Peter N. Christos, Chairman
Peter N. Christos, Chairman since June 2015, is a Wall Street executive with 30+ years experience. He has also been a co-founder in both private and public companies; including a co-founding Managing Member of HCB Ventures LLC (“HCB”), which develops unique water & water rights to deliver sustainable, renewable water supplies to end-users. HCB has land in a rechargeable water resource, the Horse Creek Basin located in Colorado. Founding Chairman and CEO of AND Interactive Communications Corp. ("AND"), a private software company acquired in 1994 by TCI Technology Ventures, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of TCI, now Comcast Corp. on NASDAQ. Also, a founder of several public companies: AquaCare Systems, Inc., a start-up that completed several acquisitions prior and post its IPO on NASDAQ, thereafter a premium priced tender offer; TransAmerican Waste Industries, Inc., from start-up to IPO on NASDAQ and then acquired via merger in 1998 with USA Waste Industries, Inc. now Waste Management, Inc. on NYSE; Sparta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., from start-up to IPO on NASDAQ and was acquired in 1999 by SuperGen, Inc. on NASDAQ; and CTN Media Group, Inc., aka College Television Network, from start-up to IPO on NASDAQ and acquired in 2002 by MTV Networks, division of Viacom, Inc. on NYSE.
He is the founder and Managing Partner of Abacos Ventures, LLC, and has been a Managing Director of Investment Banking firms in NYC including but not limited to the founding Chairman/CEO of NYC based Adelphia Capital, LLC, a former member firm, and Adelphia Holdings, LLC, and Adelphia Partners, LLC. For nearly 10 years at Adelphia he managed investment banking, and direct investments. He was an EVP, Partner and co-head of the NYC office of the investment-banking firm Bannon & Co., which was subsequently sold to the French bank Société Générale, which merged with Cowen & Company.
Prior to Bannon, he was a Managing Director of the Corporate Finance Department and the Managing Director of the New Venture Group of D. H. Blair Investment Banking Corp. and its predecessor NYSE member firm. Prior to, he worked both in the Corporate Syndicate Department, and then as a Managing Director in the Corporate Finance Department of Muller & Company, Inc. a NYSE member firm.
Jerry Pearring, Chief Executive Officer
Jerry Pearring, Chief Executive Officer has over 30 years of beverage industry experience including local, regional and national sales and marketing management experience. He has developed and managed regional and national DSD networks, and managed national wholesalers including McLane, Core-Mark, and C&S, etc. He has developed and managed key accounts including 7-Eleven, Wal-Mart, and Costco, etc. He has spearheaded new brand research including demographic, psychographic, geographic components, market size/penetration and growth.
He has managed the development and licensing of select brands, and managed graphic design for labels, POS and wearables, and the sourcing of flavor formulas, packaging, and manufacturing, etc. He has managed multimarket DSD networks in Boston, Hartford, CT, and Baltimore-Northern VA-Washington DC. In south Florida he distributed leading licensed brands including Monster Energy Drink, Welches, Arizona Iced Tea, Fiji Water Brand, and owned brands including Maui Juice Company, and Squeeze Gourmet Soda. He was President of XStream Beverages, and served as SVP of Domestic Business for E-Systems International, and served as President and CEO of Total Quality Beverage.
He served as General Manager of Nantucket Nectars, and National Sales Manager of Soho Beverages. He was Owner of Chesapeake Export, and served in Sales and Marketing positions with Anheuser-Busch. He holds a B.S. from George Mason University, an M.B.A. from Marymount University.