Board of Directors, 2026 Elections
Call for Candidates
The Board of Directors is seeking nominees ready to help lead the Craft Maltsters Guild into an exciting new chapter. Our community has built incredible momentum over the past dozen years, and despite current headwinds in the craft beverage industry, craft malt and those committed to it are here to stay. This is a moment for the Guild to reevaluate and sharpen how it serves a growing network of stakeholders across the world’s most inspiring malt supply chains, in the ways they need most.
This Election, the Craft Maltsters Guild has three open Board of Director positions: two full-term (3 year) Member Malthouse seats; and one partial-term Member Malthouse seat to fill a vacancy (term ends 2027). The three candidates receiving the most votes will be elected, with the third-most vote recipient being elected to the partial term. There are no currently open Allied Trade or Individual Board positions.
Any Member can nominate a candidate, including themselves. Individuals with a passion for the craft malting industry who can commit to the time dedicated to leading our Guild are encouraged to apply. Nomination Applications are due by Friday, March 6, 2026.
Are you or a fellow Guild member ready to take on the challenge of becoming a Board Member? Submit a nomination!
Nomination Process & Timeline
All nominations will be reviewed by the 2026 Elections Committee. There shall be no more than one individual representative nominated per Member Malthouse. Once nominations are closed, nominee applications are reviewed for completeness and eligibility by the Elections Committee and put forward for election if they meet the requirements.
Elections and voting will take place via SurveyMonkey with Member Malthouses submitting their ballots electronically between March 12 and March 18, 2026. Newly elected board members will be announced at the Member Malthouse Annual Meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Election results will also be emailed to all Guild members and posted on the Guild website following the meeting.
2026 Election Timeline
- February 9, 2026 – Nominations open
- March 6, 2026 – Nominations close
- March 12, 2026 – Voting begins
- March 18, 2026 – Voting ends
- March 19, 2026 – Election results announced during Member Malthouse Annual Meeting
- April 2026 (date TBD) – New board members attend first monthly board of directors meeting
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to vote?
Only Member Malthouse members hold voting authority in the Craft Maltsters Guild. This membership category includes owners and employees of malthouses that produce craft malt in North America. Each Member Malthouse of the Guild is only eligible to submit one ballot in an annual election.
What are the time commitments?
A Guild board member’s role and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:
- Participate in orientation and onboarding tasks (2-3 hours total):
- Participate in monthly board meetings: Meetings are held via Zoom conference call the third Thursday of every month (2 hours per month)
- Review board packet with agenda in advance of the monthly board meeting (1-2 hours per month)
- Active participation in Guild working groups, involving video calls and corresponding activity (4 hours/month minimum)
- Attend Guild annual meeting (2 hours virtual or in-person)
- Participate in annual board retreat (fall or winter, one full-day virtual or in-person)
- Participate in the following one time per year
- Annual board review (1 hour)
- Annual member survey (1 hour)
Is there any personal liability?
Any board member acting in their capacity as an officer of the Guild shall incur no personal liability and shall be held harmless for any such actions to the extent authorized by the laws of Massachusetts (the state the Guild was founded in). The Craft Maltsters Guild carries Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance. D&O liability insurance protects the personal assets of corporate directors and officers, and their spouses, in the event they are personally sued by employees, vendors, competitors, investors, customers, or other parties, for actual or alleged wrongful acts in managing a company.
Will references provided by nominees on the election application be contacted?
Nominees are asked to submit three references that can speak to their involvement in the craft malt industry and leadership skills. This information is kept confidential. References provided may be contacted at the Election Committee’s discretion.
The Guild extends a heartfelt thanks to outgoing Board Members Phil Neumann of Mainstem Malt and Craig Miller of Root Shoot Malting for their years of service!