St. Paul, MN – July 2, 2024 – Johnson Brothers announces the appointment of two industry veterans to lead its operations in Wisconsin and Indiana. Keith Gass has been named the new General Manager of Johnson Brothers of Wisconsin, while Mike Spring has been promoted to General Manager of Johnson Brothers of Indiana. Both Gass and Spring will play pivotal roles in advancing Johnson Brothers’ strategic initiatives and driving continued growth in their respective markets.
Keith Gass – General Manager, Johnson Brothers of Wisconsin
Keith Gass (pronounced goss) brings over 30 years of industry experience to his new role at Johnson Brothers. As General Manager, Gass will oversee all business activities across the state of Wisconsin. Gass’s extensive career includes progressive leadership roles across multiple regions of the country, delivering exceptional results.
Before joining Johnson Brothers, Gass served as a senior executive at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada. During his tenure, he successfully established and led its rapidly growing beer division, transforming it into the single largest selling division in the state. His outstanding leadership and industry acumen resulted in a promotion to oversee the state’s Off-Premise division for wine, spirits, and beer.
Gass’s career spans over two decades at Anheuser-Busch, where he held prominent roles across various states including New York, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, and California. His extensive experience includes managing field sales, national accounts, category management, and sales strategy, as well as directing wholesale operations. His diverse and accomplished background underscores his exceptional ability to drive growth and innovation in the beverage industry.
“We are thrilled to have Keith join our team and look forward to the expertise and leadership he will bring to our Wisconsin operations,” said Yale Johnson, Vice President of Johnson Brothers. “His extensive experience and proven track record in the industry make him a valuable addition to our organization.”
Mike Spring – General Manager, Johnson Brothers of Indiana
Mike Spring has been promoted to General Manager of Johnson Brothers of Indiana. Since joining the company in 2022 as the Retail Director, Spring has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and business acumen. His recent promotion to General Sales Manager further highlights his outstanding contributions and ability to drive success within the organization.
Prior to his tenure at Johnson Brothers, Spring served as Business Development Manager for E&J Gallo Winery in Wisconsin, driving profitable revenue growth by identifying opportunities and reducing costs. His career includes ten years at Breakthru Beverage of Illinois, where he progressed from Sales Consultant to District Manager to Sales Manager.
“Mike’s ability to build high-performance teams and drive growth have positioned him to lead our Indiana operations to new heights,” said George Marsden, Chief Commercial Officer, Johnson Brothers. “We are confident we will achieve success and continue to strengthen our presence in the region under his leadership.”
About Johnson Brothers
Johnson Brothers is a multi-generational family-owned wine, beer, and spirits distributor in the United States. Founded by Lynn Johnson in 1953, the company remains committed to its founding values of work ethic, passion, innovation, teamwork, excellence, and integrity. Through forging strong partnerships with top-tier suppliers globally, Johnson Brothers offers an exceptional portfolio of world-class brands to customer partners across 17 states. With a dedicated team of 4,000, Johnson Brothers remains committed to delivering excellence and continued growth across its operations. For the second consecutive year, Johnson Brothers has been honored as one of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America by Newsweek. For more information, please visit johnsonbrothers.com or LinkedIn and Instagram.
