Bill Creelman is the Founder of Spindrift Beverage Co., Inc. Founded in Charlestown, MA in 2010, today Spindrift is one of the fastest-growing brands in the country. Inspired by his upbringing in Western MA, his summers spent living and working on the island of Nantucket, and his longtime passion for unprocessed, seasonal, and fresh ingredients, Bill started Spindrift in 2010. At the time, no one had created sparking beverages using real squeezed fruit - so Bill and team were not only inventing a product but also an entire process. From sourcing the best-tasting fruit from farms to creating production processes to respect and celebrate that fruit. Through many years of trial and error, Spindrift has become a household name. Today, Spindrift products are available nationwide in retailers like Target, Costco, and Starbucks, and the Spindrift team has grown to over 175 passionate employees who are dedicated to making every beverage a positive force of nature. Bill lives outside of Boston with his wife, Harley, and their 4 kids.

Chris Lansing is a seasoned Chief Executive Officer known for her transformative leadership in both entrepreneurial and Fortune 500 environments. With a proven track record spanning companies such as Health-Ade, Nature’s Bakery, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, PepsiCo, Hershey’s and Procter & Gamble, Chris excels in driving growth and profitability across a breadth of consumer brands and categories.   Combining big CPG business discipline with entrepreneurial zeal, Chris specializes in revitalizing consumer brands and strengthening business models while preserving their entrepreneurial values and agility. Her strategic prowess extends across the business, with equal focus on driving consumer preferred innovation and topline growth and improving core business operations to improve overall cost structure.   Recognized for her team-building skills, Chris fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation, empowering teams to achieve ambitious goals and drive organizational excellence. Her commitment to talent development and mentorship has been instrumental in cultivating high-performing teams capable of navigating complexities and seizing opportunities.   Chris holds an M.B.A. from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor’s in Economics and Public Policy from Swarthmore College. With expertise in growth acceleration, turnarounds, M&A, and strategic planning, Chris is poised to continue shaping the consumer industry with her visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to driving meaningful results.

A 25-year consumer packaged goods industry veteran, Bob is Managing Director of First Bev, a private equity firm that invests in innovative and transformational beverage brands, helping them grow and stand out in a dynamic and competitive industry. In addition to Health-Ade, First Bev has backed other industry-leading brands including Essentia Water, Q Mixers, Laws Whiskey and Drizly. Bob’s background includes two years at KeVita, maker of sparkling probiotic drinks and kombucha, where he led a high growth commercial strategy that accelerated the company’s already steep growth trajectory and resulted in PepsiCo’s largest acquisition in over 5 years, paying a premium multiple to buy a leader in the emerging functional beverage space.  Prior to KeVita, he spent 17 years at PepsiCo in leadership positions across business development, customer development, strategic planning and product commercialization and developed a strong track record for architecting and staffing teams for growth and leading them to above-plan results.  Bob lives in South Pasadena, CA with his wife, Kelly, and their two daughters. His volunteer work includes two terms on the Board of Trustees of the Mayfield Junior School in Pasadena where he chaired the Finance and Audit Committee. In addition to spending time with his family, he enjoys playing ice hockey in Pasadena’s adult leagues. He holds a BA from Denison University, where he also played on the men’s soccer team.

Dr. Sebastian Dreher is Managing Director of Döhler Ventures US and has been leading early-stage investments into next generation food and beverage brands since 2016.   He is based in Venice Beach, California, and has been an active part of the local CPG community. His responsibility includes several board and board observer positions.   Sebastian holds a degree in industrial engineering (with focus on mechanical engineering) and a PhD in Strategic Innovation Management from Technical University in Darmstadt, Germany.

Courtney O’Brien is a strategic brand leader behind some of the most successful beverage brands in the world. She built Apothic into a $100M+ wine powerhouse, led the U.S. launch and repositioning of Coke Zero into a $1B+ megabrand, and spearheaded Evian’s marketing strategy in one of the most competitive beverage categories. As founder of The Outlier Initiative, she helps ambitious beverage brands break through the noise, claim their space, and engineer demand - using the same proven strategies that built billion-dollar brands, without the Fortune 500 budget.

