STARTABREWERY - Key Persons


Alex Smith

Job Titles:
  • Consultant
  • Executive Brewer & Midwest Sales Consultant

Andrew Coplon - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founder
  • Founder of Secret Hopper
Andrew Coplon is the Founder of Secret Hopper and Craft Beer Professionals. He is passionate about the growth of beer and helping businesses be more successful.

Andy Mansinne - President

Job Titles:
  • President

Ashleigh Hayden

Job Titles:
  • Eastern Field Marketing Manager
  • Ingredients

Ben Weston - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founder
  • Head
  • Head Honcho
Ben Weston is the founder and Head Honcho at Hoptown Handles, an American manufacturer of high quality, durable custom tap handles.

Bill Sysak - CEO

Job Titles:
  • CEO
A craft beer veteran, "Dr." Bill is on the SDSU Business of Craft Beer Faculty/Advisory Board, is a Certified Cicerone, Co-Founder of Wild Barrel, a pairing expert, and master of zymurgical knowledge.

Bill Wetmore

Job Titles:
  • Sales & Marketing Director
  • SAles

Brandon Hernández - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founder
  • Owner

Brian Mollohan

Job Titles:
  • Owner
  • Co - Founder and Owner of Ruby Street Brewing
Brian Mollohan is co-founder and owner of Ruby Street Brewing. Since 2011, Ruby Street Brewing has been designing and building hand-crafted small batch and pilot brewing equipment.

Brook Bristow

Job Titles:
  • Attorney at Lager
Brook is a Charleston-based attorney who counsels food and beverage industry clients from small start-ups to national brands. He can brew a passable IPA.

Brynn Keenan

Job Titles:
  • Founder & Lead Analyst
  • Founder and Lead Analyst at Grist Analytics
  • Quality Assurance / Quality Control
Brynn is the founder and lead analyst at Grist Analytics where she helps breweries across the world turn production data into actionable information.

Bud Dunn - VP of Sales

Job Titles:
  • Director of Sales

Candace L. Moon

Job Titles:
  • Attorney
Candace L. Moon is a San Diego-based attorney who handles many different legal areas including alcoholic beverage law, contract review and trademark law. Candace L. Moon is a San Diego-based attorney who has spent the last eleven years dedicating her law practice to the craft beer industry. She has worked with more than 450 craft breweries and craft breweries-in-planning nationwide, handling many different legal areas including alcoholic beverage law, contract review and trademark law. Candace is the co-author of Brew Law 101 - A Legal Guide to Opening a Brewery (CA version).

Carol Cochran

Job Titles:
  • Co - Owner
Carol founded Horse & Dragon Brewing Company in 2014 with her husband Tim. She has an enormous appreciation for the community of Fort Collins, the Horse & Dragon team, and the craft brewing community.

Dana Johnson

Job Titles:
  • Equipment & Packaging
  • Technical Director, Craft Beer

Danny Wang

Job Titles:
  • Co - Owner / Information Architect
Danny has been a part of the Colorado craft brewing community since 2011 with the start of his first brewery. His knowledge in computer science and data sciences is the driving force behind the technology Fermly runs on. Danny is also a Certified BJCP judge and an award winning brewer.

Derek Wasak

Job Titles:
  • Owner
  • Owner / Full - Service Brewery Consultant
With over 12 years of experience, Derek is the Owner/Operator of Plato Brewing and Consulting Inc. - a full-service brewery consulting firm specializing in start-up planning, expansion, and operations from concept to completion.

Doug Marshall

Job Titles:
  • Consultant
  • Partner
  • Founding Partner at Marshall
Doug is a founding partner at Marshall | Viliesis. With his partner Peter Viliesis they created Business Value Protection Planning™, a planning system designed with the business owner in mind.

Dr. J Jackson-Beckham

Job Titles:
  • Principal

Emily Hutto - CEO, Founder

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • Founder
  • Journalist
Emily Hutto is a Colorado-based beer journalist-turned-barley industry marketer. After years of freelance writing and authoring the book Colorado's Top Brewers, she founded Rad Craft in 2012 to serve the communications needs of maltsters, brewers, and distillers.

Emily Wang

Job Titles:
  • Founder / Lead Scientist

Erik Cox

Job Titles:
  • Owner

Erik Fowler

Job Titles:
  • Education & Brewery Experience Manager

Ethan Deffenbaugh

Job Titles:
  • Sales Manager
  • Equipment & Packaging

Ethan Tsai

Job Titles:
  • Brewing Operations Consultant
Ethan Tsai is a Ph.D. chemist that has worn multiple hats throughout an incredibly diverse career, including GM of brewing operations for Cigar City Brewing and director of the brewery for Tivoli Brewing Company.

Fred M. Kaplan

Job Titles:
  • Partner and M & a Intermediary
Fred Kaplan brokers buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions, performs valuations, and advises on Exit Planning for clients who are food and beverage processors, distributors, retailers, breweries, distilleries, and restaurants.

