Our Team
Meet John
John Freyer began his craft beer career in 1989 at Weinkeller Brewery in Berwyn, IL—one of Chicago's first microbreweries. There, he learned brewing alongside future industry leaders like Nick Floyd (Three Floyds), Jim Cibak, and Josh Deth (Revolution Brewing).
He started in sales, distributing Sam Adams and Baderbräu before joining Union Liquors, where he helped establish a specialty beer distributorship, bringing Bell’s and Sierra Nevada to Chicago. In 1992, he founded Joseph Gies Imports, introducing esoteric microbrews and Belgian beers to the market. His portfolio included August Schell, Golden Prairie, Breckenridge, North Coast, B. United, and many more.
After selling Gies Imports to Louis Glunz Beer in 1996, he helped expand their specialty division before joining the startup Three Floyds Brewing in 1998 as National Sales Manager and later Managing Partner. In 2002, he launched Marketing & Co., independently representing major craft and import brands such as Dogfish Head, Great Lakes, Founders, Abita, Chimay, and Hofbräuhaus.
Currently, Freyer is President of Marketing & Co., Vice President of the Craft Beer Hall of Fame, Treasurer of the Vintage Base Ball Museum, and Historian/Director of Procurement for the Chicago Baseball Museum. He also consults on microbrewery and brewpub development.
Meet Chelsea
Chelsea Breann is a seasoned professional with over 22 years of comprehensive experience spanning business development, marketing and public relations, events, sales, and culinary formulation.
As an advocate for non-alcoholic options and other innovative product categories, Chelsea has positioned herself as a trusted voice in the realm of healthy lifestyle alternatives. Her public speaking engagements consistently draw enthusiastic audiences, eager to benefit from her insights into consumer trends, strategic marketing, and product development.
Chelsea’s expertise in business development has enabled her to forge strong, lasting partnerships with industry stakeholders. Her strategic acumen in marketing and public relations has been instrumental in crafting compelling narratives and campaigns that not only enhance brand recognition but also drive significant business growth.
Her contributions to the evolving landscape of non-alcoholic and alternative lifestyle products, combined with her robust experience across multiple facets of business, make her a respected leader and a dynamic force in her industry.
Meet Brittney & Melissa
Brittney and Melissa have been best friends since kindergarten and now form a powerhouse marketing duo with over a decade of experience in website design, SEO, digital marketing, and grant research for small businesses. With a deep understanding of market trends and consumer behavior, Brittney specializes in SEO, SEM, UX design, market analysis, and strategic planning, ensuring businesses maximize their online presence. Melissa brings her expertise in graphic design and business strategy, creating visually compelling and results-driven campaigns. Together, they combine creativity and data-driven solutions to help businesses thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape.