Lance Gentry, Former Izze Executive, Passes Away

Lance Gentry, the well-known and well-liked former VP of marketing for Izze Beverage Co., passed away Friday following a battle with brain cancer that lasted more than a year.

Gentry, who was an active member of the natural products community that has been incubated in Boulder, Colo. over the last few decades, was most recently the president of Justin’s Nut Butter, a rising maker of nut butters that has a national profile.

Gentry was also still involved in the beverage world as a board member at Zun, a Boulder-based energy drink company. He was considered a rising star in the natural foods world, according to this story in the Boulder Daily Camera.

Gentry became a familiar and welcome presence when he visited the BevNET team during frequent trips to Boston as he attempted to open the market for Izze.

He leaves a wife, Nancy, and two children, Amelie, 7, and Zach, 9.