George Thornton - CEO

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • Owner

Grant Steyer

Job Titles:
  • Co - Leader of Our Craft Beer Practice Group
  • Intellectual Property Attorney

Jason Cook

Job Titles:
  • Senior Sales Executive
Jason Cook is an accomplished 10+ year insurance professional holding a Master's degree in Insurance Management from Boston University and the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter and Associate in Risk Management designations.

Jason Gladfelter

Job Titles:
  • Owner
Jason Gladfelter is a beer geek with a conflict management profession (or is it the other way around?) who developed Vombuds, a virtual ombudsman, to help small businesses with their internal dynamics.

Jason Sleeman

Job Titles:
  • Vice President - Craft Beverage Lending

Jeff Gunn - CEO, President

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • President
With 58 years in brewing and beverage industry design and manufacturing, Jeff Gunn has seen & participated in pivotal processing developments, including Sankey keg systems, flash pasteurization, custom process equipment, and the HEBS mash filter brew house.

Jeff Mendel

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Partner
Co-founder of Tabernash Brewing Co. and the Colorado Brewers Guild, Jeff has been a partner/ director at Left Hand Brewing Co. and has held leadership roles in the beer industry for 30+ years.

Jeff Musial

Job Titles:
  • Partner
With 28 years of experience with major packaged goods companies, Jeff is known for being able to simplify complex issues and provide insightful recommendations based on consumer insights, innovation, and brand management.

Jeff Porter - President

Job Titles:
  • President
Jeff has over 30 years experience sourcing great talent in operations and technical positions for food and beverage manufacturing companies that will make a huge contribution to your company.

Jeffrey C. O'Brien

Job Titles:
  • Attorney
  • Partner

Jess McElvain - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founder
Jess founded SSQ Consultants to help breweries establish QA/QC programs, develop SOPs, and create safety programs. Jess is guided by her experiences as a CR&D biochemist and as a brewer.

JoAnne Carilli-Stevenson

Job Titles:
  • Head of Business Development

John Giarratano

Job Titles:
  • Founder / Lead Engineer

John Mallett

Job Titles:
  • VP of Operations
Throughout his professional brewing career John Mallett has been recognized for his expertise and leadership in brewery technical education and training. He has managed all beer production for Bell's Brewery since 2001.

Jon Carpenter

Job Titles:
  • Brewmaster / Craft Beverage Consultant
Prior to founding Opensō, Jon Carpenter has been involved in every aspect of an operational brewery, including engineering & design, new product development & operations, staffing/training, and construction/installation/startup of equipment, systems, brands, and facilities.

Jon Hughes

Job Titles:
  • Director of Brewing and Sensory Science
  • Quality Control & Quality Assurance

Jon Hyman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of Our Employment & Labor Practice Group
  • Co - Leader Craft Beer Practice Group
As Chair of our Employment & Labor Practice Group, Jon Hyman provides practical solutions to help craft breweries solve their workforce problems. With decades of experience advising employers of all shapes and sizes, Jon is well equipped to do the same for your brewery.

Jonathan Shikes

Job Titles:
  • Author / Beer Writer
Author of Denver Beer: A History of Mile High Brewing, Jonathan has spent more than 25 years as a journalist, most recently as the managing editor of Westword. He covers Colorado's dynamic craft-beer industry.

Julia Herz

Job Titles:
  • Executive Director
  • Marketing & Public Relations

Julie Rhodes

Job Titles:
  • Owner / Educator
  • SALES

Kary Shumway - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founder
  • Founder of CraftBreweryFinancialTraining.Com
Kary Shumway is the founder of CraftBreweryFinancialTraining.com and Kary'sFinancialTraining.com, online resources for beer industry professionals.

Larry Chase

Job Titles:
  • HUMAN RESOURCES

Laura Lodge

Job Titles:
  • Co - Founder of Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival
  • Owner / Author
The co-founder of the Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival, Laura Lodge has been engaged in the craft beer industry since 1997. She's the Owner of Customized Craft Beer Programs, designing events, resort retail programs, and educational programs based on craft beer, and is also the author of Distribution Insight for the Craft Brewer.

Lindsay Barr - CSO

Job Titles:
  • CSO
  • Founding Partner
  • Founding Partner and CSO of DraughtLab Sensory Software
Lindsay Barr is the Founding Partner and CSO of DraughtLab Sensory Software. Her work is globally recognized for empowering companies of all sizes to apply Sensory Science to inform everyday business decisions.

Lisa Marcus - CEO

Job Titles:
  • CEO

Mary Brettmann - President

Job Titles:
  • President
Beverage Business Builders, established in 2015, offers financial and operational services for craft breweries & distilleries. President Mary Brettmann assists with everything from accounting software implementation, to long-range strategic planning.

Matt Albrecht

Job Titles:
  • Ingredients
Growing up in a family of woodworkers and craftsmen, Matt started River Drive Cooperage in 2008. Focused on oak barrels and wood aging, River Drive seeks to improve and revitalize the nearly lost art of coopering.

