Our Team
Our Fulltime Staff
Meet the team behind the IBA’s day to day operations – the guys scouting the smartest suppliers, striking the best deals, and keeping the IBA flowing with fresh ideas and real benefits to Members.
James Stutsman
Director of Marketing and Member Recruiting
James knows this industry and the headwinds brewers are facing. His experience includes 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 in the process. Better yet, he loves helping brewers navigate the time-sucking maze of sourcing and negotiating with vendors. Right on!
Contact: james@brewersalliance.org
Peter Licht
Director of Supplier Relations
An upstate New Yorker, Peter traveled to California in 1989 just in time for the craft renaissance. He never looked back. He graduated from the UC Davis Masterbrewers program, passed the prestigious Institute of Brewing (London) Associate Members Examination. Then spent 28 years as a BrewMaster for a number of breweries, most recently Hermitage Brewing in San Jose. As the IBA’s Director of Supplier Relations his role is to use his brewing and purchasing expertise, and extensive supplier relationships to build new and stronger savings programs for members.
Contact: peter@brewersalliance.org
Matt Hopkins
Executive Director and Board Member
Leading the alliance is Matt Hopkins. Matt didn’t get his start in beer, unless drinking a lot of it while getting a degree in Business Management counts. Matt spent most of his formative years working for one of the largest golf retailers in the mid-west where he developed a broad range of operational skills, all readily applicable to the IBA. His experience includes sales and marketing, sourcing, system development and even ecommerce. But after 8 years heading the IBA, Matt’s done more than get his beak wet. He is truly immersed in the craft beer industry and the challenges facing independent craft breweries today.
Contact: matt@brewersalliance.org
Marty Ochs
Director of Member Relations
Marty’s a craft veteran who ferments positive change wherever he goes. He spent two years wearing many hats at Resident Brewing. He’s worked for a consultancy helping create growth strategies for breweries. He managed On-Premise Programing for Miller and built sales & distribution from scratch for Oskar Blues & Ninkasi. He took Brew Pipeline from a mere idea to a game-changer in craft distribution. He taught sales and distribution strategy at Portland State University. And he’s the perfect guy to help you get the most from your IBA membership.
Contact: marty@brewersalliance.org
Our Board of Directors
Say hello to the other big-picture thinkers – seasoned craft brewers and sharp strategists steering the ship, shaping our future, and keeping us rooted in what brewers need to succeed.
James Masserio
Board Chairman and Founding Partner
James Masserio is a New York-based business strategist, leader and Wharton graduate with more than 20 years of experience in Investment Banking using his expertise to ground the IBA’s strategy and finances.
Charlie Alpert
Founding Partner
Charlie is an expert in cooperatives and an entrepreneur, gifted with the capacity for seeing opportunities others don’t, making him the first to see the need for a member-owned craft beer purchasing alliance.
Cole Hackbarth
VP of Brewing Operations – Rhinegeist Brewery
Cole has used his 20 years of craft experience to mastermind scalable systems at top 30-brewery Rhinegeist – now volunteering his genius to help improve everything we offer Member-Brewers.
Jacob Landry
Founder - Urban South Brewery
In less than 10 years Jacob turned a startup brewery into Louisiana’s second largest – garnering many awards in the process – now using that same passion to champion the industry.
Justin Cox
Founder & CEO – Atlas Brew Works
Turning a homebrew obsession into DC’s first solar‑powered brewery – winning accolades for quality and community support – Justin is donating his creativity to help his fellow-IBA Members thrive.