Our Team
Laurie Jeffries
Director of Brewer Recruitment
Laurie Jeffries background includes cofounding the successful Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales in Dexter, MI. There she took the startup brand of Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales – an unheard style of sour beer – to national and international recognition. At the same time, she helped the brewery gain distribution, open seven restaurants and develop productive relationships with suppliers, distributors and the brewery’s staff. This makes Laurie the perfect person to work with brewers. She knows this business and the challenges involved in starting and growing a successful brewery from the inside.
Contact: laurie@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
Leading the alliance as the Executive Director 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 team building, sales and marketing, sourcing, system development and even ecommerce. But after 4 years heading the IBA, Matt’s done more than gotten his beak wet. He is truly immersed in the craft beer industry and the challenges facing independent craft breweries today.
Contact: matt@brewersalliance.org