When we say “Here’s to Hayden” we mean “Here’s to Hayden’s legacy and all the amazing employees who helped us become an amazing place to work” but it’s just not as catchy. So, this is the place we get to showcase our passionate and dedicated leadership team. Unfortunately not every Hayden employee is on this page, but we can tell you we all share Hayden Beverage values. We are hard workers, we are passionate, we want to make a difference, and we care. Since you’re here checking us out, we think you share those same values, so we say "Here's to you."
Dodds Hayden
Chief Executive OfficerDodds Hayden
Chief Executive OfficerDodds Hayden was born in Idaho and raised in the beer and wine business. After graduating from Boise High School, Dodds graduated from Bowdoin College, spent 5 years as a Marine Corps infantry officer, and attended Babson Business School. He then returned to Idaho and the family business serving as General Manager of the Sun Valley operation for eight years. Returning to Boise, he managed the on-premise division and presided over the company’s operations with his father, John. When John died in 2006, Dodds took over as president, purchased the company, and now oversees all Hayden Beverage entities. Dodds is a Certified Specialist of Wine, as awarded by the Society of Wine Educators.
- Favorite car owned: 66 Lincoln Continental Convertible (long before Entourage)
- Favorite band/artist: Waylon Jennings—duh!
- Favorite books: check out my ever-growing list
- Favorite place to be 4pm on a Saturday: Apres Ski—anywhere
- Favorite job before Hayden & first job: USMC Officer; 1st job was Albertsons bag boy
- Favorite restaurant not in Idaho: Ned Kelley’s Last Stand—Hong Kong
- Turn ons: Adrenalin, 100-case displays, menu dominance
- Favorite part of job: seeing people succeed
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Heart Lake (White Clouds)
- If I could go to any event in the world, it would be: My Zihuatanejo wedding (again)
Andy Mitchell
PresidentAndy Mitchell
PresidentAndy Mitchell joined Hayden Beverage Company in February 2014 filling the newly created position of Executive Vice-President of Sales. Andy is a New Jersey native who spent 18 years in California before he and his wife relocated to Idaho in 2005. He has as an eclectic background as possible, combining early stage start-ups like Pete’s Brewing Company and Trinity Springs Inc. with Fortune 500 companies such as Gallo and Constellation Brands Inc. This unique combination of the entrepreneurial spirit found in start-ups combined with the strong business disciplines found in companies such as Gallo and Nestle Purina make him a strong albeit unique addition to the already successful Hayden family. 5 minutes with Andy and you will know what we mean by unique.
- Favorite food: Spaghetti, pasta
- First concert: Rush – Moving Pictures Tour, Madison Square Garden May 18, 1981
- Favorite place to be 4pm on a Saturday: Riding my cruiser to the next bar.
- Turn On’s: Fun/my wife/passionate people
- Growing up, I wanted to be: President of the United States of America
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: The Grove Hotel, I am not a camper.
- I was born: Paris, TN
- Favorite Halloween costume: Ice Dancer – At 6’2″ and 255 pounds it is a sight to see.
- How many 5-year olds I could take in a fight: 5-year old what? Kids, probably a bakers dozen or so. Grizzly Bear? 1? I’m pretty tough.
- Most bizarre thing found in my desk: Organic Lollypops! Delicious! – Correction Organic Lollypop container.
Dan Scovel
Chief Operating OfficerDan Scovel
Chief Operating OfficerDan Scovel started his 30+ year career with Hayden (then Boise Sales Co.) as a driver-salesman in 1978 when the company picked up several additional brands. He has filled various roles including pre-sales, purchasing, supervisor of delivery and operations, HR, and VP of Operations en route to his current position of President. Prior to joining Hayden, he cut his teeth with Albertsons bagging groceries, checking, throwing freight (even then it was difficult to keep the beer cooler stocked for BSU events) and working on a ranch in Owyhee County.
- Favorite car owned: Dodge Powerwagon
- Favorite food: Fresh trout, just pulled from the lake/stream, cooked in the firepit
- First concert: Doobie Brothers- Takin it to the Streets!
- Favorite place to be 4pm on a Saturday: Sitting in a warm place, on top of a mountain
- Favorite job before Hayden or 1st job: Working on the farm/ranch
- Favorite bar or restaurant not in Idaho: Irma Saloon (Cody, Wyoming)
- Turn offs: Whining
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Whiteclouds, around Castle Peak
- I was born: Boise
- How many 5-year olds I could take in a fight: None – they always make me laugh so no way to fight.