Ryan Fagan is a Deal Partner at Gryphon Investors, a $10 billion middle-market private equity firm. He focuses on growth investments in Consumer Health & Wellness and Better-For-You Food and Beverage. Most recently, Ryan led Gryphon’s investment in Spindrift in partnership with Founder and Chairman Bill Creelman and CEO Dave Burwick. He also serves on the boards of Metagenics and Mechanix Wear, and has supported prior Gryphon investments including Zicam and Dessert Holdings. He began his career at Gryphon in 2007, after earning a J.D. from Columbia Law School and a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Originally from Philadelphia, he now lives in the Bay Area with his wife and two daughters.

Nate Cooper is the founder & Managing Partner of Barrel Ventures, a seed-stage venture fund based in Chicago that supports category-defining companies innovating in throughout the food ecosystem. He launched Barrel after founding L3 Hospitality Group and Wise Apple—an early venture aimed at reinventing kids’ lunch. An early investor in companies such as Olipop, Nowadays, Helaina, Jumbotail, Confido & many more, Barrel focuses on companies where they can add a disproportionate amount of value. An Emory University graduate from the Goizueta School of Business, Nate earned his MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management as a Kellogg Scholar and Zell Fellow. At home, he's supported by his wife Ariel and 3 young kiddos Sadie (5), Chase (3), and Maddy (1).

Brandon is a Partner and Co-Founder of Convivialite Ventures, where he leads North American investments. CV is backed by Pernod Ricard, the second largest wine & spirits company in the world and invests in consumer startups that are reinventing the way people socialize, entertain, and share experiences together. Investments that Brandon has led include Fever, AvantStay, Fetch Rewards, Bartesian, Outdoorsy, ResortPass, Peerspace, ChowNow, WaveXR, Atmosfy, Liquid Death, Sanzo, AF Drinks, Ghia, and Glovo (acquired by Delivery Hero). He is currently on the Board of AvantStay, Bartesian, Sanzo, and AF Drinks. Prior to investing, Brandon worked as entrepreneur, startup operator, and management consultant and drove early business initiatives at three $1+ billion startups: Credit Karma, Datalogix, and Evernote. Brandon has an MBA from University of California, Berkeley and a BS in Industrial Engineering from West Virginia University.

Co-Founder Susan Buckwalter Hartman set out to create the clean-label drink she wanted after a workout or surf session—one that went beyond hydration. An adventure sports enthusiast and former college athlete, she’s long been passionate about wellness. With deep experience in natural products and innovation, Susan teamed up with her co-founder, Siwat, to build Recoup: a mission-driven brand that champions resilience for people and the planet. Before launching Recoup, Susan held brand and innovation leadership roles at Unilever, Campbell’s, and eos Products, where she developed and launched more than 50 consumer products. She holds a BA from Gettysburg College and an MBA from Cornell University.

Scarlett Leung is a seasoned retail and e-commerce executive with deep expertise in strategy, operations, finance, and mission-driven brand building. She brings a proven track record of crafting customer-centric strategies that drive innovation and exceptional experiences. As Co-founder, Scarlett is currently leading brand, growth and strategy at Pretty Tasty, a better-for-you beverage brand positioned at the intersection of wellness and lifestyle. Pretty Tasty was awarded "Best New Beverage" in 2024 by BevNet and has grown to over 2,000 doors nationwide in its first year of launch. In addition to her operator role, she collaborates in advisory, investment, leadership, and consulting capacities with firms including Anthos Capital, Target, and Bain & Company. Earlier in her career, she began in audit at Deloitte & Touche and later held leadership roles at L’Oréal, AllSaints and FreshDirect. She holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. With more than a decade of leadership experience spanning strategy, team development, global operations, and end-to-end business optimization, Scarlett has lived in six cities and delivered projects across North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania.

Ila Byrne is co-Founder and Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer at Parch.  She was named by Forbes as one of the “Women Running the Spirits World” and after 10 years leading Brand & Innovation Strategy at DIAGEO for spirit brands like Crown Royal, Tanqueray, Bailey’s and Ketel One, she decided to go it alone.  After living in London, Melbourne, and Dublin she settled in Brooklyn where she consults to leading beverage brands around the world, advises spirit start-ups and is building the next generation of alternate adult beverages.  PARCH offers a range of distinctive, non-alcoholic agave cocktails, inspired by the Sonoran Desert and the lush biodiversity it keeps. Each sip offers a complex taste from unique pairings of desert ingredients, based on the ethos that "what grows together, goes together". Our blend of functional herbs and desert botanicals is designed to center your mind and body like no other.  Ila is passionate about offering consumers beautiful brands and better drinks that bring more people to the table and do less harm to people & our planet.

