Call for Leaders to Shape the Future of Massachusetts Craft Beer

The Mass Brewers Guild (MBG) board of directors plays a crucial role in advancing the mission of the Guild: protecting and promoting the interests of Massachusetts craft brewers. This is more than an advisory role—board members actively contribute their time, expertise, and resources to drive the Guild’s objectives.

With the support of just one full-time staff member, MBG board members dedicate an average of 5 to 12 hours per month working on initiatives that strengthen and unite the state’s craft brewing community.

A Transition in Leadership: Honoring Outgoing Members

The Guild currently holds seven board seats, with three up for election in December 2024.

Adam Romanow, CEO and President of Castle Island Brewing Co., has been a dedicated member of the Mass Brewers Guild’s board of directors for the past six years, serving two terms as vice president and two as president. As 2024 comes to a close, Adam will officially complete his tenure, terming out of his position with the association.

Adam stepped into the role of president in 2023 during a critical time, helping to unite and stabilize the industry in the wake of the pandemic’s challenges. Throughout his time on the board, he became the Guild’s go-to advisor on compliance and regulatory matters, often prefacing his insights with his well-known catchphrase: “I’m not a lawyer, but…”

Generous with his time, knowledge, and experience, Adam has been a tireless advocate for the MBG. Whether fielding calls and emails from members, troubleshooting industry issues, or offering recommendations for vendors and business partners, Adam has consistently gone above and beyond. His advocacy extends to Beacon Hill, where he’s become a familiar and persuasive presence, championing the causes that matter most to Massachusetts craft brewers.

In addition to his role as president, Adam has been an active contributor on several key committees, including government affairs, membership, finance, and events. His steady leadership and reassuring voice have been invaluable during some of the most challenging times for the industry. His generosity and commitment have left an indelible mark on the Guild, and we are deeply grateful for his service.

Chris Sellers, co-founder and head brewer at The Brewery at Four Star Farms, will also complete his six-year term on the Mass Brewers Guild board of directors at the end of this year. Chris has been instrumental in enhancing the Guild’s technical and educational programming and playing a key role in strengthening the bridge between different segments of the brewing community. His efforts have united breweries across the state, and he has been particularly effective in encouraging more breweries from Western Massachusetts to actively engage with the association.

A passionate advocate for farmers market sales privileges, Chris has testified at the statehouse and navigated the political landscape to fight for the rights of breweries throughout the Commonwealth. His dedication to advancing the craft beer industry has made a lasting impact, and the MBG is stronger thanks to his leadership and advocacy.

Dani Babineau, CEO of Redemption Rock Brewing Co., has served on the Mass Brewers Guild board of directors for five years and will be stepping down at the end of this year. Dani has brought her passion and expertise to the Guild, playing a pivotal role in advancing the MBG’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. She spearheaded the development of the association’s code of ethics, ensuring that the MBG upholds its values of inclusivity and fairness.

In addition to her work on DEI, Dani has been an active member of the membership and government affairs committees, driving legislative change and ensuring that the Guild remains responsive to the needs of its members. Her leadership has helped the Guild bring value to its constituents, inspire positive change, and stay true to its mission of protecting and promoting the craft beer industry.

We are deeply grateful to Adam, Chris, and Dani for their years of dedication, mentorship, and friendship. Their volunteerism has left the brewing industry and the Mass Brewers Guild stronger, more unified, and better positioned for the future.

Join the MBG Board: A Call for Passionate Leaders

The MBG is now seeking new candidates—brewery owners and staff alike—to step into these leadership roles. Ideal candidates will already be actively involved in Guild initiatives and be visible, engaged members of the Massachusetts craft beer community.

Candidates must submit a resume and a letter of intent by November 11, 2024. The letter should outline their vision for the Guild and the changes or initiatives they’d like to spearhead. Candidates will present themselves to the membership during the Winter Member Meetup on December 9, 2024, at Portico Brewing Co. in Somerville. In December, MBG’s paid brewery members will cast votes to fill the three open board seats.

What the MBG Board is Looking For

The MBG is focused on diversifying its board to ensure a broad geographical and experiential representation. Whether your expertise lies in law, marketing, event planning, or general leadership, the nominating committee seeks individuals committed to collaboration and willing to work for the betterment of the craft beer community.

