AMBA appoints co-chairs to lead Sustainability Committee
AMBA leadership has appointed two representatives from their industry membership to co-chair efforts of the newly launched Sustainability Committee. The committee was formalized in May 2024 and is composed of their malting, brewing, and distilling members in addition to six grower representatives. Shannon Ambrosio, current chair of the AMBA Board of Directors and Senior Manager of Golden Malting at Molson Coors Beverage Company, has appointed Kyle Day (Suntory Global Spirits) and Walker Modic (New Belgium Brewing) to lead the Committee, which will be supported by AMBA staff member, Ashley McFarland. Kyle Day serves as Forest & Field Sustainability Senior Manager for Suntory Global Spirits. He has more than 15 years of experience in ingredient and raw material procurement, focusing the last 2.5 years of his career on sustainability initiatives. In his current role, Kyle works with suppliers and industry partners to pilot programs in the agricultural and forestry realm, to achieve Suntory Global Spirits long-term sustainability goals and help create a more sustainable industry. Kyle is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, with a B.S. in Natural Resource Conservation & Management, G.C. in Environmental Systems and M.S. in Agricultural Economics. He also serves as a board member for The White Oak Initiative, Associated Cooperage Industries of America (VP) and The Nature Conservancy of Kentucky. Walker Modic is the Director of Environmental Programs at New Belgium Brewery where he oversees the enterprise’s climate, water, materials circularity, and biodiversity initiatives. Prior to 2022, he oversaw environmental engineering, environmental compliance, sustainability, all utility systems requisite to production, byproduct utilization, and natural resource efficiencies at Bell’s Brewery. Before joining Bell’s in 2013, he was the head brewer at a small regional brewpub in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Prior to starting a career in beer he worked at the US Environmental Protection Agency’s National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory and received the EPA’s award for Scientific and Technological Achievement for his research on the effects of Atrazine. He holds an M.A. in Sustainability and Environmental Management from Harvard University and an M.S. in Molecular and Structural Biochemistry from North Carolina State University. Additionally, three workgroups have formed for focused work within the committee. Strategies to communicate sustainability benefits of barley varieties Nitrogen related research (sources, management, impact) Baselining barley and developing a climate action roadmap
The American Malting Barley Association is a trade organization, which represents the interests of end users of malting barley, including maltsters, brewers, distillers, and food processors. AMBA’s purpose is to advance a resilient supply of quality malting barley by unifying stakeholders to leverage innovative research, development, and advocacy efforts.
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