An election for four seats on the Brewers Association (BA) board of directors is open through 5 p.m. MST on November 13.
The open seats include two to represent packaging brewers, and one each to represent taproom brewers and pub brewers. Packaging brewers are those who sell 75% or more of their volume off-site, while taproom and pub brewers sell 25% or more of their beer on-site, with the latter also offering food service.
The 10 candidates for the two packaging brewer seats include:
- Luke Bauer, sales, marketing and business development director at Snake River Brewing in Jackson, Wyoming;
- Bill Butcher, president at Port City Brewing in Alexandria, Virginia;
- Colby Cox, brewer and owner of Roadhouse Brewing and Melvin Brewing in Jackson, Wyoming;
- Johanna Denne, founder of Colorful Beverage in Golden, Colorado;
- Jared Fischer, president of Guilford Hall Brewery in Baltimore, Maryland;
- Daniel Robles, lead/shift brewer at Alamo Beer Company in San Antonio, Texas;
- Josh Schwaiger, founder and president of Paradigm Brewing in Tomball, Texas;
- Christina Thomas, founder of Brown Girl’s Brew in New York City, New York;
- John Walker, co-founder and COO of Athletic Brewing in Milford, Connecticut;
- And Ken Wilson, director of sales at Lumberyard Brewing in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Four candidates are running to represent pub brewers:
- Erika Barnett, co-owner and COO of Salish Sea Brewing in Edmonds, Washington;
- Leah Cheston, owner of Right Proper Brewing in Washington, D.C.;
- Jeff Frederick, co-founder of Brew Republic Bierwerks in Woodbridge, Virginia;
- And Dale Sakschewski, head brewer of Feather Falls Brewing in Oroville, California.
The four candidates running to represent taproom brewers include:
- Tomme Arthur, co-founder and COO of the Lost Abbey in Vista, California;
- Tracy Cryder, owner and co-founder of Southern Tail Brewing in Little Rock, Arkansas;
- Chris Nicholson, general manager of Roadmap Brewing in San Antonio, Texas;
- And Veronica Zamora Espinoza, co-owner and accountant at Turkey Forrest Brewing in Houston, Texas.
Candidates have submitted video statements and answered written questions for members to review before voting.
Arthur, Cheston and Cox are current board members with terms ending in February 2025. Cheston is the board chairwoman, the BA’s second female chair and first since 2007 and first pub brewer representative to lead the board. If re-elected, this would be Cheston’s third three-year term, after which she would have to spend at least one year off the board before she could run again.
Currently a packaging brewer representative, Arthur is running for his next term as a taproom brewer due to changes in the Lost Abbey’s business model. Cox is serving his second two-year term as an at-large board member, or a non-designated director per the BA’s bylaws. At-large members are limited to two two-year terms.
Earlier this year, the board approved several changes to the bylaws, including the reduction of its size to 18 in 2024 and to 17 in 2025. Two seats previously held by the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) were eliminated.
The board also expanded the BA’s voting membership to include outfits that “control the intellectual property for one or more brands of beer, have that brand or brands brewed for it in the United States, and have as its primary business purpose the resale of the brand or brands it controls,” meaning contract-brewed beer companies are now among the ranks of voting members.
BA members can submit one ballot per company. Breweries can only vote for representatives in their designated member class.
“If you are unsure which category is correct, you can vote in all three,” the BA wrote. “We will review your ballot and retain the votes in the correct category.”