E-Malt.com News article: 2779

USA, St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. announced on June 11, 2004 changes in the corporation’s management.

Stephen K. Lambright, 61, group vice president and chief legal officer, and Donald W. Kloth, 62, vice president and group executive, have announced they will retire. Lambright has been with the company for 27 years, leading its legal and industry and government affairs divisions. Kloth has spent 34 years with Anheuser-Busch and has been responsible for its procurement, agricultural and transportation operations. Lambright and Kloth serve on the company’s strategy committee, which is comprised of the company’s 17 most senior corporate officers who are responsible for setting the company’s direction and objectives.

“In addition to leading one of the most professional legal teams in the industry, Steve has successfully managed the company’s legislative initiatives and government relations,” said Patrick T. Stokes, chief executive officer of Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. “His legal and government affairs strategies have earned the respect of both industry and government officials.”

Lambright will retire Nov. 30 and will continue to consult with Anheuser-Busch on legal and government affairs matters. Following his retirement, he will become of counsel to the Williams Venker & Sanders LLC law firm.

Stokes also praised the contributions Kloth has made.

“Don has played a critical role in the success of our company,” said Stokes. “He has developed a world-class procurement organization that is vital to controlling our raw materials, packaging, metal and energy costs. We owe him a debt of gratitude for his service to the company.” Kloth will retire July 1.

Succeeding Lambright as group vice president and chief legal officer will be
Mark T. Bobak, 44, who has served as vice president of corporate human resources for four years. Bobak will retain his current responsibilities for labor relations and labor/benefits law as he assumes his new legal and industry and government affairs responsibilities. He will remain on the company’s strategy committee and will continue to report to Stokes.

Bobak led negotiations for the company’s most recent five-year contracts with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and craft unions.

“Reaching these agreements reflect Mark’s strong leadership of the negotiating efforts,” said Stokes. “His leadership experience will be important as our industry continues to face unjust challenges in the legal and regulatory arenas.”

Prior to his current position, Bobak served as vice president and deputy general counsel for Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. for four years. He joined Anheuser-Busch in 1992.

Joseph P. Castellano, 51, will replace Bobak as vice president of corporate human resources and will join the company’s strategy committee. Castellano has served as vice president of retail marketing for Anheuser-Busch Inc. and during his 21-year career at Anheuser-Busch has held many leadership roles in the corporation, including vice president of wholesale operations, vice president of consumer awareness and education and other roles in corporate marketing and sports marketing. Castellano will report to Stokes.

“Joe is a superior performer with wide-ranging experience throughout the corporation,” said Stokes. “His insights will be valuable in leading our human resources division into the future.”

Succeeding Kloth will be James F. Hoffmeister, 59, who has been named group vice president of procurement, logistics and agricultural resources at Anheuser-Busch Inc. Hoffmeister will join the company’s strategy committee.

The company will consolidate Kloth’s former responsibilities with the company’s distribution and logistics group to form a new division that Hoffmeister will lead. Hoffmeister will report to August A. Busch IV, president of Anheuser-Busch Inc.

Hoffmeister has served as vice president of administration and special services for Anheuser-Busch Inc. since 1990. During his 37-year Anheuser-Busch career, Hoffmeister has held numerous positions in the beer company involving financial planning, capital projects, wholesaler relations and various other responsibilities.

“Jim has been an important member of the Anheuser-Busch Inc. management team and has been critical in shaping the strategies that have led to our current 50 percent share of the
U.S. beer industry,” said Busch. “We will continue to benefit from his experience and leadership in his new role.”

Bobak, Castellano and Hoffmeister assume their new roles July 1.

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. is the leading U.S. brewer and holds a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s leading brewer. In a survey of 10,000 business leaders and securities analysts, Anheuser-Busch ranked first overall in quality of products and services among nearly 600 companies researched in FORTUNE magazine’s 2004 “America’s Most Admired Companies” listing. Anheuser-Busch Inc. is the company’s U.S. beer subsidiary. Anheuser-Busch is one of the largest theme park operators in the United States, is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and is the world’s largest recycler of aluminum beverage containers.


16 June, 2004