Responsibilities and Expectations of MBG Board Members

MBG board members serve as ambassadors of the Guild’s values and mission. They are expected to:

• Act as spokespeople for the Guild within the community.

• Attend and actively participate in bi-monthly board meetings and committee work.

• Engage with MBG events, initiatives, and legislative efforts, offering feedback and insight.

• Lead or participate in at least one committee (Government Affairs, Membership, Marketing, Events/Fundraising, DEI, or HR).

• Commit to the financial and operational success of the Guild, representing all members.

Those unable to run for a seat this year are encouraged to start getting involved now. Many current board members are nearing the end of their terms, creating future opportunities for leadership.

How to Apply

If you’re ready to take the next step in contributing to the future of Massachusetts craft beer, send your resume and a cover letter answering the following questions to MBG Executive Director Katie Stinchon at Katie@massbrewersguild.org:

1. Why do you want to join the MBG board of directors?

2. How much time can you realistically dedicate to the organization each month?

3. Which committee would you like to contribute to?

4. What major issues would you like to address, and how would you approach them?

Board membership is a significant commitment, but it is also a rewarding opportunity to shape the future of craft beer in Massachusetts. Your leadership could help guide the Guild through its next chapter.

Deadline for submissions: November 11, 2024. All interested candidates must attend the Winter Member Meetup: December 9, 2024, at Portico Brewing Co., to deliver your stump speech.

For more information about board responsibilities and MBG’s ongoing initiatives, reach out directly to Katie Stinchon.

MBG Leaders See Plenty of Opportunity for Growth

President Adam Romanow and Vice President JP Gallagher discuss the latest priorities and plans of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild

In their roles as President and Vice President of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild, two industry leaders with varied experience are eager to support fellow business owners — and their sights are set on growth. 

Adam Romanow, founder and CEO of Castle Island Brewing Company in Norwood and South Boston; and JP Gallagher, co-owner and head brewer at Lost Shoe Brewing & Roasting Company in Marlborough, are the newest board officers of the state’s membership-based trade association. The Mass Brewers Guild works to protect and promote the interests of craft brewers through legislative influence and professional development.

Romanow, who has served on the MBG board since 2018 and was previously Treasurer and VP, was appointed by the board in February 2023 as President for a two-year term. Gallagher, whose business opened in 2019, was a MBG board member for two years before being elected Vice President. 

Following the historic victory to reform Massachusetts franchise laws in 2021 as well as the MBG’s successful efforts last year to continue pandemic-era programs that benefit the beer industry, the Guild has two new legislative priorities, Romanow says. 

First, the Guild is advocating for craft brewers to be allowed to sell their products at farmers markets. Currently, Massachusetts liquor laws allow only wineries and cideries to sell alcohol in this setting. “We're looking to bring a little bit of parity to the alcohol space, because we've heard from a lot of our member brewers that they would like to be able to sell their beer to go at farmers markets,” Romanow says.

Another legislative priority of the MBG involves changing a law against self-distribution for brewpubs. The Commonwealth currently requires brewpubs to go through a distributor to sell their products off-site, either for on-premise consumption or off premise. If passed, the bill promoted by the Guild would allow for licensed brewpubs to self-distribute a limited amount of beer, Romanow explains, “to take care of those situations where it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to sell your beer to someone else only to buy it back yourself, or to have it travel 50 miles in each direction to go to a neighboring restaurant.” Brewpub licensees constitute a fairly small number of Mass. license holders, Romanow notes, yet changing this law is crucial for many of them. 

Key to supporting both efforts, Gallagher agrees, is to meet with local legislators “to make sure that they know what our priorities are.” Gallagher currently serves on the Guild’s Government Affairs Committee, as well as its Membership and Marketing committees. Communication is at the heart of all of the goals he has for his role as Guild Vice President. 

“A big reason why I wanted to run for a board seat was because of how much the MBG has helped us as a small business,” Gallagher says. Lost Shoe has “valued the support that we've been given through the MBG. I want to make sure that other breweries in Mass. can benefit from that as well.” He hopes to increase membership to the Guild, which currently counts 130 breweries among its ranks out of 230 operating in the state. 

