• Matt Johnson, CEO, San Diego Craft Consult
  • Greg Koch, Co-founder/Executive Chairman and Certified Cicerone®, Stone Brewing Co.
  • Candace L. Moon, Founder, The Craft Beer Attorney APC
  • Jake Nunes, Director of Hospitality and Certified Cicerone®, Modern Times Beer.
  • “Dr.” Bill Sysak, Co-Founder/CEO and Certified Cicerone®, Wild Barrel Brewing Co.
  • Andrew Wilde, Brand Manager, Karl Strauss Brewing Company

 

Matt JohnsonMatt Johnson
Matt Johnson is the CEO of San Diego Craft Consult and the General Manager of WestBrew.

Born and raised in San Diego, Matt graduated from SDSU in 2008 with a bachelor's degree and continues to support the university and the local community. Matt has worked as an owner, general manager, consultant and sales director in startup breweries since 2012, gaining valuable experience in all aspects of the business side of craft beer.


 

Greg KochGreg Koch
Greg Koch is cofounder and Executive Chairman of Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido, California. Since he started the company with his partner Steve Wagner in 1996, Stone has become one of the fastest-growing and highest-rated breweries in the world. Stone is ranked the tenth-largest craft brewery in the U.S., and has been twice named "All-Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth" by BeerAdvocate magazine.

Koch passionately believes that environmental and social sustainability go hand‐in-hand with brewing beer, and he enjoys speaking on topics ranging from craft beer to business philosophy to food  to marketing. He has coauthored two books—The Craft of Stone Brewing,Co.: Liquid Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance and The Brewer’s Apprentice. Koch is recognized as one of the leading experts and advocates in the craft brewing world, and was named “2012 Most Admired CEO” by the San Diego Business Journal.

 

Candace L. MoonCandace L. Moon
Candace L. Moon, Esq., is an attorney and partner at Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP. Since 2009, she has worked with over 350 craft breweries and craft breweries-in-planning nationwide, handling business entity formation, alcoholic beverage law, contract review, trademark law, and other legal needs. Moon is a frequent lecturer for both state and national craft beer conferences as well as an instructor for craft beer certificates at San Diego State University, and UC San Diego. She has spoken and taught continuing legal education (CLE) for various legal associations, has written numerous articles and appeared on a variety of nationally televised broadcasts including CBS This Morning, MSNBC, and Fox Business. Moon's undergraduate degree is from the University of Virginia and her juris doctorate is from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego. She can be reached at info@CraftBeerAttorney.com or visit her website at CraftBeerAttorney.com.

 

Jake NunesJake Nunes
Jake Nunes is a veteran of San Diego's food and beverage industry and has about 30 years of experience with a focus on management and bar leadership. He developed his passion for craft beer in 2003 while working at Karl Strauss and has since proven himself to be a true craft beer enthusiast, having sampled thousands of beers and visited hundreds of breweries. In addition to Karl Strauss, he has held positions at a number of breweries including: Ballast Point, Stone Brewing, Automatic Beer Co, Green Flash, Societe, and Burgeon Beer Co. Jake is now the Director of Hospitality and Certified Cicerone® for Modern Times Beer and Vice President of the San Diego Brewers Guild. He was awarded the title of Certified Cicerone® in 2011. Jake has been a part of the Business of Craft Beer Certificate Program since its inception in 2013.

 

Bill SysakBill Sysak
Bill Sysak is known in the inner circle of craft beer-dom as a master of zymurgical knowledge and is a Certified Cicerone®. In 2009, he joined Stone Brewing Company as the beverage supervisor and became the craft beer ambassador, putting on unparalleled beer and food pairing events and created festivals such as Sour Fest and Oakquinox. In 2016, Sysak co-founded Wild Barrel Brewing Co. One of the most knowledgeable craft beer experts in the industry, Sysak has been featured in such publications as The New York Times, the LA Times, Draft magazine, Imbibe, and Food & Wine. He can also be found on the popular podcasts “New Brew Thursday” where he does a weekly “Master Pairings” segment; and “Expert Drinking” where he educates fans on the best of craft beers, fine wines, and spirits.

 

Andrew WildeAndrew Wilde
Andrew Wilde, a fellow alum of San Diego State University, kicked off his beer career with Karl Strauss Brewing Company back in 2010. Since then he has championed a number of different roles including the management of KSBC's events and donations program – donating 1% of sales to nonprofit organizations, the annual Pro-Am competition, company-wide beer education, and beer-portfolio product innovation. A Certified Cicerone® and evangelist for all things beer, Wilde enjoys sharing his obsession with any who will oblige.