Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
I've spent 25+ years in the CPG trenches. Not from the boardroom down, but from the bar floor up. From owning and operating bars in my hometown of El Paso to serving as Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at a Global Craft Brewery, I've built, broken, and rebuilt brands across beverage, cannabis, and emerging categories. What I know for certain: the brands that win aren't the loudest. They're the most intentional. WHAT I DO I work with brands, leadership teams, and investors at critical inflection points when a brand needs to grow, pivot, or find its footing in a new channel. My work spans: Brand revitalization & architecture · GTM strategy & commercial planning · Channel development (Off Premise, On Premise, C-Store, Chain, DTC) · Sales team structure & capability building · Fractional CSMO/CMO engagements PROOF · Repositioned BrewDog's Elvis Juice, delivering a 12% volume swing in under 6 months · Built Founders Brewing's chain sales engine to 4.8M case depletions, $32M gross profit · Exceeded annual goals by 25%+ every year at Founders, adding 250K+ bbls in incremental volume · Led cannabis brand architecture generating 70% of annual revenue across 5 business units including canopy (outdoor and indoor), extraction, commercial kitchen, dispensary and white-labeling. VOICE SECTION I post daily under Sips & Songs which is a series built around real conversations, real leadership, and the intersection of culture, brand, and people. If you're in CPG and want to think differently, follow along. Always happy to connect and network. DM me or connect at [email protected]
- Led U.S. Sales and Marketing with full P&L ownership across wholesale, retail, and export channels. - Managed a diverse 15-brand, 32-SKU portfolio while co-leading U.S. forecasting, logistics, and fulfillment. - Developed Annual Range Plans and Marketing Calendars, enhancing brand visibility and market reach. - Led partnerships/stewardship(s) with the 25 wholesalers in our network across all U.S. markets - Successfully created a new flagship brand (BREWDOG IPA) which launched successfully in Summer 2025. - Repositioned and redesigned the core brand, Elvis Juice, resulting in a 12% swing in Chain volume and overall distribution trends in less than 6 months - Instituted a Divisional sales structure and Channel-specific model for the organization which drove a 15% increase in feature and DSOF in the off premise channel/COT in 2024/25.
- Led a team of over 70 members across five business units, enhancing operational efficiency and team collaboration. - Managed 150 acres of cultivation, overseeing the growth and harvest of 21,000 plants across 40 strains. - Developed brand architecture for four industry segments, driving 70% of annual revenue through innovative branding strategies. - Created a White-labeling Division which increased revenue and opportunities for collaboration with other cannabis companies, brands and personalities.
- Spearheaded domestic and international customer acquisition strategies - Worked with breweries to enhance brand visibility and market reach through redesigned brand positioning and design - Developed comprehensive business plans and marketing strategies for Regional breweries tailored to chain retailer needs/solutions, ensuring improved results. - Developed customized sales training programs for breweries and distilleries, leading to improved leadership development, workforce empowerment and stewardship of business both chain and independent. - Developed hemp-derived beverage strategies for implementation in Liquor and On Premise COT(s).
Responsible for managing and increasing all National/Regional Chain sales activities encompassing 4.8M case depletions and $32M in gross profit Work Flows include: Team Management: Lead and develop chain-sales matrix with 42 employees including Key Account Directors, Key Account Managers, Key Account Specialists, Sales Analyst and Category Manager. Wholesaler Network/3-Tier System: Manage and steward partnerships with Senior Leadership at Reyes, Lakeshore, Hensley, Odom, BEK, Coors Distributing, Brown, Cavalier, Capital Beverage, Alliance, Superior, SKI, Nevada Beverage and more. Retailer Partnerships: Lead Sales Team with: - Off Premise: Amazon, Walmart, Costco, Sams Club, Kroger, Albertsons, Meijer, Publix, HEB, Giant Eagle, Ralph's, Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Sprouts, Jewel Osco, Wegmans, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, HyVee, Total Wine and More, Binny's, 7-Eleven, Speedway, Circle K, Caseys, WAWA,,Buccees, CVS, Walgreens and more. - On Premise: Buffalo Wild Wings, Hooters, Twin Peaks, Caesars Entertainment, HMSHost, Applebees, Darden, Mellow Mushroom, Landry's, World of Beer, MIller's Alehouse, Outback, Brinker Marriott, SW Airlines and others Marketing: Develop, communicate and execute all local and National trade marketing activities, digital programming and all in-field execution of programs, brand management and trade events. Accomplishments: - Earned full bonus every year - Exceeded over +25% of total goals annually, selling an incremental 250,000+ bbls of volume, representing 65% of the total 3-Year volume growth of the overall brewery volume/business. - Gained over 25,000new points of distribution of off and on premise retail chain accounts Nationwide.