Rene Greff

Current

• Owner at Corner Brewery, LLC
• Board Member at Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority

Education

• Kalamazoo College

Recommended

15 people have recommended Rene

Connections

99 connections

Industry

Food & Beverages

Websites

• My Company
• My Blog

Rene Greff’s Summary

Our love affair with beer began in 1991 with our first batch of homebrew. Eventually the brewing operation took over our kitchen and basement and we decided it was time to look for larger digs. So with the help of family and friends, my husband Matt and I opened the Arbor Brewing Company in downtown Ann Arbor in July 1995.

Ten years and a couple million pints later, we decided it was time to get some bigger tanks and take our show on the road. Our brewpub license did not allow us to distribute our beer so we built the Corner Brewery and Beer Garden in Ypsilanti to brew and bottle our award-winning Arbor Brewing Company beers for distribution.

Since Michigan law does not allow an individual to own both a manufacturing license (the Corner Brewery) and a retail license (Arbor Brewing Company), I am the license holder for the Corner Brewery and Matt is the license holder for Arbor Brewing Company.

One of the things I find most rewarding about owning a brewery is having the opportunity to use the business as a vehicle to support local causes, build community, and encourage social change. It is also pretty cool to see our beers on store shelves and in restaurants across the state!

Rene Greff’s Specialties:

Small business start-up and development, creating a positive corporate culture, government liaison, beer history and styles

Rene Greff’s Experience

• Owner

  Corner Brewery, LLC

  (Partnership; 1-10 employees; Food & Beverages industry)

  January 2006 — Present (2 years 10 months)

• Board Member

  Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority

  (Food & Beverages industry)

  2000 — Present (8 years)

Additional Information

Rene Greff’s Websites:

• My Company
• My Blog

Rene Greff’s Interests:

Environmentally sustainable business practices, enlightened management practices, corporate community-building and involvement, beer history and styles, ultimate

Rene Greff’s Groups:

Michigan Brewers Guild (former and founding board member), Michigan Restaurant Association, Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce, Ypsilanti Area Chamber of Commerce, Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority (current board member and former chair), Main Street Area Association (past president), Depot Town Association, Washtenaw Community College Foundation (current board member), Ozone House (former board member), Think Local First (former and founding board member), Performance Network Professional Theater (former board member), Normal Park Neighborhood Association, Women Business Owners of SE Michigan, ACLU, Ypsilanti Campaign for Equality, Environmental Justice Campaign, Democracy for America (formerly Dean for America)

•    WCC Foundation

Rene Greff’s Honors:

*Environmental Excellence Award for Waste Reduction and Recycling - Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners 2000
*Best Brewpub in the Midwest - Brewpub Magazine 1999
*Michigan Restaurant Neighbor Award for Community Involvement - MI Restaurant Association 2000
*Most Influential Women Award - Business Direct Weekly 2000
*2006 Ypsilanti Heritage Fellow
*2006 Growth and Expansion of Business Award - Women Business Owners of SE Michigan
*Delegate to the Democratic National Convention 2004