SVP of meetings and events to step down after 30-year tenure

Boulder, Colo. — The Brewers Association—the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American craft brewers—today announced the retirement of Nancy Johnson, senior vice president of meetings and events. Johnson will leave the organization at the end of 2024.

“I am honored to have been part of a great team and a fantastic organization that has supported and convened the craft beer community for over three decades,” said Johnson. “I’m grateful for all the friends I’ve made and the amazing and inspiring people I’ve met over the years. Now it’s time for me to pass the baton to the next generation of leaders.”

Johnson joined the Brewers Association in 1993 as a temporary registrar for the Microbrewers Conference with 600 attendees. Shortly after, she became the full-time event coordinator for the Association of Brewers, managing the Craft Brewers Conference® and the Homebrewers Conference.

Over the next 30 years at the Brewers Association, Johnson oversaw the development and execution of the craft beer industry’s marquee events and competitions, including the Great American Beer Festival®, World Beer Cup®, and beer and food pairing events SAVOR™ and PAIRED®.

“Nancy’s ingenuity and leadership have inspired us all,” said Bob Pease, president and CEO, Brewers Association. “Over the years, she has established all our events as best-in-class examples for the meetings and events industry and helped put the craft beer community on the map. In many ways, she is responsible for the collective great memories and collaborations that have been formed at these gatherings.”

During Johnson’s leadership, the Brewers Association’s events grew in scale and attendance, from hundreds of attendees and competitors in the 1990s to the tens of thousands in the 2020s.

“Please join me in thanking Nancy for her many years of dedication and vision. While we will miss Nancy, we have an outstanding events team at the Brewers Association that is well-trained and ready to lead. They will continue to execute our events and competitions with excellence,” stated Pease. “We will begin the search for Nancy’s replacement to ensure a smooth transition. I am confident we will find an incredible leader to shepherd our events into their next innovative chapter.” Interested candidates can apply here.

About the Brewers Association

The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 5,600-plus U.S. breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The Brewers Association organizes events, including the World Beer Cup^®, Great American Beer Festival^®, Craft Brewers Conference^® & BrewExpo America^®, National Homebrew Competition, and American Craft Beer Week^®. The BA publishes The New Brewer^® and Zymurgy^® magazines, and Brewers Publications^® is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com^® and about homebrewing via the American Homebrewers Association^®. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 13672 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.