“Go make it happen.”
10+ years ago, we had a vision to grow a fledgling Upland into a strong regional brewery that would thrive for decades into the future. We brought in smart, creative thinkers. We rolled up our sleeves and honed the craft of brewing beers and preparing meals that we were proud to serve. There is still work to do, but the company is positioned for a long, successful run ahead. We’ve made a lot happen.
With that in mind, I decided that it was the right time for me to step down as president. After working with our board to develop a plan over the past few months, we’re now ready to share this news.
I’m leaving the business in the very capable hands of the BEST management team in independent beer who will carry this momentum into the next decade of growth and development. The board will be recruiting a replacement over the next few months. (PM me if you think you might be the one.) Until then, I’ll continue to work on rolling out our sours program and advising the leadership team as they ease into the added responsibilities.
My close friends know how much this company has meant to me. It still does, and I’ll always be its loudest cheerleader. We’ve grown from fewer than 20 people brewing a couple times each week, to employing more than 200 people and selling almost 250,000 cases of beer. I will always have deep pride in what we’ve done and how we’ve gone about doing it. The beers are simply excellent. Our pubs deliver excellence without pretension, and they serve as gathering points for some of the best people on the planet. In a bunch of small but important ways, we’ve made a difference.
I have a couple ideas for my next adventure, but for now, I’m focusing on a smooth transition. Let’s have a beer and talk about it later this fall.
Thanks to all of you who helped make Upland a great brewery—your encouragement, advice, and work in the trenches have been keystones to our success. But I save my biggest thanks to those of you who shared pints with me along the way: that was the best part of it all!
Cheers,
Doug
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