#givingback: Kassie and the Michigan Brewers Guild

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In our series #giving back at SalesPage, we highlight the different ways that members of our team are involved in their communities. One of our core values is passion, and we believe in the power of our people to be a positive force within their team and community.

July team feature: Kassie H.

This month, I get the pleasure of writing in the first person! I’ll be celebrating one year at SalesPage in August and am responsible for marketing and product development activities. However, in my pre-COVID life, I lived and breathed special events. I have also been a craft beer fan since the clock struck midnight on my 21st birthday! As luck would have it, I have the chance to combine these two passions through my involvement with the Michigan Brewers Guild.

The Michigan Brewers Guild is a non-profit dedicated to promoting and protecting the Michigan beer industry. Their activities include hosting annual beer festivals and events, lobbying for important industry issues, and educating consumers about the craft. Like the Michigan beer scene, they have grown exponentially in recent years. As of 2020, the Guild includes over 300 member breweries representing over 90% of brewing licenses in the state.

I became involved in 2019 while working as an event manager for Western Michigan University. My team had started an annual event called “Bronco Brewfest”, where we brought in alumni-owned breweries to showcase in a small-scale festival setting. West Michigan Beer Tours helped us with the logistics for Brewfest, and their general manager connected me with a member of the Guild’s planning team. Because of my event planning experience, I didn’t need much training and could jump in anywhere help was needed. I worked the registration table at the summer festival that year, and they have welcomed me back ever since!

The Great Beer State

My favorite thing about this volunteer experience is being around people with a common passion. I look forward to the constant conversations with like-minded enthusiasts who appreciate the craft and creativity that goes into brewing. I also admire that the Guild makes it a priority to showcase and support the industry as a whole. For instance, their annual conference has a trade show that brings awareness to brewing-related community groups, tradespeople, and agriculture.

In addition, I love being back in the fast-paced world of events – if only for a few days! The Michigan Brewers Guild volunteer team is incredible and works so hard to create festivals that are fun and safe. There’s nothing like the feeling of sipping a cold draft beer when the work is done and taking a moment to appreciate the magical, temporary world you helped create.

Check out the video below with pictures of my fellow volunteers and enthusiasts supporting Michigan breweries during quarantine in Summer 2020. Finally, for more information about Michigan beer, visit the Guild’s website at mibeer.com. Cheers!