This idea started off as The Craft Beer, Green Beer Crowdfund Mash Up, or CBGBCrowdmash. The goal was to provide a unique financial instrument to the craft beer industry that would enable the pursuit of sustainable manufacturing and energy efficiency practices while minimizing the impact to the balance sheet that a large capital expense would bring. While the name has changed, and micro distilleries and wineries have been added to the program, the underlying concept remains the same. Bringing breweries and lenders together in a new and meaningful way to make a positive difference. Working with various partners, we believe that Ecodrinker.com can address two of the biggest challenges facing craft brewers, vintners and distillers today, time and money. As these industries grow, the demands on natural resources increase, which only highlights the need for the implementation of sustainable practices now. EcoDrinker.com exists to start a movement, connecting producers and their customers, environmental services contractors, utility companies, and others in a unique way, with a common goal.
Founder and President – DR, DR has a BS in Business Administration from a small liberal arts college in the Pacific Northwest and an MBA from large state university. His first jobs after college were bar-tending at a brewpub in Portland, Or and selling advertising for Cascade Beer News. It didn't take long before D moved from selling craft beer to making it, and moved to the brewery side for the next ten years, where he brewed great beer for companies in Oregon and Arizona, researched ancient brewing, and received international recognition for quality. DR has spent the past 13 years in the financial services industry, in various roles, working with interesting and unique financial instruments, particularly environmental finance. He has extensive experience in managing cash flows and payments, implementing complex account management structures, and the design and development of automated systems to facilitate operational efficiency. He is a Six Sigma Greenbelt, has lead teams with 70 staff and 3 offices, acted as trustee for a portfolio of billions of dollars in securities for global clients, and has built a diverse network of relationships covering a broad scope of industries, that when brought together, can help make a positive difference.
Advisors:
DJ – Senior Partner at a major Philadelphia area law firm – a veteran attorney specializing in hedge funds, private equity, structured finance, distressed debt and other capital market instruments. DJ and DR have worked together for more than 10 years on energy related securitization and other esoteric structures. DJ is a huge craft beer, wine and distilled beverage fan, with an extensive cellar and bar. DJ's law firm is also general counsel.
JS – Senior Partner at a sustainable manufacturing and engineering consulting firm – former global head of sustainability at a global brewing company, now an environmental consultant to the beverage industry. JS sees the great opportunities for small scale beverage manufacturers to realize tremendous benefits from adopting sustainable manufacturing practices, and sees EcoDrinker.com as a solution that addresses the two biggest challenges he hears, lack of time and money.
SB – Chief Editor at a financial advisory subscription web site – a financial advisory web site with more than 40,000 paid members and followers. SB is responsible for engaging and educating a large community of financial advisers who represent hundreds of thousands of individual investors with relevant market information and is a fan of crowdfunding and its potential. SB has never met an IPA he did not love!
MR – Teaching Laboratory Manager at a leading viticulture and oenology department. MR has been working in the beer and wine industry since 1986, has a BS in fermentation science, and an MS in Oenology. In his current role, he manages the lab where the teaching program takes place in the world’s first LEED Platinum winery and brewery, a 34,000 square foot building that showcases how environmentally responsible technologies can be incorporated into the daily operations of beverage production facilities.
JF – MD currently managing the capital markets and operations functions for a de-novo energy services co-development, finance and asset management company.