Ryan Fagan is a Deal Partner at Gryphon Investors, a $10 billion middle-market private equity firm. He focuses on growth investments in Consumer Health & Wellness and Better-For-You Food and Beverage. Most recently, Ryan led Gryphon’s investment in Spindrift in partnership with Founder and Chairman Bill Creelman and CEO Dave Burwick. He also serves on the boards of Metagenics and Mechanix Wear, and has supported prior Gryphon investments including Zicam and Dessert Holdings. He began his career at Gryphon in 2007, after earning a J.D. from Columbia Law School and a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Originally from Philadelphia, he now lives in the Bay Area with his wife and two daughters.

Nate Cooper is the founder & Managing Partner of Barrel Ventures, a seed-stage venture fund based in Chicago that supports category-defining companies innovating in throughout the food ecosystem. He launched Barrel after founding L3 Hospitality Group and Wise Apple—an early venture aimed at reinventing kids’ lunch. An early investor in companies such as Olipop, Nowadays, Helaina, Jumbotail, Confido & many more, Barrel focuses on companies where they can add a disproportionate amount of value. An Emory University graduate from the Goizueta School of Business, Nate earned his MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management as a Kellogg Scholar and Zell Fellow. At home, he's supported by his wife Ariel and 3 young kiddos Sadie (5), Chase (3), and Maddy (1).

Todd Davis’s journey with Kroger started in 1995 as a fresh-faced Courtesy Clerk, and it didn’t take long for his hard work to pay off—he was promoted to Produce Clerk that same year. By 1996, Todd had already stepped into his first leadership role as a Produce Manager, setting the stage for a career full of growth and fresh opportunities. Fast forward through the years, and Todd’s resume reads like a tour of the grocery world. From Assistant Store Leader in 2001 to Division CAO Specialist in Houston, Produce Field Specialist, and more, Todd has worn a lot of hats. His knack for innovation shone through when he became the District Produce Coordinator in 2010 and then a Produce Subject Matter Expert at the General Office in 2011. By 2019, Todd was leading stores in Houston, and in 2023, he took on a new challenge as Store Leader in Excess at King Soopers. Today, he’s the King Soopers/City Market Division Natural Foods/Local Category Manager, where he blends his passion for fresh products with a flair for creative merchandising. But there’s more to Todd than his impressive career. He’s driven by a calling to help others grow, both professionally and personally. He’s all about those deep, meaningful conversations where everyone walks away with something new. Todd’s curiosity is boundless, he’s got an itch to study quantum physics and a soft spot for Thanos (yes, that Thanos), who could both save and destroy with a snap. When he’s not shaping the future of grocery, Todd’s geeking out on documentaries, diving into self-improvement books, or soaking up stories from strangers that offer fresh perspectives. You might be surprised to know that Todd’s hip-hop collection is the largest in North America—who knew? A self-proclaimed "Inspirational Speaker," Todd aims to inspire and assist others in reaching their goals. Todd is grateful for life and family. Todd loves to inspire others and will always be curious. His advice to his younger self? “Be patient, plan accordingly, and believe.” Todd is a leader who knows that growth and innovation go hand in hand.

