Successful alums give back
I’m fairly regularly lecturing and giving talks to various groups at the University. In a lot of ways, I’m paying back the support I’ve had from being in a university community.
“Chico State was instrumental in my getting to where I am today, as far as the knowledge I’ve gained and the resources that were available,” says Ken Grossman, co-founder and president/CEO of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. “I’m fairly regularly lecturing and giving talks to various groups at the University. In a lot of ways, I’m paying back the support I’ve had from being in a university community.”
The brewing company and Chico State have a long history of partnerships, says Grossman, a Chico State alum. He appreciates the shared goal the University and Sierra Nevada have of environmental sustainability. “President Zingg has really brought his ideals to the University as far as environmental stewardship and leadership,” he says.
Chico State, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., and the City of Chico celebrated their shared commitment to sustainability at ChicoFest in April 2009, a music festival and public education forum.
The collaborations between Chico State and Sierra Nevada don’t end with sustainability. Students often tour the brewery for business management and engineering classes. Grossman works with the College of Natural Sciences to support projects such as the award-winning student research project converting brewery waste into biofuel. And the company recently donated $88,000 to the College of Agriculture for the University Farm Meats Laboratory to further develop its line of smoked sausages, which are served at the Sierra Nevada Restaurant and Taproom.
Since 2003, the College of Agriculture has collaborated with Sierra Nevada, leveraging agricultural research funding, to conduct extensive research on the utilization of brewery byproducts to develop a locally grown, naturally fed beef supply. Students also manage Sierra Nevada's cattle at the University Farm, feeding spent brewer's grains to the cattle. The Meats Lab processes the livestock for the Sierra Nevada Taproom and Restaurant.
“There is such a strong local feel in Chico,” says Grossman. “I’ve been doing business here 30 years now, and part of our success has been through our connections with the community, the University, the city of Chico.”
Dave Daley, associate dean and farm administrator, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. CEO Ken Grossman talk about their collaborative projects at the University Farm