The craft beer community thrives on passion and collaboration, yet many breweries lack the resources to address workplace harassment effectively. This interactive series, hosted by WeVow with support from industry partners, brings together legal experts and seasoned leaders to provide practical tools you can use immediately.

Join us to:

• Learn from specialists who understand the unique culture of craft breweries
• Move beyond theory with actionable strategies for building safer, compliant workplaces
• Connect with peers to share successes and challenges, strengthening industry-wide support
• Reduce legal and financial risk through clear policies and proactive leadership

Core topics include:

• Building a Foundation of Trust: Creating and communicating harassment policies employees believe in.
• Leadership in Action: Empowering managers and owners as advocates for a safe workplace.
• Policy to Practice: Navigating compliance, documentation, and fair investigations.
• Fostering an Inclusive Culture: Integrating respect and empowerment into hiring, training, and operations.

The panelists for this conversation are both senior executives from HR technology companies with strong backgrounds in creating safe workplaces:

• Opal Wagnac, Strategic Advisor, Human Capital Management
• Bill Blake, Co-owner of Rising Storm Brewing Co in Rochester, NY
• Scott Fletcher, President of WeVow

Let's move forward together: https://wevow.com

Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.org/

Most brewery leaders step into leadership because they’re good at what they do. They care. They work hard. And they want the people around them to succeed. But at some point, that’s not enough. Passion doesn’t automatically translate to progress, and well-meaning effort doesn’t always grow a healthy team.

This session offers a practical look at what it means to lead people on purpose. We’ll explore a proven framework for developing your team members on purpose - including the necessary steps and stages, as well as what kind of support they need from you at each step.

It’s not about adding more to your plate. It’s about getting clearer on what leadership actually requires if your goal is to build people, not just fill roles. If you’ve ever felt stuck between being the go-to person and wanting others to step up, this session will give you language, clarity, and a way forward.

Chris Ediger is the founder of Craft Leadership, where he works with breweries to strengthen the people side of the business. Craft works alongside owners, managers, GMs, and shift leads to help them lead with more clarity, coach with more purpose, and build teams that actually work. The approach comes from years spent inside breweries of all shapes and sizes - on the floor with production crews, behind the bar with taproom staff, and in the room with leadership teams making hard calls. With simple tools and honest conversation, Craft helps leaders handle the everyday tension of running a brewery: managing people, keeping standards high, and still walking out the door with something left to give.

Learn more about the Craft Leader Certification: https://craftleadership.co/certification

Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.org/

Listen to this presentation to learn more about technologies breweries are implementing to cut costs, increase efficiencies and cut waste.

It also covers a bit on what to look for when planning an improvement projects, what a basic business case looks like and some "pro tips" for how to run these projects (without revealing too much: start small, and build on proven success).

Sharing from years of experience in the industry, and also a process consultant - Magnus covers areas such as business systems, production optimization technologies, energy management, sustainability initiatives and waste reduction.

Magnus Valmot is the CEO of PLAATO Technoloigies. He is an engineer, has a leadership background from the Norwegian armed forces and has worked for more than a decade to build technology solutions for more efficient operations.

Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.org/

Tired of long lead times, big minimums, and confusing label costs? In this 30-minute session, Andrew Johnston will break down the most common bottlenecks breweries and brands face with label printing—and show exactly how Craft Brew Prints is changing the game. From 48-hour turnaround and no MOQs to a streamlined online ordering portal and premium materials, you’ll see how Craft Brew Prints helps businesses launch faster, cut waste, and save money. Andrew will also share real customer stories, practical solutions, and a clear path to making your next label order stress-free. Whether you’re looking for a backup supplier or a better long-term partner, this session will show you how labels can finally be simple.

Andrew Johnston is a sales leader who helps breweries, food brands, and packaging companies take the pain out of label printing. He’s passionate about tackling the biggest challenges businesses face with labels—long lead times, high minimums, and hidden costs—by making the process faster, simpler, and more reliable.

Known for his hands-on service, quick turnaround, and flexible approach, Andrew has built lasting relationships with both local and national brands. His focus is always on helping businesses launch products on time, reduce waste, and keep packaging costs under control.

