Program Book - Master Brewers Association of the Americas

Plenary Session Biographies
K-1
Sustainability Beyond a “Feel Good” Initiative: Its Legitimate
Place in Business to Help Assure Successful, Long-Term
Performance
Presenter: Daniel W. Bena, PepsiCo International
Panel: David Carter, Lion Nathan; Gary Freeman, Brewing
Research International; Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada Brewing
Company
During the last five years, “sustainability,” sometimes synonymous
with “corporate social responsibility,” has evolved from what was
initially viewed merely as a “feel good” initiative to an absolute
requirement to thrive as a business. In fact, it has established a firm
position as a legitimate requirement for businesses to help assure
their successful long-term performance by strengthening their
license to operate. This keynote addresses the traditional concept
of the “triple bottom line”—economic, social, and environmental
performance—from the context of three core elements: 1) alarming
global trends, 2) clearly increasing consumer expectations, and
3) the changing and challenging peer and competitive landscape.
Learn about PepsiCo’s comprehensive and structured platform,
“Performance with Purpose,” upon which it builds sustainability
awareness across the system and how it is doing its part to be ecofriendly.
Dan Bena is currently the director of sustainability, health, safety,
and environment for the International Division of PepsiCo and
was formerly the director of technical insight and communication,
where he served as liaison between technical functions, government
affairs, public policy, and field operations to develop key messaging
to internal and external stakeholder groups. He is now leading the
company’s international sustainability efforts across their beverage
and food operations, serving consumers in nearly 200 countries.
Since graduating with an undergraduate degree in biochemistry
and a graduate degree in industrial pharmacy, Bena has become a
recognized leader in the beverage industry during his 23-year tenure
with PepsiCo.
David Carter is responsible for the strategic direction and
performance of Lion Nathan’s Beer Wine and Spirits’ environmental
activities in Australia and New Zealand. He leads Lion Nathan’s
group knowledge management and business crisis-continuity
teams. David is currently vice-president of the Australian Food and
Grocery Council’s packaging stewardship forum and the Packaging
Council of New Zealand, chair of the New Zealand Glass Forum,
and member of the federal government’s “Greenhouse Challenge Plus
Partnership Committee.” Prior to his current position, David spent
eight years as operations director and joint managing director of Lion
Nathan’s China Business, based in Suzhou and Shanghai. David has
worked with Lion Nathan since 1990 in its Pepsi Cola business and
since 1995 in its brewing businesses. With a background in electrical
engineering, David has worked within the brewing and beverage
industry and in engineering, project, and operations management
positions since 1976.
Gary Freeman is a chartered chemical engineer and scientist. He
joined BRI in 1989 and is now a senior engineer. He has worked
extensively on brewery and malting processing in areas such as
solid-liquid separation and environmentally acceptable technologies.
In his time at BRI Gary has authored or coauthored 47 chapters,
papers, articles, and convention posters, including 19 original
research communications. In 1991 he passed the Institute of Brewing
& Distilling’s Diploma Membership Examinations with distinction.
He is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers. He also holds
a Certificate in Packaging from IOP – The Packaging Society. He is
a member of the Brewing Science Group of the European Brewery
Convention and the Environmental Group of the Institute of Brewing
& Distilling.
Ken Grossman is founder, owner, president, and master brewer
of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. In 1980, after three years of
design, fabrication, construction, and experimental brewing, Sierra
Nevada Brewing Company opened in a small warehouse in Chico,
CA. By 1987, demand exceeded capacity, and Ken designed a new
brewery featuring a pub and restaurant. Today, capacity exceeds
600,000 bbl/year. Ken is still personally involved in a hands-on
manner with all aspects of the brewing process, plant development,
and equipment maintenance.
K-2
Economic Perspectives on the Global Marketplace and the
Impact on Brewers
Presenter: Lester Jones, Beer Institute
Panel: Alex Barth, Barth-Haas Group; Lester Jones, Beer Institute;
Craig Reiners, Miller Brewing Company
Gain an economist’s perspective on the impact of global economic
forces on brewers. Lester Jones will address the events shaping the
current marketplace for the brewing industry. A series of economic
and related events over the past several years has culminated in
a dramatic new economic landscape for brewers, as well as their
suppliers and consumers. The supply of ingredients, energy, and
materials is under pressure from a combination of increased world
demand, changing policies, and unpredictable forces. The ability
of brewers to adapt to these changes and to continue to excite and
engage adult consumers will determine the success of the industry.
Lester Jones serves as chief economist and senior director of research
services for the Beer Institute, bringing more than a decade of
experience in business and market-related research to the association.
Jones joined the institute in March 2004 and serves as the primary
researcher and chief economist on issues affecting the producers
and importers of over 92% of the beer consumed in the United
States. Prior to joining the Beer Institute, Jones spent seven years
with Arbitron, Inc., working in the domestic radio research group
managing consumer research studies. He also held the position of
assistant director of the Regional Economics Studies Institute at
Towson State University. Jones received his M.S. degree in economics
from the University of Delaware, where he specialized in regional
economics and forecasting.
Alexander Barth is the executive vice president of John I. Haas,
Inc. and a managing partner of John, Barth & Sohn, Germany, the
firm that has been in the family since 1794. His responsibilities at
John I. Haas, Inc. include the procurement of hops from growers
and company-owned farms, as well as the processing of hops into
conventional and advanced hop products. After completing his B.S.
degree in general agriculture at the University of Maryland and
graduating from Oregon State University with a M.S. degree in soils
science, he joined the family business in 1990.
Craig Reiners is the strategic procurement director for Miller Brewing
Company. He and his team manage the commodity risk positions in
barley, malt, hops, corn, energy, and aluminum. Prior to his role at
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