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ALEX PUCHNER
Nickname: Bud
Position: Sr. Vice President of Brewing Operations
Brewing Experience: With BJ's since beginning of 1996. Previously brewed for Laguna Beach Brewing Company (1 yr.) and Huntington Beach Beer Company (2 yrs). Consulting brewer for Newport Beach Brewing Co. and Westwood Brewing Co. Began homebrewing in 1986. BJCP National Judge.
Education: B.A. (Beer Appreciation) degree from Cornell. M.B.A. (Master of Beer Appreciation) from University of Chicago. Siebel short courses in Brewing Microscopy and Essential QC.
Previous Career(s): Marketing for Mattel Toys.
Favorite Beer Style(s): IPA and most Belgian styles.
Favorite Domestic Beer or Brewery: Sierra Nevada
Favorite Imported Beer or Brewery: Rodenbach Grand Cru
Other Hobbies/Interests: My family (2 children and 3 dogs), backpacking, skiing, running, mountain biking, and music.
Life's Ambition: To spend a year traveling around the world with my wife, Kerry.
JEFF WILLIAMS
Nickname: Owen
Brewery: Brea, West Covina, Roseville, Laguna Hills & Reno
Position: Director of Brewing Operations & New Brewery Operations
Brewing Experience: With BJ's since beginning of 1996. Enjoys brewing and designing the new BJ’s brewing systems. Spent one year with Riverside Brewing Co. and also has 10 years of homebrewing experience.
Education: B.A. in Psychology from CSU
Previous Career(s): Probation Officer
Favorite Beer Style(s): The beer that’s in front of me!
Favorite Domestic Beer or Brewery: Sierra Nevada
Favorite Imported Beer or Brewery: Hinano
Other Hobbies/Interests: Vacations & retirement in the South Pacific
Life's Ambition: Sail the South Pacific
MICHAEL FERGUSON
Nickname: Mufasa (also depending on where I am: Chef, Big Daddy, Fergie, and B3)
Position: Director of Brewing Operations & Contract Brewing
Brewing Experience: With BJ’s since 2004. Currently a contributing writer for the Southwest Brewing News. Previously brewed for Station Casinos, Inc., and was responsible for Hofbrauhaus Brewery & Pub in Kansas City, MO, Sunset Brewing Company in Henderson, NV, and Barley’s Casino & Brewing Company, also in Henderson for 8 years. Before that it was Gordon Biersch Brewing Company, starting at GB1 in Palo Alto, CA in 1990.
Previous Career(s): Adjunct Professor and Brew Master at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Department of Food and Beverage Management, William F Harrah College of Hotel Administration; A long and varied career at IBM that took me to 36 of these United States.
Education: B.S. in Engineering from UC Berkeley.
Favorite Beer Style(s): Bavarian styles, especially the Bock beers and Scottish & Scotch ales.
Favorite Domestic Beer or Brewery: Other than ours, Sierra Nevada and Anchor Brewing.
Favorite Imported Beer or Brewery: Traquair House
Other Hobbies/Interests: Motorcycles, martial arts, writing, and reading.
Life's Ambition: To eventually publish a novel and spend the money taking a motorcycle beer tour of the world.
JOHN M. OLIVER
Nickname: Toby
Brewery: Brea
Position: Regional Brewmaster (So. Cal. Inland Empire) & Production Manager
Brewing Experience: With BJ's since summer of 1997, previously Assistant Brewer at Ebbets Field Brewing Co. (Springfield, MO); homebrewer since 1986; GM of The Home Brewery 1994-97.
Education: B.S. in Graphic Communications Management, Cal. Poly State University, San Luis Obispo.
Previous Career(s): Various sales and management positions in high quality commercial printing.
Favorite Beer Style(s): Oktoberfest/Marzen, Bock
Favorite Domestic Beer or Brewery: Sierra Nevada
Favorite Imported Beer or Brewery: Paulaner, Spaten
Other Hobbies/Interests: Fishing, hunting, and classic cars.
Life's Ambition: To be as good and supportive to my family and friends as they have been to me in my life.
