Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/884376
20 / the tasting panel / october 2017 HOT SHOT F ormed by the merger of Charmer Sunbelt Group and Wirtz Beverage Group, Breakthru Beverage Group conducts opera- tions across the United States and Canada. Andrew Moss was appointed to the role of Vice President of Talent Acquisition in April following more than five years as a Senior Human Resources Business Partner at Breakthru and legacy Charmer Sunbelt Group. Prior to joining the middle tier, Moss was a Human Resources Business Partner and Organizational Development Director at Diageo North America and Sun Microsystems. ForceBrands: You have an established career in human resources. Tell us, what propelled you to first join the industry? Andrew Moss: I left graduate school and joined a fast-growth tech company thinking I'd spend my career out in Silicon Valley. But then a few years later, in the early 2000s, the internet bubble popped. I was very fortunate that I started looking for my next opportunity just as Diageo was looking for someone to help integrate its manufacturing footprint with Seagram's. Fifteen years later, I still love this industry. FB: What do you find most rewarding about the work you're doing now? AM: Discovering the many ways talent acquisition can profoundly impact an organization in both the present and future is very exciting. I'm also very motivated by the challenge of ensuring that we have the right processes, investments, partnerships, technology, and capabilities that allow Breakthru Beverage Group to maintain a robust and dynamic talent pipeline. I've also enjoyed partnering in a new way with our lead- ers, hiring managers, and HR colleagues. FB: Here at ForceBrands, we understand the value of a great cultural fit—someone who not only matches the professional qualifications of a role, but who has values that align with the ethos of the company and its people. How do you ensure prospective hires fit the culture at Breakthru Beverage Group? AM: For us, the key to the entire interview process is transparency. We want candidates to know exactly what to expect in terms of the job, who they will work with, and our culture. We will do our best through our interview process to evaluate "fit," and we want candidates to evaluate their own "fit" with us as a company. This aligns with one of our core company values, "Be True," which promotes transparency and authenticity. FB: Speaking of prospective talent, what are some of the best tools you leverage to attract and recruit great people? AM: Employee referrals are a strong source for us. We are currently working on how to amplify this program in areas of the company where we have an opportunity for greater impact. Continuously enhancing how we manage our pipeline is so important since our social industry provides many opportunities to meet great people who could one day be ready for an opportunity to join Breakthru. FB: And lastly, just for fun, let's pretend it's happy hour on a Friday. Where would you be and what would you be drinking? AM: If it's summer, I'm on a rooftop bar in Manhattan drinking a Manhattan. If it's winter, I'm at the bar in the United Center before a Blackhawks game enjoying a gin Martini up and dirty. VICE PRESIDENT OF TALENT ACQUISITION, BREAKTHRU BEVERAGE GROUP Andrew Moss PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW MOSS