Ben Widseth Email & Phone Number

Petaluma, Ca, Us

St. Helena, Ca, Us

• Lead creation of company’s first Innovation department overseeing the enterprise wine and spirits portfolio pipeline inclusive of existing brand and new brand development• Create and implement company long-term innovation strategy and priorities, identifying key category growth segments and driving strategic direction through the brand planning process• Own and manage new product financial contribution and valuation through topline growth, margin enhancement, and mix optimization• Develop and launch piloting program, implementing playbook of key market identification, learning plan criteria and launch guidelines • Evolve the new product commercialization and go-to-market processes, collaborating with commercial sales partners to enhance category story, distributor and retailer communication platforms, and new item sell-in materials • Attract and build high performing Innovation team, recruiting internal and external talent

San Diego, Ca, Us

• Report directly to CEO as part of management team, developing and presenting business plans and updates to the board of directors, investors, and wholesaler panel • Oversee the Green Flash and Alpine brand marketing including strategy, creative, innovation, retail/point-of-sale, PR, partnerships, events, and digital/social media• Manage 8 brand marketers including in-house creative, communications, and events teams • Led Green Flash re-brand effort from brand purpose and positioning to visual identity across total marketing mix, working closely with cross-functional leadership team• Developed annual Green Flash and Alpine commercial brand plans and presented to key internal (sales, supply) and external (wholesalers, chain retailers, and partners) stakeholders• Grew Green Flash and Alpine innovation pipelines from concept through execution launching two new visual identities (Green Flash and Alpine), four brands, and 22 SKUs • Own marketing P&L, setting budget strategy, financial and team targets tied to brand plans• Selected first digital media agency partner and created complete digital consumer connections plan, integrating social, paid media, influencer, search, geotargeting and programmatic advertising • Results: Reversed 2019 to 2020 YOY sales numbers from -36% to +27% YTD, drove +25MM impressions in 2019 a 440% over delivery of yearly target, generated +$25,000 in charitable giving• New innovations launched: Celtic Sun IPA a collaboration with Jameson Whiskey, Saturhaze IPA a low-ABV hazy IPA, Beter beer a USDA certified organic beer, and Baja Bound lager • Brand awards: Gold Telly Award for Documentary Campaign-Series, Gold Addy for packaging illustration series, Silver Addy for packaging design

Leuven, Be

• Direct report into VP of US Innovation to set the strategic and financial roadmap, analyzing the performance of 950+ SKU's with a pipeline valued at $1B+ in future net revenue • Manage 4 high-potential (BBA & MBA) direct reports, focusing on stage gate process, pilot development, new product commercialization, and core beer pipeline portfolio strategy• Built company's first small pilot and experimentation platform for core portfolio, working with internal (Global, Supply, Sales) and external (WhatIf, Bionic, entrepreneurs) partners • Led Innovation 3YP strategy and 1YP tactical plans analyzing multiple data (IRI, Innoscreen, MarketView, Millward Brown) sources to uncover whitespace opportunities then provide tangible and actionable priorities • Generated $300MM+ of incremental revenue for portfolio during pipeline management • Developed and presented strategy, plans, and analysis overviews to senior stakeholders (US & Global VP’s, US & Global CMO, Zone President) focusing on the “so what” and providing clear recommendations Spearheaded retailer (Walmart, Kroger, Costco) sell-in presentations, highlighting the strategy and points of differentiation of big bet innovations

Leuven, Be

• Selected for Global MBA program: A one-year leadership development track program thatteaches participants the company’s global business dynamics, providing access to C-suitementorship and presentation opportunities• Led Shock Top new visual brand identity, updating packaging and seasonal beer line-up,working closely with creative agency, Commercial, and Supply cross-functional partnersthrough strategy setting to implementation• Created U.S. Stella Artois 5-year innovation plan (new liquid and pack SKU’s) against brandvolume and net revenue growth target using the Front End Innovation (FEI) model toidentify whitespace opportunities using global and local trend research (IRI, Mintel, etc.),collaborating with Global Stella Artois Brand, Insights, and Innovation teams• Launched Blue Point canned cocktail seltzer, leading creative concepts and producing pilotplan with regional sales teams to set success metrics and projected ROI• Optimized the current stage gate process to accommodate cross-brewing initiatives for thecraft brewery partners, balancing cross-functional alignment with a faster route-to-marketthrough the three-tier system• Completed University of Virginia Darden Executive Education Design Thinking workshop

Detroit, Mi, Us

• Led 2014 regional marketing planning, designing an effective plan to grow and enhancedealer business through innovative activations, resulting in 150% increase in budget• Developed project creative briefs, leveraging consumer insights and

Chicago, Illinois, Us

Account Executive for McDonald's, 2010-2011• Streamlined media placement sizes of a $50M out of home and point of sale nationalprogram that saved over $150K in production costs• Led advertising strategy and production of new Ronald McDonald campaign acrosstelevision, print, and online channels, stimulating both adult and kid salesAccount Executive on Kellogg's, 2008-2010• Supported brand management team with the annual strategic and tactical planpresentations ensuring marketing, media, and advertising components delivered onbusiness objectives• Collaborated with Kellogg's Frosted Flakes cross-functional team to develop Dad targetedadvertising campaign which increased base sales by 5% in the first month

Detroit, Mi, Us

• Integrated emerging Ford incentive software with dynamic banner and retail websiteplacements, decreasing costs for revisions by 25%

Master Of Business Administration (Mba), Marketing/Marketing Management, General

B.A., English, Economics