Eastside Distilling, Inc. appointed Mr. Geoffrey Gwin as new CEO

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.


Appointment of Directors


On March 28, 2022, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Eastside Distilling, Inc. (the "Company") appointed Messrs. Geoffrey Gwin and Joseph Giansante to the Board, effective immediately, each to serve until their successor is duly elected and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation, or removal, whichever first occurs.


Mr. Joseph Giansante has served as the Executive Vice President of Big League Dreams, LLC since March 2021. Previous to his role at Big League Dreams, Mr. Giansante was Eastside Distilling's Chief Marketing Officer from September 2019 until November 2020, having joined the Company as part of the Azuñia Tequila asset purchase. Prior to the acquisition, Mr. Giansante was the Managing Director of Azuñia Tequila and oversaw all aspects of the operation. Prior to Azuñia, Mr. Giansante served as the Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer at Vivature Sports Solutions of Dallas, Texas after a long career in collegiate sports. Mr. Giansante served as Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director and Chief Revenue Officer of Syracuse athletics, as well as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Marketing and Brand Development - External Affairs for the University of Oregon Athletic Department, where he oversaw and managed Oregon athletics' marketing and brand identity. Prior to joining the University of Oregon, Mr. Giansante served as the Programming Executive Producer and Director of the Oregon Sports Network and CSN, and was also the Ducks' television play-by-play voice and studio show host for a 12-year period starting in 2000, where he won two sports Emmy Awards. Mr. Giansante holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Oregon.


Mr. Geoffrey Gwin was appointed as the Company's Chief Executive Officer on February 1, 2022 and Chief Financial Officer as of June 15, 2020. Mr. Gwin previously served as a member of the board of directors from August 2019 through June 2020. Mr. Gwin formed Group G Capital Partners, LLC in 2003 and has continuously managed its related strategies as its Chief Investment Officer. From June 2018 until February 2020, Mr. Gwin was a Member of Quad Capital Management Advisors, LLC and the Managing Member of Group G Capital Partners, LLC. Mr. Gwin is a Board Observer of SMArtX Advisory Solutions, Inc., a private company offering technology solutions to wealth advisors, RIA's and other financial services firms. Mr. Gwin has held positions at Symphony Asset Management, BHF-BANK Aktiengesellschaft, and Citibank, Inc. over the last two decades. Mr. Gwin holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Wake Forest University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.


Mr. Giansante will participate in the Company's annual compensation program for directors, which currently includes (1) annual board member fees of $45,000, paid in quarterly installments, (2) an annual board chair fees of $24,000, paid in quarterly installments, (3) an annual committee chair premium of $5,000, paid in quarterly installments, and (4) an annual committee member fee of $20,000, paid in quarterly installments. The directors have agreed to be compensated in RSU's in lieu of cash payment.


Exhibit Description 


99.1 Press Release dated March 30, 2022 

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