Seraf De Smedt: Duvel USA
Duvel USA, Boulevard Brewing Company, and Brewery Ommegang has welcomed Seraf De Smedt as president of the US organization.
De Smedt has served as the chief finance and administration officer for Duvel Moortgat since December 2013. Having started the new role in June, he is working closely with the US-based leadership team while continuing to oversee the global finance team for Duvel Moortgat.
John McDonald, founder of Boulevard Brewing Company, who stepped in as interim president for Duvel USA late January, has returned to retirement.
Duvel Moortgat is a fourth-generation, family-owned craft brewery based in Puurs-Sint-Amands, Belgium. The company owns and operates ten breweries in the US and Europe, including Boulevard Brewing Co. in Kansas City, MO, Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY and Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in Paso Robles, CA.
De Smedt will split his time between Belgium and the US. The US leadership team will oversee daily operations for the US breweries and national sales team. Leading those duties are company veterans Bobby Dykstra, executive vice president of sales and marketing; Rick DeBar, general manager of Brewery Ommegang; Steven Pauwels, brewmaster of Boulevard; Dali Grabar, director of engineering for Boulevard; Julie Weeks, vice president of communications and culture; and newcomer Stephanie Walker, director of human resources.
“The US market has been a great passion of mine since joining Duvel Moortgat,” said De Smedt. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with my US colleagues more closely. The beer and alcoholic beverage industries have never been more complex, which provides all of us the task of balancing our innovation and staying true to our heritage beers.”
Prior to joining Duvel Moortgat, De Smedt served as CFO at Lineas, a Belgian rail freight company (2009-2013), and as associate principal at McKinsey & Company, a consultancy (2001-2009). He started his career as a senior auditor at PwC, an auditing firm (1996-1999). De Smedt holds an Applied Economics degree from the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL, 1996), as well as a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago (Booth School of Business, 2001).