To the GTA Brews community,
I’ve had a wonderful eight years as Founding President of this homebrew club, and I’m so incredibly proud of everything that we have accomplished during my time at the helm.
We’ve grown so much from six people brewing a Citra SMASH in my old condo back in April 2013. We’ve grown into Canada’s largest and best homebrew club! A club of almost 400 members that hosts fantastic events like our monthly meetings, raises significant funds for charities like Caf-Can and CAMH, provides invaluable services like our hop and grain bulk buys, and organizes internationally renowned homebrew competitions like Brew Slam.
The time has come to me to hand the torch to new leadership so that the club can continue to grow and flourish. Some of you may remember that during my speech at the 5 Year Anniversary Party, I said that I wanted to be down in the crowd cheering when the 10 Year Anniversary Party came around. I’m excited that I have the chance to make that happen now.
Being GTA Brews President has been a major part of my identity for a long time, and I’m a bit sad to have that time end. However I’m not planning to go far, since I will still be seeking election as an At-Large Director on the Board. From that position, I will help the new leadership succeed by sharing my experience and insights. I also plan to continue running our homebrew competitions (including Brew Slam) and various other duties. It will take time to untangle myself from all the items I’ve managed for so many years, but I’m committed to making sure the new leadership is successful.
Seeing me step down as President may come as a shock to some members of the GTA Brews community. I have been laying the groundwork of succession for several years now, and I’m very pleased to say that David Larocque has agreed to run for President in the upcoming election. Most of you know him from his many years running our Grain and Hop Bulk Buys. He has also been positive force for change as a Board member over the past several years, and led the initiative to incorporate the club as a non-profit. I’m very excited to see him take on the role of President, so please consider this my endorsement, and vote for him!
A post like this wouldn’t be complete without thanking all the people that have helped me succeed in leading this first leg of the club’s history. Thank you to all local homebrew stores (past and present) that have supported the club over years, especially to Toronto Brewing who has been there every step of the way these past 8 years. Thank you to all of the crew, judges, stewards, and sponsors who have helped make Brew Slam such a high quality homebrew competition. Thank you to all the people that have volunteered their time to organize our events and manage our services, you are this organization’s lifeblood and we would get nowhere without your dedication. Thank you to all the current and past Board members that have helped me guide the club to where passing on the leadership torch can happen. Lastly, thank you to my wife Rebecca for her support and patience as I poured so much of my time and passion into this club over so many years.
Cheers!
Eric Cousineau
Outgoing President, GTA Brews Homebrew Club
