The Speakers

Adam Bush joined OMAC Beverage Advisors in 2022 after over 10 years at Anheuser-Busch. In his nearly 15 years in the beverage business, he has executed, negotiated, or reviewed distributor transactions of approximately $5B in value. Since its founding in 2011 by Sean McLaren and John O’Connor, OMAC has closed over 100 transactions in beer, wine, and spirits distribution with over $4B in transaction value. OMAC also serves clients with strategic consulting, debt advisory services, and a robust business and brand appraisal practice.

In his time at A-B, Adam held a variety of roles, most recently in the company’s fast-growing Beyond Beer division where he was responsible for spirits and non-alcohol route-to-market strategy and corporate development initiatives such as partnerships and licensing deals. Prior to Beyond Beer, he worked for and subsequently led the team responsible for reviewing distributor transactions, succession planning, and the execution of buy-side and sell-side transactions involving company-owned distributors. He also served as A-B’s board representative for several of the company’s equity investments in distributors.

An Ohio native, Adam lives in New York City with his wife and three children and spends his non-working hours cooking, reading, running, and taking kids to their various activities.

Bonnie Herzog is a managing director and senior consumer analyst at Goldman Sachs covering the HPC, beverage, tobacco and convenience store sectors. During her 20 plus years of experience as a sell-side equity research analyst, Bonnie has been a top-ranked Institutional Investor analyst. For more than ten years, Bonnie has been recognized by Institutional Investor magazine for the All-America Research Team. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs in December 2019, Bonnie was a managing director at Wells Fargo and Citi Investment Research. 

Bonnie is best known for her in-depth proprietary research and successful contrarian stocks calls. She has been a guest speaker at numerous tobacco, beverage and convenience store industry conferences. Bonnie earned an MBA degree in finance from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BA degree in finance from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Carlos Laboy is Global Beverage Sector Head at HSBC, a leading global bank with a powerful footprint in emerging and developed markets. Carlos brings strategic and operating perspectives from emerging markets looking into developed markets for the firm’s clients. His global and strategic analysis of the sector spans 31 years notably at Bear Stearns, Credit Suisse and HSBC. He began his research career at Smith Barney, in 1987. 

Carlos has also done M&A work in the Latin American beverage space. His coverage also includes Latin American food stocks. Carlos has ranked as a top analyst in Latin America and the US multiple times for his beverage work by Institutional Investor analyst poll. He is a graduate of Rutgers University and resides in Gladstone, NJ.

Bill Newlands is Constellation’s president and chief executive officer. Bill is responsible for providing strategic leadership and working with the board of directors to establish long-range goals, strategies, plans, and policies. He leads the executive management committee and is a member of the board of directors. Bill has served as a director of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a global branded food company, since November 2018 and as its Lead Director since January 2023.

Bill joined Constellation in 2015 as EVP, chief growth officer. In 2016, his role expanded to include leadership of the Wine + Spirits Division. In 2017 he became the company’s chief operating officer and in 2018 his role expanded to include president. Bill previously served as president, North America at Beam, Inc. Under his leadership, Beam became one of the fastest-growing companies in its category.

Previous appointments include president, Beam Spirits U.S. (2008-2010); president, Beam Wine Estates (2005-2007); president and CEO, Allied Domecq Wines USA (2002-2005); CEO and board director, wine.com (1999-2001); managing director, U.S. and global marketing officer, LVMH Chandon Estates (1996 – 1999).

Clement Pappas is the CEO and co-founder of Stateside Brands. Stateside Vodka was launched in 2015 as a premium, American craft vodka brand based in Philadelphia, PA. Stateside quickly became the top-selling Pennsylvania Distilled Spirit. In 2021, the company launched its first RTD Brand, Stateside Vodka Soda, now a 600K case brand boasting over 50% growth in 2024.  In 2022, the Company launched Surfside Iced Tea + Vodka and the brand immediately took off like a rocket ship and has yet to show any signs of slowing down.  Surfside depleted over 4.9 million cases in 2024, making it the #2 overall spirit-based RTD in the US, with projections to more than double in 2025. Surfside has received numerous industry awards and Clement was named an Ernst & Young 2023 Regional Entrepreneur of the Year, leading the company to 3X growth for 3 consecutive years. 

Prior to Stateside, Clement was CEO of Clement Pappas & Co., a private label juice supplier founded by Clement’s Grandfather. Growing up, the business played a central role in Clement's life, and he later worked in an executive capacity for the company for over 15 years before leading the sale of the Company to Lassonde Industries. 

Clement and his wife Lauren reside in Haddonfield, NJ with their two sons, Paul and Joseph. After tragically losing their premature son Peter in 2015, Clement and Lauren founded the Peter Joseph Pappas Fund with a mission to cure preeclampsia by 2050. Clement is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization, and has served on numerous charitable and corporate boards. He earned his BSE from Duke University and MBA from The Wharton School.

Christopher Shepard writes and edits, follows trends and analyzes data for the family of beer industry trade publications from Beer Marketer’s Insights. He's a Senior Editor of craft-focused newsletter Craft Brew News and editor of Alcohol Issues INSIGHTS, covering crucial alcohol policy and science issues. He frequently presents at industry conferences and plays key roles in building BMI's annual data reports and webinars. Chris studied theatre, dance and English at Muhlenberg College. He writes poetry, dances and hikes near his home in the suburbs of New York City.

David Steinman joined Beer Marketer's INSIGHTS September 2013 and represents the 3rd generation at the company along with his brother Jason. David worked for years as Senior Editor of Craft Brew News and Senior Editor across all Beer Marketer's INSIGHTS publications before he was appointed VP/Executive Editor in 2022. 

Prior to BMI, David worked for two years as Marketing Coordinator at Long Trail/Otter Creek Brewing Company in Vermont. He graduated from the University of Vermont with a major in Business and a minor in Music. In his spare time, David is an avid guitar player and snowboarder.

Britt West is a dynamic marketing and sales leader with over two decades of experience in the beverage alcohol industry. Named Chief Commercial Officer of Gallo Wine and Spirits in 2024, Britt has been instrumental in building and expanding the GALLO portfolio.

Britt joined GALLO in 2018 as Vice President of Spirits Marketing. He quickly took on roles of increasing responsibility, rising first to General Manager of Spirits, then serving as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Spirits and New Business Development before moving into his current role. In his tenure, he has overseen high-impact new brand introductions, like High Noon, as well as increased the reach and influence of the portfolio’s stable of established brands. 

Britt’s deep understanding of consumers began decades ago, managing high-end nightclubs while also working as an independent consultant for a wide range of premium and luxury brands. He moved on to Bacardi USA in 2002, where he served in a variety of brand management and new product development roles. In 2004, he was part of the Grey Goose Vodka acquisition and integration team, ultimately serving as Brand Director through 2007.

Britt spent the next 11 years as founder and CEO at PLUS Consulting, a brand management, new product development and marketing firm. Entrepreneurially minded, he also co-founded Eppa Superfruit Sangria in 2011. The brand became the #1 selling SKU in Whole Foods within 18 months and was subsequently acquired by Deutsch Family Wines and Spirits in 2013.

Britt is a graduate of Columbia University and holds a Master of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University and a Master of Business Administration in International Luxury Brand Management from the ESSEC Business School.

Britt is an avid outdoorsman. When not at work, he can usually be found with his family at his home in Montana, exploring the outdoors while hiking, fishing, and working with his bird dogs.