North Fulton’s Craft Beer Industry (GNFCC 400 Insider, Episode 63)
Charles Gridley of Six Bridges Brewing and Andy Williams of the Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau joined host Kali Boatright to discuss the burgeoning craft brewing industry North Fulton. Andy also talked about the new Topside Tap Trail, highlighting seven breweries in North Fulton, and Charles shared Six Bridges’ plans to expand to a second location in Milton. The GNFCC 400 Insider is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.
Charles Gridley, Co-Owner & CEO, Six Bridges Brewing in Johns Creek
Charles Gridley is CEO and co-founder of Six Bridges Brewing in Johns Creek, GA with his son, Clay. They were homebrewers for 10 years before opening Six Bridges Brewing in 2018. Six Bridges has a 2,000 square-foot tasting room, as well as a 2,000 square-foot beer garden. They brew on a 30 barrel brewhouse, and a 2 barrel pilot system.
Charles is a chemical engineer and graduate of Georgia Tech. He previously worked in production manufacturing for Heraeus Tenevo and Baldor Electric.
Company website | Facebook | Instagram
Topside Tap Trail
The Topside Tap Trail is comprised of seven branded breweries in metro Atlanta’s “topside,” located in the cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, and Sandy Springs, Georgia. The trail was established to ensure North Fulton’s beer culture along the GA400 corridor gets the acclaimed recognition it deserves. The tap trail is brought to you by Visit Roswell, Awesome Alpharetta, and Visit Sandy Springs,
Andy Williams, Executive Director, Visit Roswell – Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau
Visit Roswell is the destination’s convention and visitors bureau. Often referred to as a destination marketing organization (DMO), their organization incorporates targeted advertising and marketing programs with sales and public relations efforts to build the image of Roswell as a travel destination and increase visitation to the city.
Andy Williams became Executive Director in January 2019. Williams is formerly Director of Sales for Destination South Meetings + Events, a DMC Network Company, which is based in Atlanta. He is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) through the Events Industry Council and a Travel Marketing Professional (TMP) through the Southeast Tourism Society.
A graduate of Young Harris College with an Associate of Science degree and Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor of Science: Tourism & Commercial Recreation, Williams began his tourism career as a Project Coordinator with the Madison-Morgan Convention and Visitors Bureau in Madison, Georgia in 2007.
In 2011, he became a Sales Manager for the Dunwoody Convention & Visitors Bureau, where he later became Director of Sales.
Williams has received several awards in his career, including Rookie Rotarian of the Year (2008-2009); Historic Heartland Travel Association Member of the Year in 2010; Meeting Professionals International – Georgia Chapter’s Rising Star of the Year in 2013; and Special Events Magazine’s 25 Young Event Pros to Watch in 2018.
Williams and his wife Ryan, have two children.
Company website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Williams LinkedIn
About GNFCC and “The GNFCC 400 Insider”
“The GNFCC 400 Insider” is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC) and is hosted by Kali Boatright, President and CEO of GNFCC. The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit, member-driven organization comprised of over 1400 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions and individuals. Their service area includes Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell and Sandy Springs. GNFCC is the leading voice on economic development, business growth and quality of life issues in North Fulton County.
The GNFCC promotes the interests of our members by assuming a leadership role in making North Fulton an excellent place to work, live, play and stay. They provide one voice for all local businesses to influence decision makers, recommend legislation, and protect the valuable resources that make North Fulton a popular place to live.
For more information on GNFCC and its North Fulton County service area, follow this link or call (770) 993-8806. For more information on other GNFCC events such as this North Fulton Mayors Appreciation Lunch, follow this link.
For the complete show archive of “The GNFCC 400 Insider,” go to GNFCC400Insider.com. “The GNFCC 400 Insider” is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.
