Meet your brand partners
R.B. Wilber - Partner
R.B. is a 20-year adult beverage veteran with a background in Sales, Management, Finance, and Category Management. R. B. has helped develop and build state strategic plans for suppliers such as Bacardi, Brown Forman, and The Edrington Group to name a few.
R.B. completed his undergraduate from Baylor University and earned his MBA from Baylor University, Hankamer School of business.
R.B. loves spending his time with family and plays golf when given the time. He and his wife Courtney, have two children, Reid and Reese.
Evan Batt - Partner
Evan Batt –brings 18 years of beverage industry experience in all channels with many beverage types including Spirits, Beer, Wine, NA and Energy. Experience with beverage creation, management and marketing for brands of all sizes. He has a proven track record of growth above category norms and strong success with On and Off Premise.
Evan began his career in the E&J Gallo Management Development Program and Glazers Wholesale Distributing. Later helping global brands launch products in the United States, creating and building brands and helping start-ups get off the ground. He is a proud student of the industry and enjoys the challenges of this ever-changing business. Evan is married and has two children, Russ and Jane. He enjoys visiting New Orleans with his family and live music.
Rene Huerta - V.P. SouthEast Texas Market Manager
Rene is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the spirits industry, specializing in managing distributor and partner relationships. Beginning their career in the Houston market, Rene successfully managed over 100 high-volume accounts, driving supplier velocity for major brands such as Brown Forman, Diageo, Allied Domeq, Sidney Frank, Beam Global, and many others.
In the past five years, Rene has expanded their expertise to managing statewide retail accounts while also maintaining regional On-Premise relationships. As a leader with extensive experience in sales strategy, team management, and market expansion, Rene has consistently delivered growth and value across Texas.
Connor thompson - V.P. SouthEast Texas Market Manager
Connor began working in the adult beverage industry during his time at Texas Tech, where he graduated in 2016. For more than a decade, he has helped Texas-based suppliers grow their business across TX, AZ, OK, CO, and NM. Connor spent the first half of his career at Western Son before working with Desert Door for several years. In 2024 he joined Team Lockwood and now Strong Side Brands. Connor is passionate about building strong partnerships and driving success for his brands.
Outside of work, Connor enjoys traveling, fly fishing, and exploring new places and cuisines. He values trust, connection, and enthusiasm in every aspect of life and business.
Thompson Pham - Southeast Texas Market Manager
Thompson is a 9-year veteran of the Spirits Industry. He started his career with RNDC as a merchandiser and quickly moved up the ladder to manage the Total Wine team for 2 years. From there he was on the Artisan Retail Spirits team for 3 years selling artisanal style brands and launching those brands into the market.
Thompson completed his BBA in Entrepreneurship and General Business at Lamar University. He also has his WSET Level ll Spirits certification.
Thompson currently lives in Houston, TX with his daughter. He enjoys golf, fishing, and being a girl Dad.
Brendan Bradley - San Antonio Market
Brendan began working at Bev Rev doing liquor and wine demos while attending college at Texas State University. Once he graduated in 2023, he got his start in the adult beverage industry by becoming the central Texas territory manager for Lockwood Distilling Co. From 2023-2024 he worked passionately to build Lockwood as well as himself up in the tough central Texas market to help build a brand that people looked forward to buying.
Outside of work, Brendan enjoys cooking and learning new recipes as well as listening to music and watching both old and new movies.
