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Register Now for CBP Connects Charlotte (June 9-11, 2025)

Giving It Up! Why I Left a Successful Career to Work in Beer

Where did you come from? Where did you go? So often, we only know our peers as “owner at Brewery ABC” or “taproom manager at XYZ Brewing Company.” However, we all have stories. In this conversation, we will hear from several Craft Beer Professionals who left successful careers to be part of the beer industry. We will learn about their past lives, their motivation for leaving, what they learned from their prior profession, and discuss the impact it has had on their time in beverage.

This conversation features:

  • Brad Klatt (Former engineer; Uncommon Loon Brewing)
  • Devon Callan (Former commercial banker; Batesville Market)
  • Kenny Van Hook (Former architect, Elation Brewing)
  • Kyle Manns (Former music engineer, Western Collective),
  • Sarah Perez (Former medical technician, Susitna Brewing Company)