![]() Only a few companies who have made it to the level that Harpoon is at have pursued this route of independence. And in more and more instances, that entrepreneurial spirit has given way to dollar signs and corporate exit strategies. This industry, which was built on the passion of entrepreneurs like Rich and Dan, has turned into big business. That move, which put the company ownership in the hands of its employees, was Harpoon planting a flag in the ground. When Rich Doyle decided to take a step back from running the company earlier this year, he not only paved the way for a new president to step up from inside the ranks, but he also opened the doors for an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) to take shape. The passing of the leadership torch, however, is more than just a shift in personnel it is a symbol of what Harpoon is and represents in a continually evolving craft beer landscape. And I’m sure glad they’ve found someone as passionate as Charlie to carry on the great legacy that Rich and Dan created. ![]() I think it’s safe to say that Harpoon is one of the true pioneers of craft beer. It was my savior from the doldrums of macro beer monotony, and I’d argue, was one of the very first to start America’s love affair with India Pale Ales (now, the country’s fastest growing craft beer category). When I first moved to Boston in the early 2000s, Harpoon IPA-the brewery’s flagship beer-was pretty much the only IPA on the block. In the three decades since it was founded, Harpoon has become one of largest craft breweries in the country and has established itself as a New England institution. When Charlie assumed his new role in October he became the first new president since Rich Doyle and Dan Kenary founded the company in 1986. And at least to me, what became abundantly clear throughout that evening was that even after two decades in craft beer, all of which with Harpoon, Storey’s passion for this business is undeniable. ![]() Little did we know at the time, myself and the hundred or so others who had chatted with him that night, that Charlie Storey would soon be named the next President of Harpoon Brewery. Harpoon’s Charlie Storey & Ball and Buck’s Mark Bollman
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |