It’s that time of year again. No, not Oktoberfest or the Great American Beer Festival. They’re long gone. And not San Diego Beer Week, as that annual 10-day test of one’s hepatic fortitude is still a week-and-a-half away. What we now find ourselves in the midst of is the immediate aftermath of an election that will dictate a partial changing of the guard for the San Diego Brewers Guild‘s Board of Directors. Allow us to share the results and some background on members of the local brewing industry who will be volunteering their time for the betterment of the county’s craft-beer producers as well as the clientele they serve.
The first of two new Board members is Daniel Vernon, the Director of Brewing Operations for Carlsbad-based Burgeon Beer Co. In addition to hot-side experiences gleaned via his current position, Vernon also served as a packaging technician and spent six years volunteering his time as a member of boards for various nonprofit organizations.
“As a professional brewer, it has always been a core component of my ethos to create the highest quality product possible. The experience I have gained since I started this journey has led me to view my sphere of influence as equal to, if not more important than, the product I am responsible for,” said Vernon. “In learning the experiences that my peers had to share with me, I knew I wanted to take on whatever I could to elevate the indisputable best craft-beer scene in the world. The Guild presented itself to me as a tremendous opportunity to not only do that, but also continue learning more about the triumphs and trials that we are experiencing.”
Joining Vernon as a Board newcomer is Rob Vetere, Chief Operator Officer for Bay City Brewing. A hospital industry veteran with a quarter-century of experience, including five years as General Manager with local restaurant parent company (and recent Ballast Point Brewing investment partner) RMD Group prior to joining Bay City, he currently manages the company’s locations in Point Loma and East Village. He played a key role in the relaunch of the latter venue, and has also contributed his energy to the Guild’s annual industry hockey tournament and beer-festival fundraiser, Pucks & Pints.
“I was inspired by the opportunity to give back to the San Diego beer community and meet new people across the industry,” said Vetere. “Bay City is a small brewery and I’m hoping to give the little guy a seat at the table. I’m hoping to help breweries of all sizes and their workers have a voice in the direction of San Diego beer.”
Re-elected to the Board is current Guild President Esthela Davila, who most recently managed Mason Ale Works’ taproom in Barrio Logan. Before that she served in managerial roles for Kearny Mesa-based Kilowatt Brewing as well as Mujeres Brew House, a female-operated spin-off of defunct South Bay business Border X Brewing. Board members’ roles – president, vice president, secretary and the chairs of various committees – have yet to be determined, but Davila may end up again being appointed to the top spot.
Typically the Guild’s vice president holds that role for a 12-month period before taking over as president the following year, however, this year’s VP, Ballast Point Brand Ambassador Jeff Lozano, will be unable to do so due to professional obligations, leaving the door open for another member of the Board to ascend to the presidential position. In addition to Lozano, Coronado Brewing Marketing Director Aidan Kennedy is also terming out. Board members returning for the second year of their two-year terms are The Roadies Brewing co-owner Diane Hilz, Holden Consulting Group owner and The Escondido Social Taproom co-owner Matthew Holden, Mission Brewing Vice President of Sales & Marketing Aaron Long and White Labs President Neva Parker, who currently serves as Secretary for the Guild.
“We plan to use 2026 to double down on what we’re doing well,” says the Guild’s Executive Director (and founder of work-in-progress business Good Pressure Brewing) Erik Fowler. “We’ve identified what breweries – and beer geeks – are looking for from the Guild, and we are excited to emphasize certain events and campaigns, such as SD Craft Beer Con and the Capital of Craft Beer Festival, among others. We will also continue our community-driven focus, working with groups parallel to the beer industry, growing our network and creating opportunities for members.”
The strength of the Guild depends on the rotational influx of volunteers from the industry who are dedicated to service on behalf of colleagues who, in most other industries, would be their adversaries. Both Vernon and Vetere say their new roles are particularly special to them because they were elected to the Board by their peers. They want to assure those industry contemporaries they take that very seriously and plan to do the job as much for them as their own companies.
To that end, Vernon says, “For each and every member represented by the Guild, I will do my part to ensure that your opinions are both heard and equally represented, your lives and businesses are elevated by the Guild, and that we will continue to push San Diego above and beyond what it truly means to be the Capital of Craft.”