, Shiner, Rogue and California-based brands. Her most recent title at Classic was VP of sales and marketing. McBrady’s career also includes stints at Red Bull, Boston Beer and North American Breweries.
The move is a homecoming for McBrady, a native Michigander who moved to California in 2013 to become the district manager of Los Angeles for Boston Beer. She told Molson Coors’ Beer & Beyond blog her plan is for Atwater to win in its home state.
“There’s no doubt in my mind Atwater can compete in Michigan, particularly given the strength of the distribution network,” she said.
Her new manager – Tenth and Blake vice president Paul Verdu – agreed.
“If you can become one of the top two or three breweries in Michigan, you’re in a good position. That’s the key: winning Michigan,” he said in the blog post. “For all of our craft breweries, it always starts at home. We think Atwater can be the face of craft beer in Detroit, and it’s already pretty far down that path. There’s a lot of opportunity in Michigan. From there, it gets easier to have conversations with distributors and retailers in Indiana, Illinois and Ohio.”
Maui Brewing Names CFO
Kihei, Hawaii-based Maui Brewing has named Nick Paonessa its new chief financial officer.
Paonessa is the former director of finance at Saint Archer, the San Diego-based craft brand acquired by Molson Coors in 2015 and shuttered earlier this year. His first day was March 15, Maui announced.
“I’m truly thrilled to add Nick to the team,” Garrett Marrero, Maui co-founder and CEO, said in a press release. “Beyond the skills he brings to MBC, his fresh look at our group of companies and excitement to be a part of our exciting growth plans will be a great addition to our ‘ohana.”
Before joining Saint Archer, Paonessa worked as a senior audit manager at financial services firm KPMG. At Maui, Hawaii’s largest Brewers Association-defined craft brewery, he will oversee finance, accounting, business intelligence, human resources and overall business operations.
“After four years at Saint Archer, it is my absolute pleasure to be joining the Maui Brewing Company family,” Paonessa said in the release. “I’m very aware of the proud legacy that I am becoming part of and fully intend to carry the traditions of the company and department forward.”
Anderson Valley Hires Area Sales Manager for East and South Bay Territories
Anderson Valley Brewing Company (AVBC) has hired Ben Wilcox as area sales manager for its East Bay and South Bay territories in its home market of Northern California.
“Ben’s experience both as a leading Bay Area craft beer sales rep and as a knowledgeable brewer made him an ideal fit and addition to our home market sales team,” president and CEO Kevin McGee said in a press release. “His broad expertise in the craft beer industry will help elevate AVBC sales in the East Bay and South Bay territories as we continue to focus on growing California sales in 2022.”
Before joining AVBC, Wilcox led South Bay sales for Oakland-based Federation Brewing. His craft beer career also includes stints at Half Moon Bay Brewing – where he was assistant brewer – Anchor Brewing and Fieldwork Brewing. In his new role, Wilcox will oversee on- and off-premise sales in his territory.
Mighty Swell Adds 3 Executives
Austin, Texas-headquartered hard seltzer maker Mighty Swell has added vice presidents of operations, finance and sales to its leadership team.
“Upon becoming CEO of Mighty Swell, I began a search for departmental leaders to further professionalize our team, and to support and expedite our growth as we continue down the path toward national expansion,” CEO Jeana Harrington said in a press release. “Each of them has a proven track record within the alcohol industry and will add immediate value. I am thrilled and grateful to have these high-caliber leaders join our team.”
Andrew Pieri joins the company as VP of operations and will “continuously improve internal processes while expanding Mighty Swell’s network of suppliers and logistics providers – optimizing the brand to operate at full capacity given the global supply chain environment,” Mighty Swell said in the release. Pieri previously worked as a regional supply chain director at Anheuser-Busch InBev, and served in a variety of roles with A-B as part of the company’s global management trainee program.
Mighty Swell named Jon Aronson VP of finance. In his role, he will oversee all financial operations, manage the company’s finance team, interact with its board and investors and work with Pieri and the operations department to increase margins through finding efficiencies. Aronson joins Mighty Swell after serving as VP of revenue management for Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, where he covered 44 markets in the U.S.
Newly hired VP of sales Anthony Avizenis joins Mighty Swell from Mahou San Miguel-owned Founders Brewing Company, where he was VP of U.S. field sales. Avizenis will be tasked with growing Mighty Swell’s national distribution footprint and managing the company’s field sales teams. Before Founders, he was the general manager of Richmond, California-based Bay Area Beverage.
Beer Institute Taps Sr. Communications Manager
The Beer Institute (BI), the trade organization representing U.S. breweries of all sizes, has named Jeff Guittard senior manager of communications.
Guittard joins the BI from the office of Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), where his most recent role was deputy press secretary. Before joining Cornyn’s office in 2017, Guittard’s career included time on the staffs of a variety of congressmen from Texas and Alabama, as well as several political campaigns.
“Beer is a deeply ingrained part of the American experience and has brought joy to Americans of all stripes since the founding of our nation,” Guittard told Brewbound. “I’m excited to hop onto the team at the Beer Institute and be a voice for this flourishing industry and the millions of hardworking people who are a part of it.”