11/08/2008 (4:02 am)
Eight top executives to leave Anheuser-Busch when InBev takes over
Editor’s note: Read more beer coverage at our new "Lager Heads" blog at http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/lager-heads/
InBev of Belgium will dramatically shake up the top ranks of St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Cos. when it takes over the biggest U.S. brewer. InBev announced a slate of executives who will lead InBev’s North American zone when the $52 billion takeover closes, expected later this year.
Eight top executives at Anheuser-Busch will leave the company when the St. Louis-based brewer is bought by InBev of Belgium, the Post-Dispatch has learned.
The executives include: W. Randolph Baker, chief financial officer; Tom Santel, president and chief executive of Anheuser-Busch’s international division; Doug Muhleman, group vice president of brewing operations and technology; Keith Kasen, head of A-B’s theme park division; Joe Castellano chief information officer; Mike Owens, vice president of business operations for A-B’s domestic brewing unit; Mike Harding, chief executive and president of A-B’s packaging group; and Tim Farrell, vice president of corporate human resources.
According to a document obtained by the Post-Dispatch, InBev named members of the future management team for North America, reporting to Luiz Fernando Edmond. The team will have a mix of Anheuser-Busch and InBev veterans to lead the North American zone. InBev reiterated that the two companies will operate separately until closing.
Here is the team:
Peter J. Kraemer will be vice president of supply. He will lead all brewery operations, quality assurance, raw materials, logistics and product innovation responsibilities. Kraemer is a 19-year employee of Anheuser-Busch and is currently vice president of operations for all of A-B’s breweries. A fifth-generation brewmaster and a native of St. Louis, Kraemer was once resident brewmaster of the St. Louis brewery.
Thomas J. Adamitis will be vice president of procurement, retaining a job he holds at Anheuser-Busch. He will oversee purchasing strategies and activities, including energy, packaging, raw materials and capital expenditures. Adamitis is a 16-year veteran of Anheuser-Busch. A native of Granite City, Ill. Adamitis joined A-B in 1992 as a management trainee.
Kirk Norris will lead the Anheuser-Busch packaging group subsidiaries, including Metal Container Corp., Longhorn Glass Corp., Anheuser-Busch Recycling Corp. and Eagle Packaging Inc. A 24-year A-B veteran, Norris is currently group vice president of operations for the subsidiaries and has been with the packaging group in leadership roles since 2004 everyone approved 1 hour payday loans. He has worked at A-B’s breweries in Houston and Newark, N.J. and also worked in international brewing, helping the Wuhan brewery start-up in China.
David Almeida will be vice president of finance, responsible for all budgeting, business performance, risk and control and tax matters. A native of Brazil, Almeida joined InBev in 1998 after working at Salomon Brothers in New York. He is one of InBev’s M&A whiz kids. In 2001, he became head of mergers and acquisitions at AmBev, a Brazilian brewer that is now part of InBev. He moved to Belgium in 2004 to help with the creation of InBev. He has worked as InBev’s vice president of finance for the Asia-Pacific Zone and, most recently, Vice President External Growth.
Odilon Queiroz will be vice president of information and business services. He is currently vice president of finance for the North American zone.
James G. Brickey will be vice president of people, leading the team responsible for compensation, benefits, talent management, risk management, diversity, security, building services, corporate events and food services. Now, Brickey is responsible for Anheuser-Busch’s human resource for corporate and U.S. beer subsidiary personnel, and manages all compensation and benefit programs companywide. Brickey joined A-B in
1989 as a compensation analyst. He is a native of St. Louis.
Gary L. Rutledge will be vice president and zone general counsel, keeping a job he holds now at Anheuser-Busch. He will be responsible for corporate, commercial and labor law, intellectual property, litigation, and labor relations. Rutledge joined Anheuser-Busch in 1997, leaving the Armstrong Teasdale law firm in St. Louis, where he was a partner specializing in litigation. He is a native of St. Louis
James Villeneuve will be vice president of corporate affairs, and will lead the team responsible for government and regulatory affairs, external communications, public relations, corporate social responsibility and foundation and donation management. Villeneuve is currently InBev’s vice president of global corporate affairs. He is a Canadian citizen.
Jim Atchison will continue leading the Busch Entertainment Corp. theme-park subsidiary, which runs SeaWorld and Busch Gardens. Atchison has been running the group’s operations for a year. He is a native of Jersey City, N.J.
jmcwilliams@post-dispatch.com | 314-340-8372