E-Malt.com News article: 1678

Interbrew, through its subsidiary Beck's North America, announced on October 10 the appointment of Thomas Cardella to President and Chief Executive Officer of its Beck's North America operation. The announcement was made by Stefan Descheemaeker, Interbrew's Zone President for U.S. and Latin America.

"This is a very significant opportunity for Beck's North America," said Mr. Descheemaeker. "Tom has the skill and experience to take Beck's to the next level in the U.S. We believe his plans for the future of the Beck's portfolio will excite our wholesaler partners and establish a foundation of long term growth for the brand. Beck's is one of Interbrew's powerhouse brands worldwide and Tom's appointment as President of Beck's North America shows our long term commitment to build the brand in the U.S."

Mr. Cardella will replace John Lennon who is leaving to pursue other opportunities. Mr. Lennon joined Beck's North America in January 2001 and was instrumental in building a strong management team to drive the future growth of the business. While the change is effective immediately, Mr. Lennon will continue to consult with Interbrew and the Beck's organization in the near term.
Prior to joining Beck's North America in July of 2003 as Executive Vice President of Sales, Mr. Cardella held a number of senior positions in the beer industry. He was Interbrew's Executive in Residence and Vice President of Strategic Planning for Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma, S.A., Mexico (CCM) from January 2001 until his recent appointment to Beck's North American sales operation. Mr. Cardella joined Interbrew in 1997 as Vice President of Marketing for Labatt USA, a joint venture of Interbrew and Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma.

Beck's, brewed in Bremen, Germany, is the No. 1 German import in the United States. Beck's North America, a subsidiary of Interbrew, the world's third largest brewer, is the U.S. importer of the Beck's brands based in Stamford, Conn. Beck's North America is responsible for sales and marketing of the company's internationally renowned portfolio of Beck's, Beck's Light, Beck's Dark, Beck's Oktoberfest and Haake Beck non-alcoholic malt beverage in the United States.


15 October, 2003