At present, I am a salesman with Select Wines, Ltd., a wholesaler located in Chantilly, Virginia. My sales portfolio includes both wine and beer.

Prior to that, from 2004 through 2008, I was a Territory Manager for the Clipper City Brewing Company as the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.

My territory grew dramatically to include all of Virginia, and then to include North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina, as each of those states allowed beers of greater than 5.9% alcohol to be imported.

As a Territory Manager, I oversaw sales of Clipper City's beers, working primarily with wholesalers and distributors.

Clipper City has itself changed. Some of its beers are now organic. Some of its beers have defined new craft styles. Its roster of beer has grown from nine beers to 16, its basket of brewing medals brimming. And the cask ale! Ahh!

In 2004, Clipper City was a dynamic Baltimore, Maryland brewery. Now in 2008, Clipper City is truly an East Coast brewery, its beers sold and respected in 20 states along the East Coast and into the Midwest.

It was an incredible voyage. I met many fascinating and beery folk: brewers, salespeople, wholesalers, beer shop owners and managers, beer lovers, and, in fact fascinating people of all sorts throughout the South.

That I was part of that was indeed my privilege. At times, it was exciting; at times, it could be frustrating; but never was it boring.

I sincerely thank owner Hugh Sisson, Brewmaster Ernesto Igot, Sales Manager Pat Helsel, and everyone then and now at the Clipper City Brewing Company for having included me in their wonderful voyage of good beer.

As of 1 August 2008, I have left the employ of Clipper City Brewing Company. But now, at northern Virginia wholesaler Select Wines, one of the breweries I'll be representing is indeed ...Clipper City.

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