Based near Cincinnati, Andrew is closely connected to the craft beer community and values the creativity and hard work that goes into every product he supports. Outside of work, he enjoys coaching his daughter’s soccer team, spending time with his family, and getting outdoors whenever possible.

Reach out to Andrew to learn more at ajohnston@craftbrewprints.com

Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.org/

Breweries are finding inventive ways to grow—even in a tough market. From new beverage lines to taproom makeovers, this fast-paced session highlights real-world strategies breweries are using to boost revenue and stay relevant. You’ll also learn how creative financing can help bring these ideas to life without crushing your cash flow. Stick around for a Q&A to swap ideas and ask questions.

Rick Wehner launched Brewery Finance in 2005 and has since supported over 1,500 breweries—from startups to established operations—with targeted equipment financing and working capital. Based in Colorado, Rick specializes in understanding how breweries operate and how to help them grow using quick and non-traditional finance options.

Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.org/

In today’s competitive craft beer market, saving money can boost your bottom line faster than chasing every new trend. This session will share five quick, practical strategies you can use right now to cut costs without cutting corners. You’ll learn how to tap into your network to find trusted vendor recommendations, leverage your state guild’s discounts and preferred partners, and re-negotiate with your current suppliers for better deals. We’ll explore how to contract strategically—locking in pricing where it makes sense without overextending yourself—and how to boost buying power through industry co-operatives, whether by joining one or creating your own. Attendees will walk away with cost-saving tactics they can implement immediately, even with a packed schedule.

James Stutsman knows this industry and the headwinds brewers are facing. His experience includes nearly 15 years in the industry with stints as Director of Marketing and Sales for Kansas City Bier Company and Marketing Manager for Deschutes. Then he co-founded and served as head brewer for City Barrel Brewing Company where he helped build distribution, open two restaurants and win a GABF medal for Hazy/Juicy IPA in the process. Now he works for the Independent Brewers Alliance and helps brewers navigate the time-sucking maze of sourcing and negotiating with vendors.

Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.org/

Oxygen is both a friend and a foe in the beer-making process. Used wisely, it sets the stage for strong fermentation. Used incorrectly—or introduced at the wrong time—it can compromise the flavor, shelf life, and quality of your beer.

This session examines the real-world impact of using pure oxygen versus compressed air in the fermentation process, offering insights brewers can apply to improve product consistency and efficiency.

This conversation features:

• Darren Yates (Quality Beverage Concepts)
• Gary Fogg (Maintenance Manager, Four Peaks Brewing Company. Tempe, Arizona)
• John Longuil (President, Novair USA)

Darren Yates is passionate about developing quality concepts and solutions for the hospitality industry.

Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.org/

The busy summer season often masks small inefficiencies that quietly drain time, money, and energy from your brewery. In this practical, no-fluff session, we’ll guide you through an essential “autumn reset” to identify and fix hidden inefficiencies before the holiday rush hits.

Whether you’re managing your brewery with a whiteboard, spreadsheets, or brewery management software, this talk is for you. We’ll share actionable tips that anyone can use to improve access to key information so that your team can make smarter, faster decisions.

Plus, we’ll introduce Brew Ninja’s 5-minute Brewery Health Check Survey to help you reflect on your current operations and pinpoint where small changes could deliver big results. No matter your current tools, these insights will help you reduce last-minute chaos, avoid costly mistakes, and boost your margins.

If you’re ready to reclaim time and confidence ahead of the holiday rush, this talk is for you.” “Brew Ninja is the complete, affordable and easy to use brewery management software. With Brew Ninja your team gets time back to focus on what they do best.

Brewers are on top of production schedules and inventory, ensuring you never run dry or overproduce. Sales teams have real time access to accurate inventory, meaning they can close deals faster without endless back and forth. Owners see margins and profitability with just a few clicks, and your whole team communicates seamlessly.

Co-Founder and Sales Director, Matt Hon has worked with brewers across North America over the past 7 years to help them improve operational efficiency through better access to information, and simpler workflows.

Join us in person for CBP Connects New Orleans

December 8–10, 2025

It’s never been more important to connect: https://cbpconnects.com/