[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 9, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1050]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF SIERRA NEVADA BREWERY AND THE 
            INSPIRATIONAL CAREER OF ITS FOUNDER KEN GROSSMAN

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                           HON. WALLY HERGER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 9, 2010

  Mr. HERGER. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise to 
commend both Sierra Nevada Brewery and the inspirational career of its 
founder, Ken Grossman on its 30th Anniversary. Ken is an outstanding 
model of the modern American entrepreneurial spirit.
  Thirty years ago, Ken began a modest brewing company in the town of 
Chico, California. Named after the beloved California Mountains, the 
Sierra Nevada Brewery has since matured into the tenth largest brewery 
in the United States.
  Ken's specialty beers receive constant praise for their exceptional 
quality. Through the years his brews have collected an impressive array 
of national and international awards. His award portfolio includes gold 
medal recognition from competitions in Munich as well as the Great 
American Beer Festival in Colorado.
  The Sierra Nevada Brewery, by incorporating smart and sustainable 
manufacturing practices, provides an excellent working example of the 
ideal that economic success and environmental protection go hand in 
hand. Recently, the brewery expanded its solar panel facility, making 
it one of the largest private solar facilities in the nation. This 
expansion allows the brewery to produce the majority of its own energy 
needs. The brewery also engages in resource conservation and waste 
diversion through the installation of instruments that reuse the 
brewery's wastewater and methane gas. Additionally, his brewery has a 
near perfect recycling record, diverting more than 98 percent of its 
annual waste away from overused landfills.
  Sierra Nevada Brewery has had a tremendous impact on the local 
economy. With approximately $100 million in annual sales, Sierra Nevada 
Brewery has been able to create over three hundred and fifty jobs. 
Sierra Nevada Brewery has also been generous in giving back to the 
community. Indeed, its donation of $88,000 to the California State 
University, Chico's Paul L. Byrne Agricultural Teaching and Research 
Center illustrates its desire to give back to the community that has 
aided in its success. There is no doubt that the Second Congressional 
District of California is a better place because of the economic 
activity and good works that Sierra Nevada Brewery selflessly provides.

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