Nicole Bernard Dawes is a pioneering entrepreneur with a lifelong mission to prove that organic products can taste just as good as, if not better than, their conventional counterparts. She has built multiple award-winning, nationally distributed brands that have redefined what better-for-you food and beverage can be. Growing up on the counter of her mother's natural food store in the 1970s and the factory floor of her father's company, Cape Cod Potato Chips, Nicole was inspired to create brands that combined the best of both worlds. In 2003, she founded Late July Snacks, one of the first brands to carry the USDA Certified Organic seal. And in 2019, she founded Nixie — the most delicious zero-calorie, zero-sugar beverages on the market. With more than 30 years of product development experience, Nicole launched Nixie to shake up the beverage category with a bold mission: to eliminate sugar, single-use plastic bottles, and toxic forever-chemicals from consumers' favorite beverages - without sacrificing flavor or fun. Nixie quickly became one of the fastest-growing sparkling water brands, leading to its 2024 expansion into organic, zero-sugar sodas in nostalgic, classic flavors that rival mainstream diet sodas. Nixie Organic Zero Sugar Soda and Sparkling Water is sold in over 11,000 retailers nationwide and continues to grow. Nicole's leadership has earned her recognition from Food & Wine and Fortune as one of the "Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink," and from Forbes as one of the "Top Five Women Breaking Barriers in Food and Beverage." In 2007, she testified before Congress in a historic hearing on behalf of the Organic Trade Association. She's also spoken at industry events, including Expo West, NOSH Live, plus the Hirshberg Entrepreneurship Institute.

Giuseppe Infusino is a Partner and the Chief Investment Officer at InvestBev, a private equity firm that invests in consumer brands, support services, and hard assets in the beverage space. He leads InvestBev’s investment strategy development, sourcing, diligence, and structuring processes. Prior to InvestBev, Giuseppe spent over a decade managing multiple private market investment portfolios on behalf of prominent institutional investors. He has successfully deployed over $10 billion across various strategies. Giuseppe is on the boards of CANN, Speakeasy, and L’Uva Bella. He holds an MBA in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a B.S. in Finance and Real Estate from University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Jon Halper is the Owner and CEO of Top Ten Liquors, one of the Twin Cities’ fastest-growing independent liquor retailers. Since acquiring the business in 2013, Jon has expanded Top Ten into a leading presence across Minnesota, recognized for its innovative retail approach and commitment to community. In addition to building one of the state’s most successful liquor businesses, Jon has emerged as an industry leader in the THC and cannabis market. He has played a pioneering role in advancing usage, shaping regulatory policy, and fostering collaboration across the country. His work as a network builder and advocate has helped position Minnesota at the forefront of this rapidly evolving industry. Jon and his wife, Jill, are also deeply committed to philanthropy. They are longtime champions of the Children’s Cancer Research Fund (CCRF) and continue to give back through numerous local charities and community initiatives. With a career spanning law, retail, and entrepreneurship, Jon brings a unique perspective on growth, responsible innovation, and the future of both the liquor and cannabis industries.

Brad partners with leading growth-stage food and beverage companies as an active Board member working with high performance CEOs to optimize their leadership effectiveness across all business dimensions in order to build/scale dynamic brands and create high value, category winning companies effectively positioned to sustainably drive strong, profitable growth and/or exit to strategic acquirers. Current Boards: Country Archer, Gimme Foods, Biena and Barney Butter. Prior Boards from early/growth stage through to Company Exit: Kevita (Pepsi), Simple Mills (Flowers Foods), Krave (Hershey), Flying Embers (JuneShine), Health Warrior (Pepsi), RightRice (Planting Hope), Zola (Karp Reilly), Fishpeople (Bornstein Seafood), Chameleon Cold Brew (Nestle), Red’s All Natural (Bansk Group) and Aura Bora (Next in Natural) … with cumulative exit value surpassing $1.5 billion. After time spent in management consulting and investment banking, Brad’s food/bev journey began over twenty-five years ago as the Founder/CEO of the Fantasia Fresh Juice Co. which he built into a leading superpremium fresh juice/smoothie brand culminating in a merger with Naked Juice and subsequent acquisition by Pepsi. He holds an MBA from the Stanford GSB and a true passion for unlocking the power of human transformation and possibility in life and leadership.

Shawn Wells, MPH, LDN, RD, CISSN, FISSN is a globally recognized nutritional biochemistry expert with more than 20 years of experience in health, wellness, and product formulation. He has formulated over 1,100 products and holds 40+ patents, including enfinity® (Paraxanthine) and BHB salts. He has served as Chief Clinical Dietitian, Chief Science Officer, and advisor to multiple supplement companies, facilitating transactions exceeding half a billion dollars. Shawn authored the bestselling book The Energy Formula, featured by USA Today and Forbes, and he shares cutting-edge research on Mindvalley, in documentaries, and on his website shawnwells.com. He frequently speaks at events globally.