DEREK OSBORNE
Nickname: Doc
Brewery: Chandler, AZ
Position: Regional Brewmaster (Arizona & Colorado) & Procedures Manager
Brewing Experience: With BJ's since our first brewery in 1996. BJ's brewing experience: Brea, CA, Portland, OR, Boulder, CO, and now in Chandler, AZ.
Education: Doctors degree from Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, TX.
Previous Career(s): Chiropractor
Favorite Beer Style(s): IPA!
Favorite Domestic Beer or Brewery: Sierra Nevada
Other Hobbies/Interests: Mountain biking, fly-fishing, and playing Frisbee with my two dogs.
Life's Ambition: Grow old with my Sweet Melissa.
DAN PEDERSEN
Nickname: Dan "The Man"
Brewery: Reno
Position: Regional Brewmaster (Nevada), QA Manager
Brewing Experience: With BJ's since June 1998, Head Brewer at Bend Brewing Company 1996-1998, Assistant Brewer at Eugene City Brewery 1993-1995, homebrewer since 1990
Education: Diploma in Brewing Studies, Siebel Inst. of Technology, Fall 1995
Previous Career(s): Waiter, Bartender, Massage Technician
Favorite Beer Style(s): IPA, most Belgian ales
Favorite Domestic Beer or Brewery: La Folie
Favorite Imported Beer or Brewery: Cantillon
Other Hobbies/Interests: My wife & son, bicycling (especially on knobbies!), history, economics.
Life's Ambition: To continually learn, grow, and challenge myself. To be the best husband and father I can be.
DAVID MATHIS
Nickname: Puffy
Brewery: Roseville
Position: Regional Brewmaster (Nor. Cal. & Oregon)
Brewing Experience: With BJ’s since April 1999. Spent 10 months at El Toro Brewing Company in Morgan Hill, CA, and 6 months at Steamship Brewing Company in Seattle, WA.
Education: B.S. Business Administration (marketing); 11 week brewing and science diploma program - American Brewers Guild
Previous Career(s): Sales and Logistics, Restaurant Management
Favorite Beer Style(s): IPA, Belgian Trappist, Lambic
Favorite Domestic Beer or Brewery: El Toro & Sierra Nevada
Favorite Imported Beer or Brewery: Chimay Grand Reserve & Thomas Hardy
Other Hobbies/Interests: Scuba diving, backpacking, travel, enjoying great beer with great friends, and making my wife, Claire, laugh every day.
Life's Ambition: To pass with a smile on my face and know it was worth it.
SCOTT MANNING
Nickname: Scotty
Brewery: Reno
Position: Brewmaster
Brewing Experience: Brewer for Breckenridge Brewery (1997-98) and Nimbus Brewing Company (1999), both of Tucson, AZ. Brewer for BJ's Woodland Hills (2001-02). Brewer for BJ’s West Covina (2002-06).
Education: B.S. University of Wisconson, Madison. Double major in German Literature and Filmmaking/Broadcasting. Go Badgers!
Previous Career(s): Hotel management; cook
Favorite Beer Style(s): IPA, Bock, Rauchbier
Favorite Domestic Beer or Brewery: Mine! Otherwise, Alaskan Smoked Porter & Sierra Celebration. Sierra Nevada and New Glarus Brewing Company make consistently great beer.
Favorite Imported Beer or Brewery: Fullers, Emerson Brewing of Dunedin, NZ. Many more I’d love to discover.
Other Hobbies/Interests: Trying to be a good husband and daddy. Also, camping, hiking, music, & foreign travel.
Life's Ambition: Avoid landing on Boardwalk and Park Place. Harbour no regrets.
DARIN HAENER
Nickname: TBD
Brewery: Oxnard
Position: Regional Brewer
Brewing Experience: Spent 2 years with Butterfield Brewing Company and 1 year with Bulldog Brewing Company, both in Fresno, CA. Home brewer for 3 years prior. Has been brewing with BJ’s since 2004.
Education: None, just lots of reading!
Previous Career(s): Locksmith, sous chef
Favorite Beer Style(s): West Coast IPA’s, Belgian Tripel
Favorite Domestic Beer or Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
Favorite Imported Beer or Brewery: Wittekerke, Cantillon Organic Geuze, Chimay Cinq Cents
Other Hobbies/Interests: Cycling, basketball, spending time with my family
Life's Ambition: To make world class beer and be the best husband and father I can be.
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