Continuing upon its quest to make Sparkling ICE a $1 billion brand by 2018, Talking Rain has announced new appointments to its leadership team intended to bolster the company’s marketing, finance and operations divisions. Talking Rain today released details of the hires, which include the addition of former CytoSport and Red Bull executive John Peirano as the company’s chief marketing officer.
Peirano had most recently held the role of senior vice president of marketing at Cytosport, joining the company in 2009 after a 7+ year run as the director of marketing for Red Bull North America. Periano’s run at Cytosport, maker of Muscle Milk products, continued through the company’s sale to Hormel Foods in July.
While Peirano comes to Talking Rain with longstanding and deep ties to the beverage industry, Marcus Smith, the company’s new chief financial officer, has a decidedly different career background. Smith’s executive experience stems from CFO roles at SonoSite and then Mobisante each of which produce and sell portable ultrasound sound devices.
Smith appears to be taking over responsibilities from Michael Lowes, who had been Talking Rain’s vice president of finance, and was promoted to chief operating officer in 2014.
Last year, Sparkling ICE, a line of zero-calorie, flavored carbonated waters, continued its extraordinary rise in the beverage business. Since April, 2012, sales of the brand are estimated to have grown by ten-fold, and approached the $500 million mark by the end of 2014.
Here is Talking Rain’s announcement about the hires in full:
NEW YORK, Feb. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Talking Rain®, one of the nation’s leading beverage companies and makers of Sparkling ICE®, the fastest-growing beverage company in the United States, announced today the addition of John Peirano as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) who joins recent hire Marcus Smith as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and recently promoted Michael Lowes as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
In his new role, John Peirano will be responsible for overseeing marketing initiatives and developing areas within the company such as channel distribution, product development, marketing communications and customer service. Mr. Peirano brings more than 20 years of marketing experience in building top consumer brands, most recently holding a position as Senior Vice President of Marketing for Muscle Milk / CytoSport, where he helped to skyrocket the brand into a category leader for protein beverages in mainstream channels.
Marcus Smith joined Talking Rain as Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for finance, accounting and information technology. Mr. Smith was most recently Chief Financial Officer at Mobisante. Prior to Mobisante, Mr. Smith served as Chief Financial Officer of SonoSite, Inc., a publicly traded (NASDAQ) company, where he led its sale to FujiFilm, Inc. in 2012. Mr. Smith currently serves on the Board of Directors for Interconection.org and WINGS, a Seattle angel investor network. He received his bachelor’s degree in public policy from Duke University, a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University, as well as a master’s degree in business administration from Columbia University.
Michael Lowes was promoted from his previous role as Talking Rain’s Vice President of Finance to Chief Operating Officer in 2014, and has since assumed increased responsibilities such as managing strategic and operational accountability for all programs, and supervising all programmatic modifications. Mr. Lowes brings more than 25 years of ex
Sparkling ICE Maker Bolsters Executive Leadership Team
perience in the food and beverage industry, including his three years at Talking Rain Beverage Company as VP of Finance, twelve years at Darigold and eleven years at Kraft Foods, where he gained extensive experience in all financial aspects of a food and beverage company, including accounting, financial management and strategy. Originally from Detroit, Mr. Lowes is a graduate of the University of Michigan.
“The addition of John Peirano and Marcus Smith as CMO and CFO, respectively, along with Michael Lowes’ promotion to COO, will be instrumental in taking Talking Rain to the next level as an industry-leading company on its way to become the next $1 billion beverage brand,” said Talking Rain President and CEO Kevin Klock. “These additions and appointments to our leadership team bring a wealth of experience in marketing, finance, and operations that will make a significant impact on our creative, operational and financial decisions, and we look forward to the contributions these dynamic leaders will bring in this time of accelerated growth for Talking Rain.”
About Talking Rain
The Talking Rain family of beverages includes thirst-quenching product lines: Sparkling ICE Sparkling Mountain Spring Water, Talking Rain Fusions(TM), Talking Rain Mountain Spring Water and Talking Rain Sparkling Essence Water, all of which are created to refresh the body and renew the mind. For 27 years, Talking Rain has stayed true to its vision and its commitment to community by continually creating great tasting, refreshing beverages. For more information, visit www.talkingrain.com and www.sparklingice.com.
About Sparkling ICE Beverages
Sparkling ICE has made a great tasting, refreshing, zero-calorie beverage Perfectly Possible(TM).Combining naturally flavored mountain spring water, fruit juice, vitamins and antioxidants, Sparkling ICE offers a bold, flavored, lightly-carbonated beverage that appeals to all age groups. Available in eleven refreshing flavors: Black Raspberry, Orange Mango, Pink Grapefruit, Kiwi Strawberry, Coconut Pineapple, Pomegranate Blueberry, Peach Nectarine, Lemon Lime, Crisp Apple and new in 2014 Cherry Limeade and Strawberry Watermelon. Sparkling ICE Lemonades®, launched in 2013, are available in six refreshing flavors: Classic Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade, Lemonade with Tea, Peach Lemonade and Mango Lemonade. New in 2015 are Sparkling ICE Teas, which include Raspberry Tea, Lemon Tea, and Peach Tea flavors. Sparkling ICE can be found in retailers nationwide. Sparkling ICE is part of the Talking Rain family of beverages, and retails for $1.19-$1.29. To locate Sparking ICE visit www.sparklingice.com.