Our Team
Meet the Humans of BKON
DEAN VASTARDIS
CEO
Dean is the inventor of RAIN technology and driving force behind BKON. His industrial sculpting background and self-taught engineering and fluid dynamics expertise drives BKON’s unique art and science approach. An unparalleled problem solver, Dean is a continuous cultivator of pragmatic and unconventional methodologies for evolving BKON’s capabilities and flavor advantages. Outside of work Dean has the most fun spending time with his family and his dog Jeff.
FAVORITE BEVERAGE
CRAFT BEER
LOU VASTARDIs
PRESIDENT
Lou Vastardis is responsible for spearheading BKON’s commercial strategy, which led the company to growing 1400% over the last three years. Lou’s entrepreneurial passion stems from his experience in building new markets and pivoting early-stage companies. His unique blend of can-do energy and strategic thinking has shaped BKON’s collaborative approach. Lou’s love of coffee extends to all food & beverage as an accomplished home chef.
FAVORITE BEVERAGE
RED WINE
ZACH BOVE
director OF PRODUCTION
Zach’s passion for perfection is matched by his enthusiasm for creating a fun work environment. According to Zach the best days are exceeding customer expectations followed by warehouse push-ups. BKON’s resident adventurer, Zach was once saved by the national park search and rescue in the Mojave Desert.
FAVORITE BEVERAGE
CHEAP BEER
JOHN Donaldson
Director of Quality
John’s most exciting days consist of hard work from a full production day and cooling off in the reefer truck. His experience as Head Distiller at La Colombe brings special skillsets to BKON and translates to his proficiency in home brewing. Outside work John can be found rock climbing, when he’s not watching Frasier reruns.
Favorite Beverage
Rosé de Gambrinus
LAUREN PFEIFFER
vice president, brand & customer experience
Lauren P uses her 12 years marketing experience to make the technical, more digestible for BKON’s audience. She relishes days where the team laughs their heads off, and favors work promoting customers’ RAIN powered beverages. On the weekends, Lauren can often be found coaching her daughters soccer team, and having living room dance parties with her kids and friends.
FAVORITE BEVERAGE
ICED TEA
COlin Shawcross
MainteNANCE mechanic
Colin brings his decade of brewing experience to BKON’s production team. He’s master of BKON’s filtration and is most excited when the team exceeds a customer’s yield. Colin is known for his positive attitude and laughter, mad creative skills that range from drawing to music, and being the best Dad he can to his daughter. During break time, you can find him enjoying frisbee and football.
FAVORITE BEVERAGE
German Style beers
senior direcTOR OF buSINESS deVELOPMENT
With over 24 years in the food and beverage industry, Aaron thrives on crafting creative solutions to unique challenges. He’s most excited when we're tasting, exploring, and innovating with products, sharing those magical moments of discovery with our team and customers. Known for his positive attitude and culinary skills, Aaron feels unstoppable when our collaborative efforts lead to big wins. Outside of work, you'll find him hiking, kayaking, and exploring new craft breweries and restaurants.
favorite beverage tie between coffee & craft beer
Dustin George
LEAD BREWER
Dustin’s most excited by days that require lots of use of the forklift. It’s literally his favorite place to be here at BKON. Brewing on BKON’s STORM is a close second. From beer to wine to coffee, Dustin’s bringing his passion for beverage to BKON’s production team. He’s a fan of disk golf and Magic the Gathering, and once landed a story perfect shot in a game of beer pong against a band at the Warped Tour.
Favorite Beverage
BEER
MASON SNYDER
WAREHOUSING & lOGISTICS
With his cat-like reflexes and forklift mastery, Mason tackles BKON’s busiest production days with a positive attitude and some good music in tow. His love for music extends beyond the workplace, as he plays guitar, makes beats and collects records. His work as a logistics coordinator at a live events company, sparked his interest in shipping and receiving. Mason spends lots of time in the reefer trailer, and keeps himself cool outside of work at his favorite spot, Dewey Beach.
FAVORITE BEVERAGE
BLUEBERRY LEMONADE
alyston upshaw production & operations
Alyston’s outgoing and helpful nature shines at BKON, making every day a good day. He finds joy in being on the floor with the team, tackling tasks and feeling rewarded when they finish ahead of schedule. Outside of work, Alyston, or Al as he known here at BKON, enjoys brewing his English ale, Concrete Blues, cooking, and watching sports. His favorite place is Stowe, VT, and he's known for always being on the move. To get in the best mood, Alyston listens to music and adds to his collection of NFL and MLB jerseys.
favorite beverage arnold palmer half tea and lemonade lite
Itamar Loss
Vice President OF R&D
Itamar uses his 30+ years in product development and “Gambiarra” practice to bring a resourceful and analytical approach to BKON’s R&D efforts. He’s a walking TV guide, known for his loyalty to those he loves and after many moves, determination to not buy any more furniture than the basics.
Favorite Beverage
COFFEE
PHIL Rainsford
Quality Technician
Phil spends the majority of his days on BKON’s production floor where his team collaboration and solution-driven mentality shines. Friday’s are his most feel-good day of the workweek, when he celebrates all that was accomplished. Outside of work you can find him visiting craft breweries, cooking new recipes, or just relaxing on the couch.
FAVORITE BEVERAGE
Belgian Beers
Christina STevens
Business Development Manager
Christina is a creative problem solver and loves finding the perfect solution for clients. Developing strategies & relationships is where she thrives, but Christina has the most fun during events where she can interact with potential customers. On a farm is where she feels at home, while hiking mountains gives Christina the most clarity and the best ideas.
FAVORITE BEVERAGE
Seltzer Water
Lauren Wholey
Controller
Lauren W will answer all your math questions while simultaneously accomplishing three tasks. She appears to have a photographic memory and feels most accomplished when the day’s To Do list is complete. Family time and the smell of coffee are two of Lauren’s favorite things, and she once released newly hatched baby sea turtles into the ocean while in Mexico.
Favorite Beverage
MOJITO
jt melvin production manager
JT is the Maestro of the production floor, bringing camaraderie and process optimization with his decade of craft brewing experience. He gets stoked on busy days when team collaboration is at its peak. Outside work he finds inspiration in music rhythms, spins tales during D&D quests with friends and discovers serenity amidst nature’s embrace while camping. Known for his spirited opinions and love for a good beer, JT's favorite story to tell involves three brothers, and a coffin—ending with a hilariously anticlimactic punchline.
favorite beverage high life
shane mccann production & operations
Shane brings precision and dedication to BKON, excelling as owner of BKON’s filtration process. His favorite spot is the reefer trailer, where he cools off while taking pride in the team’s successes. Outside of work, Shane enjoys relaxing at home with his wife and two boys, and he loves sports, especially hockey. Shane loves lifting weights or hitting the ice rink with his son Liam.
favorite beverage sierra nevada pale ale
matthew flores production & operations
Matt, a former classroom teacher and acapella beat boxer, brings his zest for learning new things and working in unison to the production floor. When he’s not brewing on the XL, you’ll find this retired Air Force Staff Sergeant cheering on the Phillies, jet setting with his wife, enjoying a savory meal, sipping on something delicious or daydreaming of his next adventure. His friends describe him as a “work hard, play hard type of guy”.