Craft Brew Alliance (we’ll say CBA) appointed two new members to the company’s Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2017 (that was yesterday). Nickolas A. Mills and Michael R. Taylor will fill two vacancies on CBA’s Board, including one vacancy arising from the departure of Thomas D. Larson, effective December 31, 2016.
“Given CBA’s ongoing evolution and acceleration of its Kona Plus strategy, which combines leading national and lifestyle brands with distinctive regional owned and partner breweries, this is an ideal time to gain two beer industry veterans with specific experience creating operating efficiencies and shareholder value,” said David Lord, chairman of the Craft Brew Alliance Board of Directors.
As part of CBA’s Amended and Restated Exchange and Recapitalization Agreement with Anheuser-Busch (A-B), LLC, A-B may designate two individuals as directors of CBA. Since September 2015, the sole A-B designee was Larson, who became a director in July 2011 after serving as lead internal counsel for all transactions between A-B and CBA since 1994.
Meet the newbies
Mills currently serves as a VP for The High End at A-B. His professional career at A-B includes the roles of senior brewmaster and senior general manager at the Baldwinsville Brewery, where he produced a wide variety of beer styles, including Goose Island and Blue Point beers, flavored malt beverages and ciders. His prior experience includes various brewing positions in St. Louis, Merrimack, N.H., and Jacksonville, Fla.
Taylor serves as a VP for the North America Zone of Anheuser-Busch, where he has been responsible for business development and partnerships for the United States and Canadian business units since December 2010. Since joining A-B in 2004, Taylor has held various roles in finance and real estate. Previously, he held various roles in accounting, treasury, M&A and investor relations in other industries.