Dave Heffner
Chief Financial OfficerDave Heffner
Chief Financial OfficerDave Heffner was born in Phoenix, AZ and moved to Boise, ID with his family in 1981. He joined the Hayden Beverage family in December 2018. Prior to his career at Hayden, Dave was the Corporate Controller at Norco, Inc., one of the nation’s largest privately-held Industrial, Safety and Medical Gas & Equipment retailers. As a graduate of Boise State University and licensed CPA, Dave is responsible for all of the company’s accounting and financial functions. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his family exploring all that Idaho has to offer.
- First concert: MC Hammer
- Favorite place to be 4pm on a Saturday: Anywhere with my wife and the twins!
- Biggest win (non-work related): Meeting my wife and tricking her into marrying me.
- Growing up, I wanted to be: Lawyer
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Lake Catherine in the Sawtooth mountains
- I was born: Phoenix, AZ
- If I could go to any event in the world, I’d go: Super Bowl
- How many 5-year olds I could take in a fight:None, they terrify me
- One item on your bucket list: The Masters (again)
Raquel Krol
Chief People OfficerRaquel Krol
Chief People OfficerOriginally from Chicago, Raquel was fortunate to have built and maintained her personal and professional life there for most of her years, including graduating from Northwestern University and the John Marshall Law School, now part of UIC Law School. Her impressive career includes key roles at Target, AT&T Wireless, Jo-Ann Stores, Toys R Us, and most recently, Vitalize, home to Bodybuilding.com and other e-commerce brands. Raquel’s journey has taken her to New York, New Jersey, Arizona, and now Boise. Along the way, she and her husband Rob have raised two wonderful sons and are now enjoying life as empty nesters. They love country music, dancing, and Las Vegas getaways, where they humorously note that, at their age, everything that happens in Vegas is not as exciting as it used to be—so it doesn’t matter if it stays in Vegas or not😊. Raquel is beyond thrilled to be part of the Hayden family as our Chief People Officer, where her role is all about enhancing the overall employee experience at Hayden Beverage, dedicated to helping each team member achieve their career dreams and aspirations.
• Favorite sport/activity to do: Texas 2-step, Country swing dancing
• Favorite car you owned: Pontiac Fiero GT- closest thing to a go-cart for licensed drivers, lol
• Favorite food: Mexican
• Least favorite food: Is there such a thing?
• Favorite band/artist: Celia Cruz
• Favorite movie: Urban Cowboy
• Biggest win (work related): Knowing how I’ve helped others live a better life in/out of work and seeing them living a better life- in a small, small part because of how I may have helped them
• Special powers/skills: Positivity- it isn’t about what we face in life – it’s about how we face it. My superpower is helping others find their strength in what is good in their lives to help them always do better no matter where they might be starting.
• One item on your bucket list: Sit and watch a show at the Grand Ole Opry from the front row.
Sharon Glover-Salene
President, Idaho Wine Merchant DivisionSharon Glover-Salene
President, Idaho Wine Merchant DivisionSharon grew up in Jefferson City, Missouri, and began her career in Kansas City, KS, after graduating from the University of Central Missouri. A new role with Kimberly-Clark soon led her to Houston, TX, and later Salt Lake City, UT, where she developed her skills in sales and distribution. From there, she moved to Chattanooga, TN, joining Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals and expanding her industry expertise. In 2005, Sharon relocated to Boise, ID, and purchased BRJ Distributing, a small operation at the time. Over 18 years, she transformed the business, eventually merging with Idaho Wine Merchant in 2023 as Co-President/CEO. Now, in 2024, she’s starting an exciting chapter with Hayden Beverage as President of Idaho Wine Merchant, guiding the division’s sales, portfolio, and brand development. Outside work, Sharon enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and two daughters.
- Favorite sport to watch: Football
- Favorite sport/activity to do: Tennis
- Favorite food: Sushi
- Favorite book(s): Entreleadership by Dave Ramsey
- Favorite bar or restaurant not in Idaho: Lumi in San Diego
- Biggest win/accomplishment (non-work related): My girls of course!
