Executive Bios

Bill Meissner - CEO and Director

Mr. Meissner joined Jones Soda on April 9, 2010 as President and Chief Executive Officer.  Prior to joining Jones Soda, he served as President of Talking Rain Beverage, Inc., a privately held beverage company, from October 2008 until April 2010.  From September 2004 to October 2008, Mr. Meissner was Chief Marketing Officer of Fuze Beverages, a new age category brand and division of Coca Cola North America. Prior to that, from September 2002 to September 2004, Mr. Meissner was Vice President Marketing and Sales of SoBe Chocolate, a brand licensed from PepsiCo, and from November 1999 to September 2002, Brand Director and Director of Brand Development with SoBe Beverages, a division of Pepsi Cola North America. Mr. Meissner began his career with Tetra Pak Inc., a private multinational consumer beverage-packaging firm based in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he worked as a Category Manager and Regional Account Manager from 1994 to 1999.  Mr. Meissner earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University and a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Carrie Traner, VP of Finance

Ms. Traner, age 37, has served as Controller of the Company since November 2008.  Previously, Ms Traner served as Controller of Pyramid Breweries Inc, a craft beer brewery, from October 2005 until October 2008.   Ms. Traner began her financial career with Deloitte & Touche LLP, a professional services firm.  Ms. Traner earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting from University of Washington.  She is a certified public accountant.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mills A. Brown has served as a Director since December 2008. Mr. Brown has been one of the founding principals of MainSpring Capital Group (a real estate investment and development company) and its affiliated brokerage company, Ross Brown Partners, Inc., since MainSpring's inception in December 2000.  Mr. Brown is also co-owner and co-operator of three new car franchises in the Phoenix metropolitan area.  Mr. Brown received a business degree from Arizona State University.

Richard V. Cautero was appointed to the Board in 2012. Mr. Cautero has held numerous executive positions in the Consumer Packaged Goods Sector (CPG) over a highly successful career, most notably with Kraft Foods and its former parent,The Altria Group. His key leadership roles included Vice President of Finance for Corporate Planning and Strategy at the Altria parent, Chief Financial and Operating Officer for Maxwell House, a division of Kraft Foods, as well as numerous other executive financial and operational roles within Altria divisions. Mr Cautero is currently President and Managing Director of Executive Advisory Services, an advisory and consulting firm, where he has performed consulting, board and interim executive assignments in the consumer products, consumer distribution, manufacturing, and technology sectors. Mr. Cautero has both a Bachelor and Master of Business Administration from Hofstra University

Richard S. Eiswirth, Jr.  Mr. Eiswirth has served as a Director since August 2006 and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.  He has served as the chief financial officer of Alimera Sciences, Inc., an ophthalmic pharmaceutical company, since October 2005. Prior to that, Mr. Eiswirth was the chief financial officer and senior executive vice president of Netzee, Inc., a provider of internet banking solutions to community banks, from August 1999 to April 2002. He is also the founder of Black River Holdings, Inc., a consulting practice. He received an accounting degree from Wake Forest University in 1991. Mr. Eiswirth also served on the board of directors and was chairman of the audit committee for Color Imaging, Inc., a toner manufacturing company, from 2003 until August 2007.

Michael M. Fleming has served as a Director since April 1997.  Mr. Fleming has been an attorney with the law firm of Lane Powell LLP in Seattle, Washington, specializing in real estate, dispute resolution, securities and environmental matters, since February 2000. Mr. Fleming has served on the board of directors of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Puget Sound since December 2002 and was elected chairman of the board of directors for 2008/2009. He has also been the president and owner of Kidcentre, Inc., a company in the business of providing child care services in Seattle, Washington, since July 1988. Since April 1985, he has also been the president and owner of Fleming Investment Co., an investment company. Mr. Fleming holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Washington and a law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

Matthew K. Kellogg  Mr. Kellogg also served as a Director of the Company from May 1999 to August 2006 and as corporate secretary (in a non-employee capacity) from March 2006 to August 2006; he returned to the Company's Board in June 2008. He is currently the managing member of Canal Investments LLC, an investment firm, serving in such capacity since March 2003. In January 2008, Mr. Kellogg co-founded Point32 Development Company, a real estate development firm, where he currently serves as a principal. Mr. Kellogg co-owns Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria, a regional casual restaurant chain. From November 2002 to March 2003, Mr. Kellogg was the manager of Kingfisher Capital LLC, an investment firm. Mr. Kellogg holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Skidmore College.

Susan A. Schreter has served as a Director since June 2008.  Ms. Schreter is the founder, Managing Editor and CEO of TakeCommand Information Media, Inc., an online entrepreneurial education and membership organization for small business owners.  In addition, she is a contributor to online and print publications in the areas of small business finance and a weekly newspaper columnist.  She has served as the chief executive officer and chairman of the board of First Transaction Management, Inc., a general business and strategic planning consulting firm, from 1999 to 2008.  Ms. Schreter received a bachelor of arts degree and is an honors graduate of Smith College.