Alex(ander) Barth, shareholder and CEO of John I. Haas, Inc., North America’s leading hops supplier and part of the international BarthHass Group will step down as CEO and moves up to board in August 2023.
As part of the succession, the company has promoted long-time Executive Vice President Tom Davis to Chief Operating Officer and Stephanie Conrad to Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately, with Barth continuing to lead the company as CEO until the end of his term through July 2023.
The move marks the first time in company history that a non-family member will lead Haas and mirrors the recent executive appointments at BarthHaas in Europe.
Alex Barth is the last member of the Barth family to retire from active management of the company. In July 2021, his brother Stephan Barth resigned from his management position at BarthHaas after a serious illness from COVID-19 (inside.beer, 7.7.2021), followed by his cousin Regine Barth at the end of 2021. (inside.beer, 13.12.2021)
“The talents of both Barth and Davis and their nearly 20-year history of success working together to move the company forward – made the job of finding a successor to Barth that much easier,” John I. Haas said in a press statement. “In Davis we have found the future of Haas leadership while ensuring continuity with the innovation and operational excellence that has propelled the company to the top ranks of the hop industry.”
Alex Barth has led the company since 2008. “I’m very proud of my family’s history running Haas and the collective effort of our employees to turn Haas into the major leader and innovator it has become today,” he said. “Ours is a history of growth anchored in hard and passionate work, a love of the land, and a respect for the hop and its nearly unlimited possibilities.”
Tom Davis joined Haas in 2004 as CFO, overseeing all financial and internal services, including IT and HR. In 2018,he assumed responsibility for all manufacturing operations as Executive Vice President.
“I greatly appreciate the trust and confidence the Board has placed in me by naming me the future CEO and, as of today, Chief Operating Officer of this storied family business,” said Davis. “It’s the honor of a lifetime, and I look forward to working with all our stakeholders to shepherd this amazing company through its next vital chapters of growth and innovation.”
Stephanie Conrad has worked at Haas since 1990, continuing to take on increasing responsibility throughout her tenure, most recently serving as Haas’ VP Finance and Administration. Conrad noted, “When I joined the company as a payroll accountant, I never would have believed I would one day become its first woman VP, and now C-Suite executive. Haas is a special place. I look forward to building upon the incredibly rich and unique foundation so many have worked to establish here and to contributing to the company’s future success.”