- What did you want to be when you were growing up: Children’s author
- Where were you born: Wichita, Kansas
- Where do you wish you were from: Italy
- Most bizarre thing found in your desk: A tin of glitter referred to as pixie dust by a past employee (for use when challenges get to big – haha)
David Buccolo
Executive Vice President of SynergyDavid Buccolo
Executive Vice President of SynergyDavid, originally from Upstate New York, holds a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and a master’s from UCLA. His career has taken him to major cities like New York, London, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, but has called Idaho home since 2015. Throughout his career, David spent over two decades in banking, primarily with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he held roles in financial strategy, risk management, and corporate finance. In 2015, David joined the beverage industry as Co-Owner and CFO of Idaho Wine Merchant, guiding the business’s growth. Today, now as part of the Hayden Beverage Family, David serves as Executive Vice President of Synergy, where he leads the integration of strategic acquisitions into the Hayden platform. Outside of work, David enjoys traveling around and exploring the beautiful Intermountain West.
- Favorite sport to watch: F1
- Favorite car you owned: 78 1/2 Rx7
- First concert you went to: The Kinks
- 4pm on a Saturday afternoon – what is your favorite place to be: Prost!
- Favorite job before Hayden & first job: Toyota Indycar Summer Internship
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Deadwood
- Where were you born: Utica, NY
- Favorite Halloween costume: The Expanse – Martian Congressional Navy Uniform
- One item on your bucket list: Tokyo
Shelby Schelling
ControllerShelby Schelling
ControllerShelby was born and raised in small town Nevada, attended college at University of Nevada, Reno and then made the move to Boise in 2016. She worked as an auditor for a CPA firm for two years, prior to making her leap to Hayden Beverage as the Assistant Controller in 2018. Shelby is a licensed CPA, and responsible for the company’s accounting functions, including coordinating and preparing internal and external financial statements. Outside of work she enjoys exploring Idaho through camping, mountain biking, and hot springs with friends and her goofy yellow lab. It’s also not uncommon to find her exploring the local brewery scene.
- Favorite food: Macaroni and Cheese – really anything with cheese..
- First concert: New Found Glory
- Favorite place to be 4pm on a Saturday: Summertime – touring the breweries via bicycle. Wintertime – touring the breweries via a warm vehicle
- Turn On’s: Being genuine
- Growing up, I wanted to be: Hair Dresser or Interior Designer
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Stanley
- I was born: Fallon, NV
- Favorite Halloween costume: Iron Man
- Biggest win/accomplishment (non-work related): Tackling a full bathroom remodel
- Special powers/skills: Natural knack for running into objects that are shin height #alwaysbruised
Jeff Collins
Corporate Vice President of OperationsJeff Collins
Corporate Vice President of OperationsJeff Collins, AKA The Troll King, oversees all corporate warehouse functions and construction throughout the company outside of Boise. He started with Hayden Beverage in 1986. Originally from California, Jeff and family moved to Idaho where he graduated from Caldwell High School. He started his career working in the warehouse on the production crew. He then moved into the positions of retail store and then to the purchasing department. While working in purchasing he assumed the duties of warehouse supervisor for both day and night crew.
- Favorite car owned: 2002 F350 Super Duty
- Favorite breakfast cereal: Captain Crunch with crunch berries
- First concert: REO Speedwagon
- Favorite place to be 4pm on a Saturday: With my wife
- Favorite job before Hayden or 1st job: Bucking hay for a local farmer
- Favorite bar or restaurant not in Idaho: The Church (Dublin, Ireland)
- Special powers/skills: Putting up with others
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Sawtooth & White Cloud area
- I was born: La Habra, CA
- If I could go to any event in the world, it would be: Running of the Bulls in Spain (to watch, not participate)
Tyler Flynn
Director of OperationsTyler Flynn
Director of OperationsTyler was born and raised in Colorado where his passion for hunting and fishing started at an early age. Tyler went to college at Western State where he played Football and then finished his education at Mesa State with a Degree in Marketing. His career started with an aggressively growing Sporting Goods Company specializing in Hunting & Fishing where he spent 9 years with the company moving and traveling across multiple states. He was lured to Idaho by a small town girl “now his wife” who also grew up loving the outdoors. Tyler was hired by Hayden Beverage in 2011 as the Purchasing Supervisor and was promoted in 2012 to Warehouse Manager and recently to Director of Operations where he currently oversees the Pricing and Purchasing Department.
