The desire to make the world a better place through one’s daily efforts is part of most U.S. Armed Forces service members’ DNA. It draws them to enlist despite the inevitable hard-yet-meaningful work that lay in store for them and big unknowns such as where they will live or which far-off places they will be deployed. It takes courage, virtue and heart to make that kind of a leap, and those indelible qualities remain long after one’s military service comes to an end.
Take, for instance, Timothy Parker, a U.S. Navy veteran who traveled the world during his 20 years as an aircrewman. It was in those various ports of call that he developed a taste and appreciation for worldly beer styles, which he later sated stateside with ales and lagers from craft breweries. He was still in the service when he felt the itch to get into the brewing industry and started putting together his passion project.
Today, that veteran-owned business, Chula Vista Brewery, is half-a-decade old and making a positive difference care of Parker’s commitment to serving and bettering the community. Last month, the San Diego Business Journal named Parker as one of San Diego County’s “top 50 veteran business leaders of influence”. Parker was nominated for consideration by Accessity, a local non-profit working to provide access to business capital for people of color, women and immigrants.
“It’s humbling, but the military always fosters a family-unit approach where we all serve our country together,” says Parker. “After proudly serving our country, it’s a real honor for us to be able to continue giving back to our communities.”
Examples of Parker’s humanitarian spirit are often presented in beer form. In 2021, Chula Vista Brewery produced and packaged a New-World-hopped German-style pilsner dubbed Operation Overlord, the code-name for World War II’s Battle of Normandy (AKA: D-Day). The beer raised funds for the Best Defense Foundation (BDF), a non-profit headed by former San Diego Chargers linebacker and Chula Vistan Donnie Edwards. BDF takes veterans on battlefield-return excursions across the globe to help treat PTSD by providing a sense of closure. Destinations BDF and the veterans it serves have visited include Normandy, Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, and sites in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Last December, Chula Vista Brewery and BDF united with the country’s 43rd-largest craft brewery, Maui Brewing, to create Day of Infamy, a cream ale honoring the 80th anniversary of the attach on Pearl Harbor.
Chula Vista Brewery also teamed with another veteran-owned San Diego business, War Planes, to brew a pair of beers. One is a hazy pale ale named after the manufacturer of custom-built body-surf hand planes, while the other, Breakers Beach double IPA, was developed directly with the company’s co-founder, Navy rescue swimmer Nick Barringer.
War Planes, Breakers Beach and Operation Overlord were included as part of a special mixed 12-pack released during this year’s Veteran’s Day weekend.
Parker says the good Chula Vista Brewery has been able to do would not have been possible without the loyal customer base that has gotten his business where it is today. But he gives the most credit to his wife and business partner, Dali. “She is the driving force behind everything we plan and execute,” says Parker, before adding with a chuckle, “I do what my wife tells me.”
In addition to these more visible initiatives, Parker also mentors fellow veterans. This includes sharing his entrepreneurial experiences with people looking to go into business for themselves as well as counseling servicepeople who are transitioning to civilian life.
Parker’s personal definition of an “influential business leader” is an entrepreneur who looks beyond themself and their business to help others achieve their dreams. When asked about being singled out for an individual honor, he exhibits that behavior. Rather than focusing on his accomplishment, he uses his time in the spotlight to assist fellow small-business owners.
“Go and support your local neighborhood breweries, not just mine,” says Parker. “And continue providing support to all the small mom-and-pop shops out there that really represent the entrepreneurial spirit. They are working relentlessly to pursue their dreams and working hard to make a positive difference in the world around them.”
Chula Vista Brewery is located at 294 Third Avenue, and its sister brewpub is located at 871 Showroom Place in Chula Vista’s Eastlake neighborhood