Matt Hughes

Job Titles:
  • Insurance
  • Risk & Insurance Consultant

Matt Vincent - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Co - Owner
  • Founder
As an Owner at Ska Brewing Co, Matt developed products to help ease beer production challenges. His small footprint can depalletizer was the inspiration for Ska Fabricating, which has now helped beverage producers in 27 countries.

Matthew McLaughlin

Job Titles:
  • Attorney
  • Founder of McLaughlin
Matthew McLaughlin is the founder of McLaughlin, PC, a boutique commercial law firm specializing in the beverage industry with more than 30 years combined experienced representing breweries, distilleries, and wineries.

Melissa Antone

Job Titles:
  • Quality & Sensory

Misty Gordon

Job Titles:
  • Multimedia Graphic Artist

Nancy Trigg - President

Job Titles:
  • President
  • President / CGO
Nancy Trigg is the President and CGO of Arryved. Arryved provides Point of Sale and Loyalty software to taprooms and brewpubs across the country. Addressing business challenges and finding solutions to create excellent taproom experiences for guests.

Neil Witte

Job Titles:
  • Owner
Neil Witte is a Master Cicerone and 24-year beer business veteran. He owns TapStar, which certifies draft beer quality at bars, restaurants, and brewery taprooms.

Nicole Stenoish

Job Titles:
  • Employment Attorney
  • Employment Law Attorney
Nicole Stenoish is an employment law attorney who specializes in providing practical legal advice to breweries on all aspects of employment and HR-related issues. She also has extensive experience defending businesses in a variety of employment litigation matters.

Owen Sizemore

Job Titles:
  • Principal
With both CPA and CVA credentials, Owen provides business valuation, litigation support, and financial due diligence services across a variety of industries, with a specialty focus on breweries and distilleries.

Ray Daniels - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Director Emeritus
  • Founder
  • Founder and Director Emeritus of the Cicerone® Certification Program
Founder and director emeritus of the Cicerone® Certification Program, Ray is a veteran beer writer and educator who has traveled the world promoting quality beer service.

Ren Navarro

Job Titles:
  • Consultant
  • Owner / Operator
Do Better. Be Better. drives the award-winning diversity educator and consultant Ren Navarro as she educates, enlightens, and engages to help alcohol producers live up to the ideals and sense of community for which they strive.

Rick Wehner - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founder

Scott Birkner

Job Titles:
  • SBA Lending Specialist

Scott Kerkmans

Job Titles:
  • Professor
Scott Kerkmans is a professor in the business of beer/beer industry and has run the Brewery Operations program at MSU Denver for over five years.

Scott Rosenbaum - CEO

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • CEO of Ah so Insights
Scott Rosenbaum is CEO of Ah So Insights, a wine and spirit industry newsletter and consultancy. Scott was formerly the vice president of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

T. Dustin Hauck

Job Titles:
  • Principal

Taylor Seidler - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Co - Founder
  • Creative Director
  • Co - Founder and Creative Director of SeaThirst Creative
Taylor Seidler is co-founder and creative director of SeaThirst Creative. As an award-winning designer, she specializes in creative and branding for breweries & beverage companies, and has spent the last 10 years working in and around the brewing industry.

Tim Myers

Job Titles:
  • Equipment
  • Founder / Head Brewer

Todd Olander

Job Titles:
  • Founder / Farmer
  • Ingredients

Tom Hennessy - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founder
Tom has opened 7 breweries of his own & helped open over 100 more with his Colorado Boy Brewery Immersion Course. His 1995 video, Frankenbrew, has become a cult classic in the brewing world. He has written three brewing books. Tom lives, brews and writes in his mountain town of Ridgway, CO.

Tristan Chan - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founder
  • Founder of PorchDrinking.Com
  • Marketing & Public Relations
Tristan Chan is the Founder of PorchDrinking.com, a national beer publication, as well as The Porch Collective, a Marketing and PR firm focused on serving the hospitality industry.

Twila Soles

Job Titles:
  • Maltstress & CEO
A Founding Member of the North American Craft Maltster's Guild, Twila founded Grouse Malt House

Val Lang

Job Titles:
  • Health & Accident Insurance Agent
Insurance Agent licensed to sell insurance through New York Life Insurance Company, specializing in custom-tailored solutions including insurance protection, retirement planning, college funding, and small business employee benefits planning and voluntary insurance opportunities.

Victoria Aguilar - Founder, Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Founder
  • Managing Director
  • Founder and Managing Director of the AR Group
Victoria Aguilar is the Founder and Managing Director of The AR Group, LLC - a law and HR consulting firm in Greenwood Village, Colorado. Victoria assists clients with effectively managing human capital.

William Camacho

Job Titles:
  • Principal
William has established a solid reputation for designing production beverage facilities with HRVST, a process engineering/ start-up consulting firm, and CLTVT, a General Contracting firm; both companies he co-founded and operates.