Fran Caradonna, the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at St. Louis Brewery, is now the company’s new CEO.

Fran Caradonna is also the CEO of Schlafly Beer.

Schlafly Beer, which is the oldest craft brewery in the St. Louis area, declared a governance change on Friday. Fran Caradonna is moving from her CEO position to a “consultancy role” for the brewery’s owners and executives.

David Schlafly, the now-former Vice Chair, will replace her as the head of the brewery. Details regarding when the change will come into effect or the reasoning behind the change were not immediately provided. However, Schlafly Beer announced that its Chief Financial Officer, Bill Florent, would manage day-to-day operations.

The brewery refused to comment on the shift. Caradonna, a three-decades-long industry veteran who joined Schlafly in 2019, was not immediately available for a phone interview.

Schlafly conveyed a message from Caradonna in their announcement. She stated, “The decision was a tough one, I didn’t take it lightly. I have a deep affection for the folk, the firm, and Schlafly Beer’s future. My last four and a half years in the beer industry will always be the crowning achievement of my career.”

Stephen Hale, a former Schlafly employee and its founding head brewer, had high praise for Caradonna based on their time together at the company.

“Her tenure there was extraordinarily exceptional,” he commented during a phone conversation on Friday.

In the announcement made by the company, David Schlafly expressed his gratitude to Caradonna for her dedication to the brewery.

“Her commitment towards our employees and customers in the past four and a half years is much appreciated. We are equally thankful for her ongoing support,” he stated. “I am very enthusiastic about embarking on a journey that’ll introduce Schlafly Beer to a fresh generation.”

Ever since its establishment in 1991, Schlafly has successfully carved a niche for itself among the myriad microbreweries in the area. At present, their beers are distributed across 17 states, as reported by the company.

Witness an incredible view of the bluffs along the Mississippi River from Alton to Grafton on the Great River Road. The breathtaking colors of fall paint the landscape, as observed on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023. Video credit: David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com

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