Boston Beer Company Taps Nike Exec, Michael Spillane, as Next CEO
Boston Beer Company – the maker of Sam Adams, Truly Hard Seltzer, Angry Orchard, and Twisted Tea – is switching up its leadership.
After releasing its latest financial results, the brewery announced that CEO Dave Burwick will retire after six years in leadership, with current board member and Nike veteran Michael Spillane stepping in as his successor in April.
Burwick has held the CEO position at the Boston Beer Company since April 2018 and has served on the company’s board of directors since May 2005. He will remain in an advisory role through 2026.
During his tenure, Burwick was instrumental in crafting Boston Beer's future strategy, guiding the company to develop two billion-dollar brands, Twisted Tea and Truly while carving them out a prominent position in the "beyond beer" market segment. Through partnerships with PepsiCo and Beam Suntory, Burwick expanded the company's brand offerings in emerging categories, sharpening its competitive edge against global beverage manufacturers.
Spillane has been a member of the company’s board of directors since 2016 and was appointed as lead director in 2023. Spillane has spent 17 years in a variety of leadership roles at Nike, most recently as president of consumer creation, but also as president of product and merchandising. Spillane also served as president and CEO of the brand’s subsidiaries Umbro and Converse, as well as general manager of Greater China.
Supply Chain Strategizing
Last year, the company laid out a three-pronged, long-haul plan to revamp its supply chain and, on the latest call with investors, continued supply chain modernization remained a key area of focus.
In the first half of 2024, the company said it will be concentrating on bolstering its savings potential through more consistent and predictable volumes, as well as refining its supply chain processes.
By introducing an automated system for customer ordering and inventory management, alongside other strategic improvements, the company anticipates substantial progress in reducing waste and optimizing its network.
“We continue to modernize our supply chain through investments in equipment, capacity, and improved systems and processes. We're maintaining our focus on our three key areas of savings. Procurement, brewery performance and waste and overall network optimization,” said Burwick shared on the call.
