Chris Ross has been a leader at tech giants like Qualcomm, Ericsson and Novatel. Now all he has to figure out is how that'll help him expand a craft brewer.
"I don't know yet,” he said. “I've only been here nine days.”
Ross is the new chief operating officer at San Diego’s Green Flash Brewing Company.
His job is a bit more complex than a fizzy yellow beer.
"First thing, understand the problems, then fix them. Don't come in with fixes before you understand what the problems are,” he said.
Ross most recently served as chief technical officer at Intrynsic, a Vancouver, British Columbia, product development company. He says he may provide a fresh perspective as Green Flash builds a new plant in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
"There's going to be some things that apply that maybe the beer industry hasn't encountered yet,” Ross said.
Green Flash says its East Coast plant should be done by the middle of next year. It will be able to produce 100,000 barrels of beer each year, just like in San Diego.
Ross, also a Green Flash investor, says the company will save big money on shipping costs. And he says when it comes to growth, he's the man to lead it.
"I've seen a lot, and I bring a very balanced, I guess, senior view of the world, and hope to bring it here and help some people," he said.
MillerCoors announced this week that it would be purchasing San Diego craft brewer St. Archer.
Ross told 10News that Green Flash has no plans to be acquired and is focused on expansion.
