American Beverage has appointed a new president and CEO: while Coca-Cola is among the companies welcoming new faces to top jobs.
American Beverage has appointed a new president and CEO: while Coca-Cola is among the companies welcoming new faces to top jobs.
American Beverage (AB) has named Kevin W. Keane, a longtime member of the beverage industry’s leadership team, as its new president and chief executive officer.
Keane will provide day-to-day leadership and management of the industry trade group to advance its strategic priorities, working in close partnership with AB’s full team and the AB Board leadership.
“Having worked in the beverage industry for nearly 20 years, I know how hard our companies strive to be a unifying force in helping address public policy issues that people care about in ways that matter to them,” said Keane. “Their unwavering commitment to better way solutions to tough challenges delivers meaningful results that lift communities and bring people together. We look forward to helping build an even stronger future.”
Keane has served as president and CEO on an interim basis since his predecessor, Katherine Lugar, departed in March for Hilton as executive vice president of corporate affairs.
Keane has served on the leadership team of American Beverage since 2005 and has overseen a wide range of industry initiatives while managing a team in Washington, D.C., and in states across the country. Prior to his appointment as president and CEO, Keane served as executive vice president of the Government and Public Affairs Department for the association.
Before joining American Beverage, Keane served as the assistant secretary for public affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. President George W. Bush appointed him to the position. Keane was Thompson’s deputy chief of staff and communications director when he was governor of Wisconsin. Keane is a proud Midwesterner, born in Chicago, graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and spending much of his life growing up and working in Wisconsin. He and his wife Chris have three adult children.
American Beverage is the national trade organization representing companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in the US. The non-alcoholic beverage industry employs more than 270,000 people with a direct economic impact of nearly $245bn. Members include The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Keurig Dr Pepper and the bottling companies within their systems as well as Red Bull, Polar Beverages, Niagara, Refresco, Danone and many other local beverage companies. The industry manufactures a variety of beverage choices in a wide range of calories and package sizes, including bottled water, 100% juice, juice drinks, sports drinks, soft drinks, ready-to-drink teas and energy drinks.
Coca-Cola Beverages Florida has named Gregory “Greg“ Park as Vice President, Transformation and Innovation.
A seasoned professional in the Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) industry with 25 years of experience, Park will lead transformation initiatives that harness disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence, computer vision, Blockchain, and augmented reality to drive rapid innovation across all facets of Coke Florida business operations.
Coke Florida’s operations include four manufacturing facilities across the state that produce more than 100 million cases of products each year. It also has 18 Sales and Distribution Centers across its footprint which runs from Jacksonville to The Keys.
Park most recently served as the General Manager for Cardinal Vending and Markets, LLC, which operates as Florida Fresh Vending and Markets. Joining Florida Fresh at a pivotal moment, Parks led the vending company’s innovation to expand its micro-market and unattended retail service solutions.
He has an extensive career across the Coca-Cola system having worked for Coca-Cola Refreshments, Coca-Cola Supply, Coca-Cola Business Solutions, and Coca-Cola Enterprises. He initially joined Coke Florida in 2016 as Coke Florida’s Director, Business Insights and was then promoted to Vice President, Business Transformation.
Park holds a degree in Business Administration from Troy University.
Encirc has appointed Richard Lloyd to the position of Managing Director of its ‘Encirc Beverages’ business unit, as the glass container manufacturer and filler continues to integrate ‘The Park’ bottling and warehousing facility in Bristol into its overall business.
The Park acquisition completed in early 2023 from Accolade Wines. The deal saw Encirc double its UK filling capability to more than 400 million litres per year. More than 400 people also transferred to Encirc as part of the acquisition.
Richard Lloyd has successfully led the Park – a ‘highly advanced, sustainable and award winning bottling facility’ – as General Manager for seven years. His new role for Encirc will see him at the helm of developing and leading Encirc’s much expanded “Encirc Beverages” business unit.
Encirc, a Vidrala company, manufactures more than 4 billion glass containers a year for the UK and Irish food and drinks market, and opened its site in Cheshire in 2005, after beginning glass production in 1998 at its plant in County Fermanagh, NI. The Cheshire plant remains the only facility globally to both manufacture and fill bottles for multiple brands from one site.
“The Park and Encirc’s Cheshire site have together changed the dynamics for international wine entering the UK market,” says the company. “They have enabled more wine being bulk-shipped directly to the UK, to then be filled in the country of sale before onward distribution to retailers.
“Now the acquisition of The Park – based in Avonmouth, Bristol – is complete, it will work fully in sync with Encirc’s wider business model, filling bottles produced in Encirc’s two UK-based plants. Immediate investment will be made into The Park, with a new glass filling line set to be introduced in 2024, enhancing Encirc’s filling capability further-still.”
LineView Solutions, a company focused on manufacturing optimisation solutions, has appointed John McFadyen as Chief Revenue and Innovation Officer and Scott Figura as Managing Director of the Americas in a strategic move to drive global growth across the business.
Based in the UK and joining LineView from Google Inc., where he was Head of Enterprise AI Solution Sales EMEA and Gen AI Leader, McFadyen will be instrumental in supporting LineView’s global growth strategy as the company aims to increase its global turnover.
Starting his career in engineering, manufacturing and processing as an aircraft engineer, McFadyen is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society - the world's only professional membership association dedicated to the aerospace and aviation industry – before spending two decades working with first-in-class technology, at IBM, SAP and Oracle.
Heading up LineView’s US business as Managing Director of the Americas and based in Atlanta, Georgia, Scott Figura will play a leading role in building the foundations to accelerate growth across North and South America, promoting the brand, expanding its market presence, and fostering partnerships with key stakeholders.
Figura joins LineView having accrued more than 30 years’ experience working in the food and beverage sector, most recently in Global Supply Chain Development at Coca-Cola, and brings deep industry knowledge and broad operational experience to the team. Educated as an Industrial Engineer, Scott worked as an officer in the U.S. Navy, serving in engineering and operations roles before transitioning into industry, working in manufacturing and operations leadership roles.
French premium liqueur company Giffard Liqueurs has appointed Alexandre Robin as its first UK Brand Ambassador.
As the UK Brand Ambassador, Robin will oversee all aspects of brand strategy, marketing and sales operations. This will include developing and executing marketing campaigns, nurturing key relationships with trade partners and leading the brand’s expansion into new territories within the UK.
Robin has a strong background in the UK bar scene, having previously held prominent roles at Sketch and FAM Bar. “Alex will be instrumental in strengthening Giffard’s position as a premier choice for both professionals and enthusiasts in the UK,” says the company.