Tri-State woman helping lead the way at MadTree Brewery

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - A Tri-State woman is creating her own path in Cincinnati’s brewing industry.

Cincinnati was once dubbed the beer capital world. There are more than 80 breweries in the area now for beer enthusiasts to enjoy, including MadTree, which is celebrating its 10th birthday this month.

Rhiannon Hoeweler has been with MadTree Brewing for the past two years now.

She’s the vice president of Experience and impact.

Hoeweler says it has been exciting bringing new tastes to the city while working for a company that invests back into the community.

“I get kind of get all the fun stuff that we do here at MadTree, so promoting our events and what we do,” says Hoeweler.

She puts her touch on a male-dominated space, including marketing MadTree’s new Vodka Soda canned cocktails Sway.

“So, Sway, I don’t know if Sway would be here if we didn’t have a leadership team that included women,” Hoeweler explains. “With craft brewing, it’s a very busy marketplace, and there are other places for us to play, and craft beer attracts women. But there’s also other things that attract women to a brand, so we’re playing in that space.”

In the past few years, MadTree has released a signature beer honoring a woman for International Women’s Day in March. It inspired Hoeweler to take the idea further helping to launch the Ascending Women Speakers series connecting powerful women across the region.

Tying Ascending Women and our impact together, I would say we are building a brand for women,” says Hoeweler. “We kind of celebrate a woman we are really inspired by.”

This is a role that Hoeweler did not initially imagine she would be in.

The environmental science graduate spent several years working for the Cincinnati Zoo before coming to MadTree.

However, during the transition, she didn’t leave behind her love for protecting the environment and nature.

MadTree has a commitment to giving back to the community, with 1% of all profits being invested into nonprofits, along with fulfilling a mission to plant more trees across Cincinnati.

“I don’t have to like live and die by a spreadsheet,” explains Hoeweler. “I get to come out and do something really amazing with my coworkers. We just planted 74 trees in Lower Price Hill in November of this year.”

Hoeweler says becoming “beer boss” has taught her the most about herself.

“So, I never thought I would be running the business side of the zoo, and I certainly never thought I would be running the back of the house side of a brewery, but it’s perfect, it’s beautiful,” says Hoeweler. “You can do anything you put your head to, and you shouldn’t let that be a barrier.”

MadTree is having a big party on Feb. 25 to celebrate their 10th birthday.

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