Supporting breweries’ efforts to become more diverse and inclusive places to work is important to the Guild’s board members. “That will help our growth as an industry,” Gallagher says. “You need diversity.”

In terms of marketing priorities, the board is collaborating with MBG Executive Director Katie Stinchon to streamline communications for both its members and consumers. Gallagher would also like to plan and execute more “membership tours,” during which board members visit fellow MBG breweries to gain insight into specific challenges and successes. “We do surveys throughout the year, but sitting down and having conversations directly with other breweries was super beneficial to understanding what some of the pain points are that our members are facing, so that we can better support them,” Gallagher says.

For Romanow, the next couple of years present “a lot of opportunity” for the MBG and its members. The craft beer market itself is trending downward, he notes, with more brands vying for less shelf space. “The Guild has a real opportunity, if not obligation, to be there to support our members through mentorship, knowledge sharing, and really helping them navigate a lot of the hurdles that are going to be coming,” Romanow says. MBG leaders are also positioned to assist and advise breweries dealing with growing pains related to sales and distribution issues, and matters of human resources.

The Mass Brewers Guild hosts quarterly membership meetings as well as other networking opportunities and events throughout the year. Romanow says there’s a need for more, like offering formal peer mentoring or more frequent roundtable discussions to members.

There is currently a vacancy on the nine-member Board of Directors. To learn more about what the role involves, check out this blog post. To set up an interview or to learn more, email the executive director. ​​Ideal candidates are already involved in the organization by regularly attending meetings, participating in the MBG’s festivals and fundraisers, and being visible members of the community. It’s important for the board to see a strong commitment from individuals wishing to join the leadership team.

Beyond volunteering to serve, member breweries can support the board in numerous ways. Throughout the year, there are opportunities to participate on action committees, volunteer at MBG festivals and events, and get the word out about legislative efforts. Feedback of any kind is always welcome, Romanow says. “We want to make sure that we're focusing on the items that matter most to our members,” he says. 

To learn more about the Mass Brewers Guild’s membership opportunities, programs, fundraisers and beer festivals, visit www.MassBrewersGuild.org.

Mass Brewers Guild Seeks Board Candidates!

Members of the Mass Brewers Guild (MBG) board of directors are volunteers that serve to further the work of the association and its mission -- to protect and promote the interests of Massachusetts craft brewers.

Unlike many nonprofit boards that serve to advise the organization’s staff, MBG board members also have to serve as staff, and work on behalf of the organization to deliver the created objectives and goals. With the support of only one full-time staff member, board members spend an average of 10 to 25 hours a month working on the MBG’s initiatives -- depending on the project or work cycle.

The guild board of directors currently holds nine seats, five of which are up for election in December 2022.

After serving as the MBG’s President for four years, and serving on the board of directors for a total of six years, Rob Burns, co-founder of Night Shift has termed out of his position with the MBG.

Since taking office, Rob has played an integral role in reshaping the MBG’s programs, initiatives and the craft beer community in Massachusetts. Rob hired the MBG’s first fulltime executive director, attracted new directors to its board, oversaw the organization’s rebrand, attracted new members to the guild, helped return the guild to being profitable, and was a driving force behind achieving franchise law reform for the association.

Tara Heath, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at Boston Beer Corp. who has served two terms with the Mass Brewers Guild will not be re-running for her seat. Tara has been a champion of the MBG’s work since its inception, helping to draft the initial franchise law reform language that was filed in 2011, and continued to work on it until it was finally adopted into law in 2021.

We are incredibly grateful for Rob and Tara’s service, friendship and leadership over the years. As veteran board members, they will remain supportive and passionate guides to the board of directors when called upon for advice.

Adam Romanow, current MBG Vice President/ Treasurer and founder of Castle Island Brewing Co., Kelsey Roth, GM at Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Co., and Chris Sellers, co-founder and head brewer at The Brewery at Four Star Farms will rerun for a two-year term (the 2023 to 2024 calendar year.)

