The Brewers Association (BA) has announced that Matt Gacioch will fill the position of Sustainability Ambassador, replacing former ambassador Ian Hughes. Gacioch will work in conjunction with Quality Ambassador Neil Witte and Safety Ambassador Matt Stinchfield to bring attention to BA resources in their areas of expertise.
As Sustainability Ambassador, Gacioch will promote the mission of the BA Sustainability Subcommittee to “help current members and future generations to brew the highest quality beers in a manner that strengthens the value of their businesses, increases the resiliency of the natural environment and agricultural systems that provide brewing ingredients, and enhances the lives of our workforce and their communities.”
“The same way that the craft beer industry has reinvented the role of beer in society, it has the incredible opportunity to help reinvent the role of business in creating a positive impact,” said Gacioch. “It’s a great honor to join the Brewers Association and its members to help create a new model for our common future!”
Gacioch has spent his career exploring the nuance and opportunity of sustainability within the craft beer industry, the built environment, and communities around the world. As the former Director of Sustainability and Marketing for Short’s Brewing Company in Michigan, he created programs and executed sustainable design initiatives on energy, water, and waste, all while working to tell an authentic story of successes and (plenty of) road bumps. He has also worked in sustainability at Left Hand Brewing Company and in the Craft Beer Program at the Brewers Association. He holds an MBA in Strategy & Finance, an MS in Environmental Policy & Planning, and a BS in Environmental Science, all from the University of Michigan. In his day job at stok, an integrated real estate services firm that provides sustainable design and engineering services, he explores business cases and develops strategies for sustainability and wellness in commercial real estate.
In his role as ambassador, Gacioch will deliver presentations at state brewers guild meetings intended to help brewers meet their sustainability goals. He’ll also assist Sustainability Mentor John Stier in helping BA members to utilize the BA Benchmarking Tools and identify simple, quick, and sustainable return-on-investment projects in their breweries.
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