Leadership Team

    • During his 35-year career as a high-impact, hands-on executive, Dean has built a track record of growing profitable operations and implementing successful turnarounds as CEO, CFO, Director, and Treasurer at public and private companies in industries including beverage, financial services, manufacturing, distribution, and SAAS.

    • Most recently, Dean was CFO of Splash Beverage Group (NYSE American: SBEV), where within five years, he led the company from start-up to a NASDAQ up-listing, raising US$24 million, laying the groundwork for a planned $125 million acquisition and $200 million offering.

    • Having started his career in accounting and finance, Dean was one of the first employees hired at Catalyst Energy Corporation, where he was integrally involved in all aspects of financial management, controls, and SEC filings for offerings totaling US$350 million as he led the company within 36 months to be one of Inc. Magazine’s Fastest Growing Companies.

    • Throughout his career, Dean has led multiple going-public transactions, including four as, raised money through private placements, IPOs, RTOs, primary and secondary offerings, partnerships, and off-balance sheet funds.

    • Dean's experience spans the globe, including working at international investment banks such as BNP Paribas and private equity and investment funds of over US$10 billion in New York, Ghana, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.

    • Dean has a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Southern Illinois University.

    • Over 15 years of experience in accounting firms, management consulting, and commercial corporations in the food and beverage industry.

    • Extensive experience in private and public companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange

    • Worked in Australia and China, assisting businesses with accounting functions, finance transformation, and performance improvement

    • Beverage industry leader who has served in many executive roles culminating in being CEO at Angostura Holdings Limited, a TT$1b revenue publicly traded company, the world's market leader for cocktail bitters, and one of the Caribbean's leading rum producers.

    • A dynamic leader and strategic thinker with over 28 years of experience in marketing, brand building, business development, new product development, and supply chain management in the food and beverage industry

    • Track record of success delivering results in international business development, revenue growth and global distribution

    • Worked in the Caribbean region assisting entrepreneurs to build iconic brands supported by resilient global supply chain networks

    • MSc. Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Cranfield School of Management, U.K.

    • Masters in Pharmacy. Applies a science focused approach to new formulation development.

    • Wine and Spirits Collector

    • 10 years of operational excellence in the beverage industry.

    • Proficient in formulation, new product development, commercialization, and business development.

Board Members

    • Masters in Pharmacy. Applies a science focused approach to new formulation development.

    • Wine and Spirits Collector

    • 10 years of operational excellence in the beverage industry.

    • Proficient in formulation, new product development, commercialization, and business development.

  • Sally Cardillo has served as a director since April 2022 and is primarily located in Hobe Sound, Florida, United States. Ms. Cardillo has over thirty (30) years of accounting experience having served as a Certified Public Accountant since 1988. Since her retirement in October 2016, she has provided accounting consultancy services to individuals and corporate clients. From 1988 to 2016, Ms. Cardillo was a CPA with Braund, Eiler and Vasko (“Braund Eiler”) and Herbein + Company, Inc., which acquired Braund Eiler in 2014. At the beginning of her career, Ms. Cardillo spent eleven (11) years in industrial engineering, production planning, and systems analysis for the Jones and Laughlin Steel Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Then in 1988, she became a Certified Public Accountant and began providing accounting, consulting, and audit services for a variety of individual and corporate clients for the remainder of her career. Ms. Cardillo holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from The Pennsylvania State University.

  • Shawn Messner has served as a director since February 2024 and is primarily located in Plymouth, Minnesota. Mr. Messner is the Managing Director of Investment Banking at Needham & Company, a position he has held since April 2019. His responsibilities include the origination and execution of public and private financings, and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Messner currently heads Needham’s activities related to the consumer and cannabis industries. Over his approximately twenty (20) year career, Mr. Messner has been responsible for 150+ equity financings and advisory transactions, representing over $12B+ in aggregate value. Prior to joining Needham, he was Managing Director and Head of Energy Investment Banking at Northland Capital Markets. Prior to Northland, Mr. Messner worked at Piper Jaffray. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he graduated from Augsburg College with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and the University of Minnesota with an Masters of Business Administration in Finance.

  • Daniel Lanskey has served as a director since February 2024 and is primarily located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Mr. Lanskey has over twenty-five (25) years of capital markets experience in Asia, Australia, Canada, and the United States. He has served as Chairman, Managing Director, and CEO of companies in the energy, mining, life science, investment services and information technology. As a serial entrepreneur, Mr Lanskey has a demonstrated history of managing day to day operations from Start Up, Seed Funding through to Initial Public Offering to exit. As an experienced public speaker, he has presented at Industry Conferences in Asia, Australia, Europe, Canada, and United States. Mr. Lanskey is a Director of Valross Capital Pty Ltd, an authorized representative of an Australian Financial Services License, and has been an integral driver of capital raising activities for both private and public companies trading on the ASX, TSXV, and OTCQX. He is the Founder of Turntable Energy Limited and has served as Chairman since 2016. He has served as a director of Timeless Capital Inc. (TSXV: TLC.P) since 2018. Mr. Lanskey has also served as Chairman of Needle Capital Corp. from 2017-2019, Managing Director and Founder of Qmines Limited (ASX:QML) from 2019-2022 and Non-Executive Director of McArthur Minerals Limited (ASX: MIO; TSX-V: MMS), among positions in other listed companies. He previously served as a member of the Queensland Police Service in Australia and qualified as a Detective and Sergeant, while completing studies in Justice Administration, Information Technology and Business at a Diploma level. He holds a post graduate business degree in Entrepreneurship and Venture Development from Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.