Aaron Funk Email & Phone Number

Nebraska, United States

Lincoln, Ne, Us

Lincoln, Ne, Us

• Selected to fill a first-ever position devoted entirely to industry sponsored funding and external collaborations, reporting to and coordinating with multiple institutional agencies within the University of Nebraska system.• Restored and enhanced departmental reputation and built trust within the organization by streamlining legal transactions and creating efficiencies – all in keeping with the policies of an instrumentality of the state of Nebraska.• Responsible for processing and managing over 600 transactions a year and recording $7.5 million annually in industry sponsored research, intellectual property development, and technology transfer.• Promoted a business-friendly environment with corporate sponsors by owning all aspects of the commercial relationship, providing exceptional customer service without compromising the values of the organization.• Established an enduring reputation as the go-to resource for crafting creative solutions for one-off arrangements, extraordinary transactions, and intellectual property issues.• Developed and implemented an innovative, system-wide protocol for swiftly and efficiently managing revenue bearing contracts for low-risk transactions – field trials, clinical studies, and evaluation services. • Worked with industry partners to stretch research funding through federal and state grant funding opportunities, including SBIR/STTR grants, and Nebraska Department of Economic Development initiatives. • Created and presented practical and concise training materials to internal partners on applicable institutional policies and procedures, state and federal law, and industry standards.• Counseled and led a system-wide project to renovate contract templates to bring the agreements up to date, consolidate multiple versions, and create a centralized database to secure the original documents.• Nominated to serve on numerous institutional and standing and ad hoc committees.

Rabbit and Turtle Beverage Corp. is a beverage manufacturer specializing in cocktail mixers and syrups. Our flagship product is Colonel Jesse's Small Batch Tonic, which is the perfect complement to top shelf spirits.

Due to my love for the craft beverage industry, I continue to work as a consultant, working with several breweries, distilleries, and beverage manufacturers on issues ranging from real estate to distribution agreements to licensing. Highlights include:• Counseled multiple breweries, cideries, and distilleries (14, as of January, 2018) from inception to opening, including all local, state, and federal licensing, intellectual property strategies, corporate transactions, financing, and production logistics.• Design and administer intellectual property strategies for clients to avoid potential disputes, build commercial equity, and mitigate brand devaluation.• Guided and led strategic initiatives involving leasing, financing, licensing, and construction agreements for multiple clients, as well as crafted investment strategies for bringing on additional investment capital.• Drafted and negotiated distribution agreements for breweries, thereby protecting the brewery from punitive franchise rules in the event of a contract dispute and dissolution.• Published articles for craft brewery publications on legal issues concerning small breweries.• Developed a legislative plan to create a “locally grown” policy for Nebraska breweries, to develop local grain and hop production, raw material processing, and equipment development.• Proficient with FONL and COLA applications, interpreting and applying TTB regulations, and working with government agencies on beverage issues.

• Directly advised CEO as the compliance officer and risk analyst for business entities operating under a variety of jurisdictional regimes, primarily in financial, privacy, digital marketing, and technology practice areas.• Responsible for drafting and managing contracts for multiple internal clients, as well as reviewing, negotiating, and approving all contracts from external service providers and suppliers.• Managed a real estate and property portfolio in multiple states, including a development in India. • Corporate Secretary and registered agent for all business entities, as well as custodian for transactional documents, corporate records, and regulatory filings for each business entity.• Administered the due diligence process for potential acquisitions and investment opportunities, including financial audits, UCC filing and review, and generate transactional reports.

Boulder, Colorado, Us

• Published vibrant and imaginative articles designed to attract new readers to the American Homebrewers Association and Brewers Association websites and CraftBeer.com.• Created and published a series of over 40 blog entries relating the exceptional food and beer pairings served at the annual SAVOR craft beer event in Washington, D.C.• Provided creative support to the marketing team by presenting fresh, original content geared towards attracting new members, promoting trade shows, and driving traffic to BA affiliated websites.

• Regulatory and compliance expert for various government agencies and administrative offices, acting as the legal representative for the organization and its affiliates in hearings, audits, and inspections.• Contracts manager, overseeing incoming and outgoing documents, negotiating terms and conditions, developing custom agreements, and training sales and purchasing staff on logistics.• Responsible for local, state, and federal licensing for multiple business units, most notably a unique arrangement whereby the company could distribute its products to wholly-owned affiliates without a third party wholesaler, thereby establishing a cost savings of 30%.• Designed and managed an expansive and innovative human resources program that included a distinctive training protocol, an affordable benefits package featuring a wellness component, and a Workers' Compensation program that resulted in a 50% reduction in insurance rates.• Created a new market channel through the Government Service Administration (GSA) through which technical equipment could be marketed and sold directly to government clients.• Developed a strategy for opening new markets by creating new distribution channels, developing new products, drafting promotional materials, forecasting production in pro forma models, and conducting educational seminars for internal and external clients.• Chair and active member of multiple committees, most notably an environmental leadership team with a mandate to reduce waste, utilize renewable energy sources, and incorporate green designs for future projects, resulting in recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency in 2005 for waste reduction.• Continuously and successfully lobbied the Nebraska Legislature and the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission to make changes to the liquor laws, providing for a more equitable business environment.

• Lobbied the Nebraska State Legislature, the Nebraska Liquor Commission, and Federal agencies on behalf of the craft brewing industry, home brewers, and beer enthusiasts.• Fostered and maintained strong relationships with government agencies to promote the business interests of Nebraska's brewing industry.• Counseled members on the regulatory requirements for licensing a brewery in Nebraska and with the Trade and Tax Bureau.• Wrote legal briefs, informative articles, and official letters on behalf of the organization and its members.

Mba, Business Administration

Jd, Corporate And Transactional Law

Ba, Psychology And Criminal Justice