Reed”™s Inc., the Norwalk-based maker of nonalcoholic ginger beers, has announced the departure of Val Stalowir as CEO after two years at the post.
Stalowir was previously CEO of International Harvest Inc. and the founder and CEO of Global Restaurant Group before taking on Reed”™s leadership role in July 2017 following the resignation of company founder Chris Reed. Under Stalowir”™s direction, the company moved its headquarters from Los Angeles to Norwalk and sold its Los Angeles production facility.
In a press release, the company stated it was undergoing a “management restructuring” and offered no reason for Stalowir”™s abrupt departure; the press release didn”™t even mention Stalowir by name until the seventh of its nine paragraphs. John Bello, the company”™s chairman of the board, was named interim CEO and was quoted as saying the shakeup provided a chance to “adjust our leadership team to align with the stage of our business development.”
The company also named Norman E. Snyder Jr. as chief operating officer. Snyder, who was previously president and CEO of Avitae USA LLC, a beverage company that markets and sells a line of ready-to-drink caffeinated waters, replaces Stefan Freeman, who held the job since July 2017 and was interim CEO prior to the hiring of Stalowir.