- Favorite Sport to watch: Football/UFC
- Favorite Food: Sushi
- What did you want to be when growing up: Professional Fisherman
- Most bizarre thing found in your desk: Fruit snacks
- Biggest win (non work related): Drawing the only non-resident Utah Elk tag
- Favorite part of your job: No day is ever the same
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: South Fork of the Salmon
- First job: Big-O Tires
- Favorite sport/activity: Hunting
- One item on your bucket list: Grizzly hunting with my bow
Larinda Spencer
Director of Human ResourcesLarinda Spencer
Director of Human ResourcesLarinda Spencer, PHR, joined the Hayden Beverage team as Human Resource Manager in 2014. Her career started in the grocery business with Smith’s Food & Drug Centers in AZ, and Wal-Mart in OR and WA. She moved back to Idaho and began her Human Resource career, working for both a commercial insurance company that specializes in transportation and building the HR and benefits department of a professional employer organization. Larinda graduated from Northwest Nazarene University and has been certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) since 2006.
- Favorite food: My husband’s homemade spaghetti sauce
- What movie could you watch 50 times in a row: Mama Mia
- First concert: Beach Boys
- Favorite book: The Tales of Imperfection Series by A.K. Turner and The Synergist by Les McKeown
- Favorite job before Hayden or 1st job: First job was bagging groceries at IGA
- Favorite bar or restaurant not in Idaho: Kell’s Irish Restaurant & Pub – Seattle
- Biggest win (non-work related): My awesome family
- Favorite part of job: Helping people
- What did you want to be growing up: A dancer
- If you could go to any event in the world what would it be: Running of the Bulls – Pamplona, Spain
Mark Stubbs
Vice President of Beer/Cold RetailMark Stubbs
Vice President of Beer/Cold RetailMark’s career spans 20+ years of experiences in sales, marketing, and management, with more than a decade dedicated to leading and developing teams. His career has crossed various sectors, spanning technology, education, and distribution – working for Columbia Distributing and Northwest Beverage. Mark’s enthusiasm and love for learning led him to a position as Guest Lecturer at University of Washington. Mark and his wife called Seattle home for over 28 years before moving to Idaho. They are avid travelers with a goal to set foot on all seven continents and enjoy being in the mountains, at a winery or brewery (mostly dog friendly ones so they can bring along their two dogs).
- Favorite sport to watch: Hockey and Soccer – I need constant movement
- Favorite breakfast cereal: Is brunch a breakfast cereal?
- Favorite band/artist: Talking Heads
- First concert you went to?: Chicago with Peter Cetera
- Favorite book (s): Sum by David Eagleman
- What movie could you watch 50 times in row?: Groundhog Day
- Favorite bar or restaurant not in Idaho: Angel’s Share in New York
- Biggest win/accomplishment (non-work related): Visiting Professor at UW Seattle
- Where do you wish you were from: Florence, Italy
- One item on your bucket list: Hiking and camping in Antarctica
Ken Hunt
Vice President of Red BullKen Hunt
Vice President of Red BullKen Hunt joined Hayden Beverage Company in March 2017 as Vice-President of Sales for Red Bull and Non Alcoholic. Ken spent the last 16 years at Red Bull Energy Drink. His most recent role at Red Bull was Region Sales Manager managing 4 Distributor Partner Managers and 18 Pacific Northwest Distributors. His background includes working for Frito Lay, Haagen-Dazs/Nestle and Kraft General Foods – Breyers Ice Cream. Kens experience, vision, hard work and problem solving skills will be a great benefit to Hayden Beverage. Ken and is his wife are originally from Michigan but have lived in Washington State for the last 25 years. When not working, Ken loves to watch Football, landscape his yard and golf.
