I have nearly 30 years’ experience in craft brewing, with a background in homebrewing, brewpub operations and packaging brewery operations. I have been with one brewery for 28 years, both as an employee and an owner. I have worked at the state level to expand brewpub self distribution rights and to defend against tax increases and other threats. I currently serve on the Oregon Brewers Guild Board of Directors.

The current softness in the overall beer market in the post-Covid era is a major challenge for all of us. Consumer behavior is unpredictable, so conservative budgeting, managing debt and good governance become important survival tools for breweries of all sizes as well as our trade organizations.

Small and independent brewers have a special place in their communities. We have the opportunity to buffer against challenging market conditions by building on these connections. Doubling down on strengthening those relationships helps independent brewers who are in it for the long haul.

My experience includes a career in marketing and general management (Kraft, Hershey, Bush Brothers) and serving on boards (King Arthur Baking Company and Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians). Today, I am excited to lead Yee-Haw with 4 brewery locations and distribution in Tennessee and South Carolina. I see parallels in my experience building brands, managing categories, and developing strategies. I can leverage this depth and breadth to bring a unique perspective to the BA board.

Craft beer sales are flat. The Harris Poll cites “choosing other alcoholic beverages” as the biggest drivers of less craft beer consumption. BA members need to understand the shifts in consumer behavior and determine how to re-engage consumers to ensure craft beer stays relevant and vibrant. There is opportunity in understanding how we might leverage these beyond beer categories (seltzers, RTDs, etc.) to help drive craft beer and the craft brewery experience.

Engaging and attracting the next generation of brewers and consumers. I believe many are struggling with brewers leaving the industry. We need to continue to attract, develop and retain great talent. Consumers entering the market have more choices today than ever before. We need to ensure craft beer is an approachable and attractive choice. Craft breweries, small and large, can work together to figure out our future in the communities we serve and love. CHEERS!

Serving on the Board, I am dedicated to exemplifying our Purpose Mission Values. I have experience with Legislative issues at both the state and federal level. I also have a BA in Education and a MEd in Counseling so educational efforts are very important to me along with relationship building. I have been in the industry for over 29 years and love giving back to our community and bringing people together over craft beer.

Some challenges ahead are ensuring that the beer industry continues to innovate and remain relevant. It is important that we retain our access to market and shelf space. Our industry is so benevolent and collaborative, it is so important that we continue to inspire so that we continue to attract new customers and be leaders in our community. Also that we work hard at being welcoming and inclusive and representing the diversity in our communities.

As we continue to evolve as an industry, we need to keep producing innovative quality beer, retaining and growing our access to market, and protecting our industry of independent brewers. We also need to continue to share our stories and welcoming new consumers into our businesses while fostering inclusive brewing communities. Also, to keep collaborating and educating ourselves and our teams to be better people who love bringing others together through craft beer.

I have a long history of legal work in alcoholic beverages and have broad general business and legal experience that ranges from complex distribution contract negotiations to drafting and negotiating legislation. I also have somewhat unexpectedly made a career of crisis management and have put those skills to use on others on-profit boards I’ve participated on including communications and outreach efforts.

I think a major challenge ahead is the consolation of the wholesaler tier and the current power imbalance between brewers and distributors. I’ve done extensive negotiation and advisory work in the distribution area and can lend my perspective and legal background to correcting those issues. I think another emerging issue is the consumer’s understanding of what craft beer is (and isn’t) and my background in communications and marketing campaigns could be of help addressing that.

The biggest opportunity I see is in the reclaiming the role of being the artisanal, elevated expression of beer and beer culture. By taking the image of craft beer further up market we gain a prestige effect and also better pricing flexibility that comes with a higher quality product. There’s also opportunity to redefine the craft beer culture as something that’s more experiential and personal between the consumer and the brewery.

With over 20 years in the adult beverage industry with both large multi-national strategics and small craft breweries as an entreprenuer, I hae a lot of different perspectives and views. I’ve served for over 7 years on the boards of non-profits, and understand the importance of ensuring the bridge between the association and the businesses is strong and aligned. My background in our industry spans sales, finance, marketing, and operations across both beer and spirits.

The challenges for our industry are multi-faceted, but the largest is simply competition. Craft beer has matured and it creates an incredibly competitive market. It’s not only the quantity of competitors, but the quality too. We’ve been fighting large multi-national beer companies and now we’re fighting total beverage and CPG companies, as well as a variety of new products (NA, Seltzer, RTD). As a board member, my focus is on helping breweries become better businesses.

Our biggest opportunities are thinking more broadly about what it means to be a small and independent craft brewer (and association), while also defining more clearly who we are (and who we are not), so that we can avoid distractions and stay relevant in the minds of consumers, retailers, distributors, and legislators.

Born into a family of brewers, I grew up in the beer business. I worked in marketing/sales in Corporate America for eight years, before returning home to a floundering family business that today is a highly successful Brewery, celebrating 135 years in business, operating both in Craft Beer and the “Beyond Beer” space. Our success has and continues to come from a commitment to making quality beers that the consumer chooses to buy.

The market environment for craft beer is changing rapidly. It is becoming more competitive, and growth is slowing…and for some of us packaging breweries, declining, creating new challenges for many of us. I have experienced many of these challenges in my time at the brewery and see my role as a BA Board Member to help develop a path to success for independent brewers, in a much more challenging environment.

While we have great challenges ahead, we also have great opportunities for creating the excitement that drove craft growth. We will likely need to redefine what small, independent brewers looks like and evolve our products as consumer preferences change. We will achieve success, although it just may look a little different than we originally imagined

I have extensive experience in both on-premise sales and off-premise distribution as well as building our business at the tap room level. I am involved in package design, inventory control and package procurement and have experience in franchise law across several states. This understanding of multiple points of distribution and supply will help me provide input and understanding on all aspects of the industry covered by the BA board and benefit our members.

The biggest challenge now and in the immediate future will be maintaining and regaining shelf space for craft in the off premise. Demonstrating success to the off premise buyer has historically been to show success in the on premise and in our tap rooms. We need to work with key accounts now more than ever as they are the volume drivers on and off premise and take advantage and be prepared when given that opportunity.

Independent on and off-premise support for small and independent brewers will continue to offer opportunities for small and independent craft brewers. Though the landscape has changed with industry consolidation, seltzers and RTDs, we share a commonality with independent retailers that resonates. These channels continue to be open to our members. It is where many of us started distribution and presents a great opportunity for us to work together with our customers now more than ever.