Ms. Fisher is an independent investor, entrepreneur, and advisor. She is Founder and Chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org, a nonprofit, non-partisan organization based in Newton, Massachusetts. The organization seeks systemwide healthcare price transparency to empower American consumers and employers to know actual quality and prices of care and coverage upfront and create a functional marketplace in healthcare to lower costs, improve quality, and broaden affordable access through competition and choice. Ms. Fisher also serves on the Board of Directors of Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (NYSE: DEA), a publicly held real estate investment trust based in Washington, D.C., where she is a member of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee. She also founded WaterRev, LLC, an investment company located in Newton, Massachusetts, focused on innovative technology companies that enable sustainable practices of water use.
In 1992, Ms. Fisher founded ViaCord, Inc., a cord blood stem cell banking company, and served as its Founder, Chairman, and CEO from 1993 to 2000. In 2000, she co-founded ViaCell, Inc., a cellular medicines company, and served as President and on the Board of Directors. ViaCell, the successor to ViaCord, went public in 2005 and was subsequently sold to PerkinElmer in 2007. Ms. Fisher co-founded and is Chairman of Fitmoney.org, which provides curriculum for K-12 financial literacy. She serves on the board of the National Park Foundation and previously served on the Board of Directors of Water.org. Ms. Fisher is the spouse of C. James Koch, Boston Beer’s Founder and Chairman.
She brings significant entrepreneurial experience, as well as insight in business strategy, operations, and consumer marketing to the Board’s overall business perspective.
Michael G. Andrews was appointed Associate General Counsel & Corporate Secretary of Boston Beer in July 2016. He joined the Company in 2011, holding the positions of Senior Corporate Counsel from 2014 to 2016 and Attorney from 2011 to 2014. Prior to joining Boston Beer, he worked as an Associate Attorney at the law firm BLA Schwartz in Boston, Massachusetts from 2005 to 2011.
Tara L. Heath was appointed Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel of Boston Beer in May 2022. She joined the Company in 1997 and has held various positions during that time, including Vice President, Legal & Deputy General Counsel from 2016 to 2022; Senior Corporate Counsel, Director of Regulatory Affairs from 2013 to 2016; and Senior Manager & Attorney for Regulatory Affairs from 2009 to 2013.
Mr. Spillane has served on Boston Beer’s Board of Directors since 2016 and was appointed as our President and Chief Executive Officer on April 1, 2024. He previously served as President of Consumer Creation at Nike, Inc. (NYSE: NKE), a publicly traded manufacturer and marketer of athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment from 2020 until September 2023. Prior to that, Mr. Spillane held a variety of roles with Nike dating back to 2007, including President of Categories and Product from May 2017 to May 2020, President of Product and Merchandising from April 2016 to May 2017, Vice President and General Manager of Global Footwear from May 2015 to April 2016, and General Manager and Vice President, Greater China from May 2013 to May 2015. From 2011 to 2013, he held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Umbro International, a Nike subsidiary based in England. From 2009 to 2011, Mr. Spillane was the Chief Executive Officer of Converse, a Nike subsidiary based in Massachusetts. From 2007 to 2009, he held the position of President, North America, and Global Product at Nike. Prior to joining Nike, Mr. Spillane held senior management roles at various apparel and textile companies, including Malden Mills, Tommy Hilfiger USA, Jockey International, and Missbrenner, Inc.
Mr. Spillane has extensive experience in the marketing of consumer goods, including digital marketing, social media, consumer insight, planning, and merchandising. He also has significant senior corporate governance experience at consumer goods companies, both public and private. Prior to his appointment as President and CEO, he served on our Compensation Committee from May 2016 to March 2024, including as Chair from May 2016 to May 2023, and as a member of our Nominating/Governance Committee from May 2018 to March 2024.
Mr. Valette currently serves as an independent advisor to select branded consumer companies. He has been on Boston Beer’s Board of Directors since May 2003 and served as the Board’s Lead Director from May 2013 to May 2023. He is a Director and Audit Committee Chair of Intertek Group plc, a publicly traded global quality assurance and testing company active across a broad range of sectors and geographies, based in London, England. He also serves as a director of several private companies, including as Chairman of Huneeus Vintners and Drip Drop Hydration, Inc. He served as a Director of Sleep Number Corporation, a publicly traded sleep technology company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 1994 to 2023, including as chairman from 2010 until 2022. Until November 2012, he was Chairman of the Board and a member of the Audit and Nominating/Governance Committees of Peet’s Coffee & Tea Inc., a California-based specialty coffee company. Peet’s went private in 2012; from that timed until April 2022, Mr. Valette served as a Director and Chairman of its Audit and Valuation Committees. Peet’s parent company, JDE Peet's N.V., went public in May 2020; Mr. Valette does not serve on that Board. Until October 2006, he was Chairman of Robert Mondavi Winery, a California wine company. Prior to assuming that position, he had served as President and Managing Director of Robert Mondavi Winery from October 2004 to January 2005.
Mr. Valette has more than thirty years of experience in management, public company corporate governance, strategic planning, and finance, with extensive experience in the alcohol beverage industry. Mr. Valette has served on our Nominating/Governance Committee since May 2004. He has also served as a member of our Audit Committee since May 2003, and the Committee’s Chair since January 2019. He served on our Compensation Committee from May 2018 to May 2020.
Audit Committee (Chair), Nominating/Governance Committee