- Favorite band/artist: U2
- Favorite book: 4 Disciplines of Execution
- Favorite place to be 4pm on a Saturday: Watching sports on TV
- What did you want to be growing up: President of the USA
- Turn Ons: Smiles and sunshine
- Biggest win non-work related: My family and 30+ years of marriage
- Favorite part of job: Solving problems
- Favorite Halloween costume: Devil with a Blue Dress On
- Favorite cereal: Captain Crunch
- If I could go to any event in the world, it would be: US Open Championship
Ritch Otto
Vice President of Wine BrandsRitch Otto
Vice President of Wine BrandsRitch Otto was born and raised in Boise, Idaho where he graduated from the Borah High School in 1981. He started working at Albertsons his sophomore year of high school as a box boy and spent the next 15 years with them working his way to the division office as an assistant meat supervisor. After Albertsons he managed an independent grocery store in Nevada for 5 years before returning to Boise. Ritch started working for Hayden Beverage in 2000 as a water salesman. In 2002 he took a wine sales position. From there he was promoted to wine supervisor in 2004 and wine sales manager in 2007. In 2014 he was promoted to his current position of Vice President of wine.
- Favorite car owned: 1981 Turbo RX7
- Favorite band/artist: Too many to choose from, I guess Foreigner
- Favorite book: A Wrinkle In Time
- Favorite place to be 4pm on a Saturday: Traveling with my wife – anywhere
- What did you want to be growing up: A lawyer
- Favorite restaurant not in Idaho: Rutherford Grill in Napa Valley, CA
- Biggest win non-work related: My 2 children
- Favorite part of job: Being part of a winning team!
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Corral Creek
- If I could go to any event in the world, it would be: Carnival in Rio Janeiro
Dave Lane
Vice President of Non-Alcoholic BrandsDave Lane
Vice President of Non-Alcoholic BrandsDavid Lane oversees all sales functions for our Non-alcoholic products. Following many years in the Grocery Business working for Safeway, Dave joined the company in 1987 as a way to supplement the meager income from his internationally renowned band, Havoc. He later moved to Sun Valley as Operations Manager. He has held many other positions in the organization including Sales rep, Coors Brand Manager, Sales Manager, and Sun Valley General Manager.
- Favorite car owned: 1969 Chevy Camero RS
- Least Favorite Food: Seafood, or anything that even skirts water
- First concert: Black Sabbath
- Favorite place to be 4pm on a Saturday: Watching College Football
- Favorite hobby: playing guitar
- Turn offs: Type “A” self-serving arrogant people (you know who you are)
- Special powers: The Jedi mind trick
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Redfish Lake
- I was born: Emporia, Kansas
- How many 5-year olds I could take in a fight: That depends… humans? or say, Mountain Lions..?
Chad Harding
General Manager of North IdahoChad Harding
General Manager of North IdahoA native of Seattle, Washington. Chad discovered his passion for the beverage industry with his first job after college. Chad worked for E&J Gallo Winery for nine years, holding various roles in Sales and Category Management. In 2006, he joined Constellation Brands as the Director of National Accounts (Albertsons). During his 17-year tenure at Constellation Brands, Chad worked in roles spanning National Account Sales, Category Management, Strategic Insights, Multi State Sales, and most recently as the General Manager of Sales for Canada. In 2024, Chad join Hayden Beverage Company to assume the role of General Manager of North Idaho. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Washington State University, where he continues to contribute as a member of the National Board of Advisors for the WSU School of Hospitality Business Management and the Wine Business Management Steering Committee. Additionally, he earned his MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Business in 2011. Chad and his wife Tracee have been married for 29 years and are proud parents to two children, Baylee and Luke. They also have a 2½-year-old Chocolate Labrador named Booker.
- Favorite sport to watch: College Football
- Favorite band/artist: Dave Grohl / Foo Fighters
- 4pm on a Saturday afternoon – what is your favorite place to be?: On a Deck, either on a Ski Mountain or at the Beach
- Biggest win (work related): Managing 9 Western States for Constellation Brands
- Biggest win/accomplishment (non-work related): Marrying Tracee my Highschool Sweetheart
- Favorite part of job: Working with Amazing People & Brands
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Kootenai Mountains
- If you could go to any event in the world, what would it be?: Sunday at the Masters
- Favorite Halloween costume: Alan from the Movie: Hangover, with Baby Carlos
- One item on your bucket list: Snow Skiing in Europe
Brian Knighton
Executive Vice President of Retail ExecutionBrian Knighton
Executive Vice President of Retail ExecutionBrian Knighton was born and raised in Idaho. After being hired by Albertsons in high school Brian spent 12 years with company in several Boise area stores. In 2002 Brian joined Hayden Beverage as a combo sales rep and soon moved into an off premise beer route. A year later Brian moved to an off premise wine route and then was promoted to a wine sales supervisor in 2007. In 2012 Brian accepted the challenge to manage our largest supplier in our largest market as Southern Idaho Red Bull manager and in 2016 was promoted to Execution Director, Treasure Valley.
