FRS recently cut a significant number of positions (albeit fewer than 20) as it realigns itself to transition from a sales and marketing model supported significantly via PepsiCo’s warehouse division to one that is staffed by brand incubation house L.A. Libations.

Rebranding itself as a product for everyday active consumers, AQUAHydrate has unveiled a new logo, label, and marketing strategy. Under a new management team led by former Pabst and Fiji chief John Cochran, and backed by a number of well-known celebrities and investors, including Mark Wahlberg, Sean Combs, and grocery magnate Ron Burkle, the company has shifted its focus away from a narrow set of elite athletes to "a broader swath of active, health-conscious consumers."

I’m from the old school. I’ve written, many a time, my aversion for much of modern technology, although often it’s not in longhand anymore. Friends, both personal and professional, are aghast that I still haven’t embraced a smart phone and the world that it opens up. My colleagues kid me about it, although they seem to accept that they’ll never see me log into our Sales Force system anytime soon. I just turned 64, and, somehow, I’ve been able to get by and stay connected to the industry just fine.