The MBG’s board is seeking brewery owners and brewery staff to consider joining the nonprofit’s leadership team to help further its work by donating their time, expertise and passion for the industry.

The Mass Brewers Guild is now accepting resumes with a letter of intent detailing the goals and or changes that the candidates would like to help implement within the organization. The deadline for submission is Nov. 1 and all candidates will be expected to speak before membership at the winter member meetup on Dec. 5 at Barrel House Z in Weymouth.

Ideal candidates are those that are already involved in the organization – they regularly attend meetings, participate in the MBG’s festivals and fundraisers, and are visible members of the community. It will be important for the nominating committee to see a strong commitment from individuals wishing to have a seat on the board.

The board seeks to diversify its members and strengthen its geographical representation. They are looking for all areas of expertise -- from law to marketing, to fundraising, event planning and general leadership. The nominating committee will put forth candidates that demonstrate a willingness to work together on issues and help serve the craft beer community.

In December 2022, paid brewery members will have the opportunity to cast their vote to fill all five seats. If you are unsure of your membership standing with the MBG please reach out to the MBG’s executive director.

A committed and passionate board is essential to accomplishing the work of the Mass Brewers Guild. Now more than ever, it’s vital for a strong board and leadership team to help guide the Massachusetts craft beer community forward and serve as a unified voice when confronting all issues that impact the industry.

If you aren’t in a position to run for a seat this year, but are interested in joining the board in the near future, this is a good time to get involved! Many of our board members will begin “terming out,” meaning they are ineligible to rerun for a fourth consecutive term. By shadowing a board member, joining a committee, and learning more about how the MBG operates, you’ll be better poised to join our leadership team in the future. 

Those interested in joining the board can send their resume and cover letter to the MBG’s executive director, Katie Stinchon at Katie@massbrewersguild.org for review.

In your cover letter please answer the following questions:

·      Why do you want to join the MBG’s board of directors?

·      Realistically, how much time you can dedicate to the organization a month?

·      Which committee you would like to donate your time to?

·      What major issues would you like to be involved in and how would you change them?

What’s expected of MBG Board Members? MBG Board Members Will:

·      Interpret the organization's work and values to the community, represent the organization, and act as a spokesperson

·      Listen carefully to board colleagues and members of the craft beer community

·      Respect the opinion of fellow board members

·      Respect and support majority decisions of the board

·      Recognize that all authority is vested in the full board only when it meets in legal sessions

·      Keep well-informed about developments relevant to issues that may come before the board

·      Attend bi-monthly board meetings (six a year – 1.5 hours long) and understand that they may be relieved of board duties if they miss more than two meetings

·      Actively participate in board meetings and actions

·      Become actively involved in at least one committee – driving goals and accomplishing tasks – (Marketing, Events, Government Affairs, and Membership)

·      Support MBG events and initiatives through participation

·      Bring to the attention of the board any issues that will have an adverse effect on the organization or those we serve

·      Refer complaints to the proper level on the chain of command

·      Recognize that the job of a board member is to ensure that the organization is well-managed, not to manage the nonprofit

·      Represent all of those whom this nonprofit serves, not just a particular geographic area or interest group

·      Consider yourself a “trustee” of the nonprofit and do your best to ensure that it is well-maintained, financially secure, growing and always operating in the best interests of those we serve

·      Declare conflicts of interest between your personal life and position on the board, and abstain from voting or discussion when appropriate

MBG Board Members Will Not:

·      Criticize fellow board members or their opinions, in or out of the board room

·      Use the nonprofit organization for your personal advantage or that of your friends or relatives

·      Discuss the confidential proceedings of the board outside the board room

·      Interfere with the duties of the administrator or undermine the administrator’s authority with staff

As a board member, the organization is responsible to you in the following ways:

·      To keep its board members regularly updated on the organizational activities, programs, policies, goals and objectives as appropriate

·      It is expected that board members and the Executive Director will respond in a straightforward fashion to questions that are necessary to carry out fiscal, legal and moral responsibilities to the organization

·      If the organization does not fulfill its commitments, board members may call upon the Board President and E.D. to discuss the organization’s responsibilities

·      The organization will carry directors’ and officers’ liability insurance