- Favorite car owned: 82 Jeep CJ7
- First concert: MC Hammer…Can’t touch this!
- Favorite place to be 4pm on a Saturday: Floating down any river
- Favorite Halloween costume: Billy Idol – you should see me in leather pants
- Turn ons: I can’t put that on a web site!
- Favorite part of job: The people – at Hayden and in the trade
- Special powers/skills: I can read my own mind
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Featherville
- How many 5-year olds I can take in a fight: Don’t know…I can still out run them
- Most bizarre thing found in my desk: A live mouse
Jay Erickson
General Manager of MontanaJay Erickson
General Manager of MontanaJay graduated from Montana State University Bozeman in 2007, with a degree in Business Marketing. During his time at Montana State and after graduating, he managed the 19th Hole Bar & Grill, before decided to move to Seattle in 2011. Jay started his career with Youngs Market Company in the Seattle market as a Sales Rep. He was then promoted to District Manager, covering Seattle to Bellingham. He received another promotion to Key Account Manager managing the Winco business and assisting with Safeway/Albertsons. In the middle of 2018, Jay and his family moved back to Montana, working as a broker for Youngs Market Co. covering all of MT with 40 suppliers. In March 2021 when RNDC and Hayden came together, Jay started his adventure of building the new Hayden Montana market as Director of Sales. Jay is now embarking on his newest role of General Manager of our Montana market.
- Favorite sport to watch: Football (Go Rams!)
- Favorite band/artist: Eric Church & Macklemore
- First concert you went to?: Goo Goo Dolls (90’s baby!)
- Favorite movie: Tommy Boy
- Favorite hobby: Hiking & Camping
- Biggest win (work related): Helping to launch Hayden Beverage MT
- Favorite part of job: Coaching
- Where you were born: Conrad, MT
- If you could go to any event in the world, what would it be?: Superbowl or World Cup Soccer
- One item on your bucket list: Sky Diving
Travis West
General Manager of East IdahoTravis West
General Manager of East IdahoTravis was born and raised in Idaho’s Magic Valley. He joined the Hayden Beverage team in 2010 as Twin Falls Operations Manager after working several years in the beer industry doing everything from delivery sales to warehouse manager. After a few years in the Twin Falls market, he was promoted to his current position of Eastern Idaho Operations Manager overseeing the operations in Pocatello, Idaho Falls, Twin Falls and Sun Valley markets.
- Favorite Sport to watch: Basketball
- First concert: Planet/Page in Boise
- Favorite hobby: Building furniture/cabinets
- Favorite Band/artist: Old school Johnny Cash
- Favorite job before Hayden or 1st job: Box Canyon Fish Hatchery
- Biggest win (non work related): Getting married…never thought I would
- Favorite part of your job: No day is ever the same
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Muldoon Basin, Sawtooth mountains
- Favorite sport/activity: Early morning round of golf
- One item on your bucket list: Visit the Coliseum in Rome
Keri Desler
General Manager of TastevinKeri Desler
General Manager of TastevinKeri was born and raised in New York and after graduating from Hamilton College she moved to Ketchum, Idaho in 1995. She only planned on staying a year but fell in love with the mountains and all the beauty Idaho has to offer. After many years in the restaurant and wine industry, she joined the HBC family in March of 2021 as the GM of Tastevin Wine. She oversees a small but mighty crew of seven. With a team in Boise, Sun Valley, McCall, and Post Falls, Tastevin’s focus is fine wine.
- Favorite car you owned: 1987 Jeep Grand Wagoneer V8 “Woody”
- Favorite band/artist: Widespread Panic – 109 shows and counting…
- Least favorite food: Anything with cilantro
- Favorite job before Hayden or 1st job: Sold t-shirts at the US Open (Tennis)
- Where you were born: New York, New York
- Favorite Halloween costume: Husband and I dressed up as Sonny and Cher
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Redfish Lake / Stanley
- One item on your bucket list: Go to Israel
- Favorite movie: Almost Famous
- Biggest win/accomplishment (non-work related): My two kids
Christine Bender
General Manager of S&C WinesChristine Bender
General Manager of S&C WinesChristine was born and raised in Western Austria. After completing an apprenticeship in commerce, and finding the small town too confining, Christine adventured to Bilbao, Spain and spent a year living with a family, and teaching German to their four children. Then followed a year spent in Geneva to learn French. Having decided to enter the hospitality industry, proficiency in English was a must. As several hometown friends had settled in Ketchum and encouraged a move, Christine applied for a US visa, and landed in Ketchum in April of 1967. Although the intent was to stay for one year, plans changed as plans will, and after 57 years, Ketchum is still home.
