James Gentile
Downingtown,PA
Summary
Experienced leader with strong background in guiding teams, managing complex projects, and achieving strategic objectives. Excels in developing efficient processes, ensuring high standards, and aligning efforts with organizational goals. Known for collaborative approach and commitment to excellence.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Brewing Operations
Bald Birds Brewing Company
03.2022 - Current
- Managed onboarding procedures with a range of contract brewing businesses, facilitating production alignment from scaling to implementation.
- Oversee Lead Brewer and Brewers while managing two-shift, 5-day schedule alongside year-round fermentation checks.
- Collaborating with Director of Sales on annual brand strategy encompassing new year-round and seasonal brand launches from concept to recipe
- Revamped core West Coast and New England IPA recipes to align with current market trends.
- Implemented PCR program targeting monitoring of essential beer spoilage bacteria including Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Diastaticus.
- Spearheaded QA/QC enhancements encompassing fermentation analytics review, tasting sessions, and comprehensive library of all packaged products.
- Executed taproom events featuring food pairings with beers, emphasizing meticulous research, sourcing, and customer presentations
Operations Manager
One Village Coffee
08.2020 - 03.2022
- Direct supervisor to Director of Coffee, Head Roaster and Production Team responsible for the sourcing of green coffee, roasting, packaging, and shipment of finished goods
- Responsible for all packaging and shipping raw material procurement, including continuous price auditing
- Instituted lean manufacturing Kanban system for production supplies inventory control
- Utilized cloud inventory and order management system to calculate daily production requirements
- Researched and successfully transitioned canned cold brew production to a more local manufacturer improving margins 3%
- Purchasing of new weigh-and-fill, industrial grinder, and pallet racking to outfit additional 1600 sq. ft. expansion
- Improvement on COGS by 7% in first 12 months of employment
- Analyzed production workflows, identifying bottlenecks and recommending process improvements.
Director of Brewing Operations
Victory Brewing Company
06.2016 - 08.2020
- Direct supervisor to Brewery Managers, Brewery Supervisors, R&D Lead Brewer, and Kennett Square Lead Brewer
- Oversee a 24/5 production brewery operation including all wort production and cold-side clarification
- Ensure in-spec, on-time product was available for Supply Chain team to have a +96% PO fulfillment rate since 2017
- Worked directly with Lab Manager to accomplish brewery goal of +95% micro pass rate
- Focal contributor in the research, development, and creation of several new year-round VBC brands, including Home Grown, No Brainer IPA, Cloud Walker, and Twisted Monkey
- Lead R&D contributor to upcoming brand calendar creating, tasked with development and pitch of new beers, concepts, or styles
- Brewery liaison to Sales and Marketing counterparts, responsible for the correct communication of beer raw materials, promotional videos, and tasting notes
- Quality assurance for the selection of U.S. hops in Yakima, WA since 2016 valuing in $2 million of raw materials
Brewery Manager
Victory Brewing Company
05.2013 - 06.2016
- Direct supervisor to 6-member team in Downingtown, producing 100% of VBC's draft beer ('13-'14)
- Direct supervisor to 18-member team in Parkesburg, producing 100% of VBC's packaged product ('14-'16)
- Collaborated on two barrel-aged beers, Earth & Flame (Earth + Bread Brewery) and Java Cask (Johnny Brenda's/One Village Roasters), expanding the breadth of VBC's barrel-aged portfolio
- Researched and vetted one-way keg manufactures after experiencing issues with current supplier made the switch to a new supplier accounting for 100% of our international draft business and domestic high-end draft
- Drafted and designed an ergonomic solution to weighing whole-flower hops in Parkesburg with the creation of our wooden hop carts
- Improved communications developing end-of-shift email system, bi-weekly Senior Brewery meetings, and KPI centric whiteboards
- Involved in all interviewing, hiring, and annual evaluation of Brewing Staff from '14 - Current
Brewer
Victory Brewing Company
06.2012 - 05.2013
- Operational on 200 BBL Rolec Brewhouse (ProLeit OS), 50 BBL Rolec Brewhouse (Berabrew OS), Alfa Laval Brew 700 Centrifuge, 40-head 256 BPM Krones Filler, and two-lane 140 KPH Lambrechts Keg Line
- Member of a 6-person Brewhouse team responsible for maintaining a 24/7 production schedule producing over 100,000 BBL of wort brewed in 2013
- Responsible for multiple high efficiency shifts (>=95%) running both bottling and kegging lines
- Constructed yeast pitching database to improve pitch durations for reliable cell counts
Brewer
Capitol City Brewing Company
06.2010 - 06.2012
- Responsible for following a tight production schedule, as well as adapting to an ever-changing business environment
- Proficient in all aspects of brewing from milling, CIP, brewing, filtering, and carbonization
- Developed new recipes to support the four core styles brewed at the brewpub
- Accountable for the maintenance and creation of new cask conditioned beer
- Member of a three-person brewing staff, occasionally being responsible for opening and closing brewing operations
- Trained on basic laboratory QAQC including autoclave procedures, preparing media, swabbing for bacteria, and propagating yeast strands
- Accountable for maintaining social media feeds including Facebook and Twitter as well as brewing related updates to the company website
Education
B.S. - Industrial Systems Engineering, Business
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech)
Blacksburg, VA05-2010
Skills
- ProLeiT - Brewmaxx (version 900)
- Ekos
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Self-Directed
- Relationship building
- Active listening
- Multitasking Abilities
- Excellent communication
- Problem-solving
- Friendly, positive attitude
Timeline
Head of Brewing Operations
Bald Birds Brewing Company
03.2022 - Current
Operations Manager
One Village Coffee
08.2020 - 03.2022
Director of Brewing Operations
Victory Brewing Company
06.2016 - 08.2020
Brewery Manager
Victory Brewing Company
05.2013 - 06.2016
Brewer
Victory Brewing Company
06.2012 - 05.2013
Brewer
Capitol City Brewing Company
06.2010 - 06.2012
B.S. - Industrial Systems Engineering, Business
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech)