Boston Beer Names New CEO

The Boston Beer Company announced that it has selected Dave Burwick to succeed Martin Roper as President and Chief Executive Officer. It is expected Burwick will assume the role during the second quarter 2018. Jim Koch will continue in his role as Company Founder and Chairman. (PRNewsfoto/Boston Beer Company)

The Boston Beer Company has announced the selection of Dave Burwick to succeed Martin Roper as president and CEO.

The company expects Burwick to assume the role during the second quarter of this year. Burwick has served on Boston Beer’s Board of Directors since 2005. 

Jim Koch will continue in his role as company founder and chairman.

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In late 2012, Burwick was named president and CEO of Peet’s Coffee. Under Burwick’s leadership, Peet’s more than doubled in sales and profits over the past five years, the company says. Prior to joining Peet’s, Burwick served as president of North America for Weight Watchers and in numerous leadership roles over 20 years at PepsiCo, including CMO of Pepsi-Cola North America.

“The search committee unanimously agreed that Dave Burwick has the business experience and skills to lead the company forward and will be a great culture fit, appreciating how unique and special Boston Beer is as an organization,” says Koch. “We took our time to find the right person with the right intangibles – character, insights, personality and leadership skills.”

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Questions remain with Boston Beer, like whether the company would ever sell out, or reverse recent downward trends in sales for its beer lines. Meanwhile, non-beer brands have recently propped up the company.

“I’m thrilled to join the Boston Beer team and continue the mission of brewing great beers and winning in the beer and cider categories,” says Burwick. “As a director for over 12 years, I have admired the accomplishments of Jim, Martin and the team, and I share their passion for brewing quality, and their commitment to drinkers, wholesalers and retailers that is demonstrated in everything the company does. I look forward to leading the team and believe the future is bright for Samuel Adams and all our other brands.”

Burwick’s appointment follows Roper’s announcement in February of last year that he planned to step down in 2018 after leading the company for more than 17 years as president and CEO. Under Roper’s leadership, the company quadrupled, growing to a leader of the craft beer revolution and a leading player in the hard cider and high-end beer categories.

It is anticipated that Roper will resign when Burwick joins the company.

“I am grateful for Martin’s leadership of the company and his significant contribution to the incredible growth we’ve seen over the past two decades,” says Koch. “Under his leadership, we were able to maintain our entrepreneurial, innovative culture, while building a highly professional organization. Equally as important as our performance under Martin’s stewardship, I am grateful for his partnership and friendship, as we built Boston Beer from the ground up. No company could have had a better CEO than Martin Roper.”

Boston Beer’s board-appointed search committee, which included Koch, worked closely with executive recruitment firm, Korn Ferry, to conduct the year-long search that included interviewing and evaluating a broad spectrum of candidates.

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