From 1973 to 1994 Christine owned and managed ‘The Christiania’ Resaurant. The decision to retire didn’t quite turn out as envisioned, and in 1997 she took over the management of S&C Wines which had been founded by good friend and mentor Jim Cimino. She purchased the business in 2000 and has been hands on owner and manager ever since.
Now, as she joins the esteemed Hayden Family in February of 2024, Christine eagerly anticipates this exciting new chapter, brimming with promise and potential.
- Favorite sport to watch: LPGA
- Favorite sport/activity to do: Fly-fishing
- Favorite car you owned: One that always started
- Favorite food: Wienerschnitzel (salami & cheese a close second)
- Favorite breakfast cereal: Espresso
- Favorite band/artist: Anything between Bach and Vivaldi
- Favorite book (s): Winter’s Tale
- 4pm on a Saturday afternoon – what is your favorite place to be? My back yard in summer
- Favorite bar or restaurant not in Idaho: Plachutta – Vienna
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: A closely guarded secret, but Cutthroat must be present
- One item on your bucket list: A month in Sicily
Scott Bowden
Director of Sales EducationScott Bowden
Director of Sales EducationOriginally from northern England, just south of Manchester, Scott began his journey in hospitality and culinary arts. His career led him to Southern California in 1992, where he honed his skills working with prestigious hospitality companies such as The Ritz Carlton, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and The Four Seasons, specializing in fine dining, wine service, and hospitality management. With over thirty years of experience in Southern California and now a year and a half in Idaho, Scott transitioned into roles within distribution and supplier management,. Prior to joining Hayden, Scott worked for Treasury Wine Estates. Scott’s expertise lies in creating world-class consumer-facing activities, including wine dinners and selling events, that leave a lasting impression. Outside of work, Scott cherishes family time. Married for thirty years, he and his wife have three daughters and are proud grandparents, with another grandchild on the way.
- Favorite sport/activity to do: Walking/Cooking (wine pairing) while cooking
- First concert you went to?: Shawaddywaddy-old English group
- Favorite movie: Nacho Libre
- Favorite bar or restaurant not in Idaho: Castello di Gabbiano in Tuscany…..to date
- Biggest win (work related): Hosting 20 tables of TWE wines at Uncorked Wine Festival LA
- Biggest win/accomplishment (non-work related): Finding the woman of my dreams, being a father, and grandfather
- Favorite part of job: Meeting new clients and developing relationships
- What did you want to be when you were growing up: A fireman
- How many 5-year-olds could you take in a fight: 10-ish, then I’d have to face their moms
- One item on your bucket list: Steam train through the Swiss Alps with my wife. All along, sipping on Champagne
Chuck Combs
Draught ManagerChuck Combs
Draught ManagerChuck was born in Pennsylvania and lived in Alaska, Tennessee and California before moving to Idaho to attend the College of Idaho. He joined Hayden Beverage in June of 1990 delivering to downtown restaurants and bars. After two years, he moved to the Draught department cleaning beer lines and eventually moved up to the Draught Department Manager. He is currently responsible for overseeing the installation of draught lines, the maintenance team and the management of all aspects of special events.
- Favorite car owned: ’78 Jeep Cherokee – 410 engine, competition cam could go anywhere
- Favorite food: Cheese Pie – the filling is made of eggs, butter and sugar
- First concert: AC/DC
- Favorite hobby: Alpine Skiing
- One item on your bucket list: Travel with my wife to Europe
- Favorite part of my job: Solving challenges involved with draught beer systems
- Biggest win (non-work related): Gwen (wife), Sarah and Hannah (daughters)
- Favorite place to pitch a tent in Idaho: Wherever the Elk are during hunting season
- If I could go to any event in the world, it would be: Olympic Alpine skiing events
- Favorite Halloween costume: Cowboy, I wear it every day