Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge - View Single Post

467echo · 07-26-2012, 07:24 PM

I'm proud to say I have been Stone free since January! And now have a keg of BP Big Eye behind my computer at all times.

I received an email from their PR person regarding CEO Greg Koch's letter in regards to the overwhelming negative response to Stone's support of the MLPA. The letter is as follows:

"Statement from Stone Brewing Co. CEO and Co-Founder, Greg Koch:

I feel compelled to respond to the mistaken claims regarding Stone and our supposed involvement with the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). Stone Brewing Co. does not currently support or plan to support the MLPA in the future.

In April 2010 we were sent what looked like a very reasonable letter from SD Coastkeeper asking permission to have Stone Brewing Co.’s name added to a long list of companies in support of the Marine Life Protection Act. I took a look at it, decided it looked okay on the surface, and said okay.

It’s arguable that that might not have been a good call. It was, however, the one and only interaction we had with the MLPA.

Between April 2010 and January 2012, I received only one email asking me to support the MLPA, to which I never responded. Additionally, we were not contacted by any anti-MLPA groups requesting that we support their point of view during this period.

Seemingly out of nowhere, in January 2012, we began receiving angry and accusatory inquiries about our “support” of the MLPA. When the accusations were brought to my attention, nearly two years after I received the initial letter asking for support, I was not aware of the issues, pro or con, behind the subject. Some people didn’t care, and saw us as a company on which to focus their online ire, beginning a litany of hostile accusations on websites and in emails. We responded to these comments with what we believed would end any speculation of our involvement. However, our response was dismissed by a small group of people who were very familiar with the MLPA. Admittedly, the MLPA issue was not something we were involved in, and not something we knew much about as it is not within our scope of business.

Stone Brewing Co. in no way has ever supported, is currently supporting, or planned to support the MLPA in the future (other than the single misguided generic letter we responded to that I mentioned in the first paragraph). Saying we support the MLPA is like saying we’re supporting a particular political party because we once said we thought one of their policies seemed reasonable. We’ve participated in no rallies. Conducted no fundraising. There has been no activity by Stone Brewing Co. regarding the MLPA. None.

We do participate in more than 500 charitable events a year, and have donated more than $2 million to local charities and nonprofits during the past 16 years. Is it possible that we donated beer to an event that was being held in support of the MLPA? It’s possible. Our policy is that if a 501(c)3 or 501(c)6 organization approaches us with the necessary and correct California Alcoholic Beverage Control paperwork, we most often say yes to their donation requests.

Due to the unfounded accusations around this MLPA issue, we reached out to the San Diego Surfrider chapter and inquired whether any funds we ever donated had been channeled to the MLPA. In their response letter to us, they assured us they had not. To guarantee our non-involvement, we have formally asked them to only use donated funds from Stone Brewing Co. exclusively for efforts such as beach cleanup, runoff treatment, Hold On To Your Butt, and their Rise Above Plastics campaign (programs which most certainly are near and dear to our hearts). We’ve made it clear to them that we do not wish to be listed as a supporter of the MLPA, as we never should have been in the first place. We’re politically neutral, and it was an error on our part to have allowed ourselves to be listed on the initial letter.

Since this letter covers how the events unfolded, this will be the last you’ll hear from us on this subject. If, after reading my account on the way everything played out, you still feel you will not buy our beer or visit our restaurant, so be it. Thank you for taking the time to read my account and taking into consideration the facts about Stone’s non-involvement in the MLPA issue.

Greg Koch
Stone Brewing Co.
CEO and Co-Founder

July 25th, 2012"

07-26-2012, 07:24 PM	#55
467echo Rookie of the Month Club Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Mira Mesa Posts: 483	Stone Brewing official statement I'm proud to say I have been Stone free since January! And now have a keg of BP Big Eye behind my computer at all times. I received an email from their PR person regarding CEO Greg Koch's letter in regards to the overwhelming negative response to Stone's support of the MLPA. The letter is as follows: "Statement from Stone Brewing Co. CEO and Co-Founder, Greg Koch: I feel compelled to respond to the mistaken claims regarding Stone and our supposed involvement with the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). Stone Brewing Co. does not currently support or plan to support the MLPA in the future. In April 2010 we were sent what looked like a very reasonable letter from SD Coastkeeper asking permission to have Stone Brewing Co.’s name added to a long list of companies in support of the Marine Life Protection Act. I took a look at it, decided it looked okay on the surface, and said okay. It’s arguable that that might not have been a good call. It was, however, the one and only interaction we had with the MLPA. Between April 2010 and January 2012, I received only one email asking me to support the MLPA, to which I never responded. Additionally, we were not contacted by any anti-MLPA groups requesting that we support their point of view during this period. Seemingly out of nowhere, in January 2012, we began receiving angry and accusatory inquiries about our “support” of the MLPA. When the accusations were brought to my attention, nearly two years after I received the initial letter asking for support, I was not aware of the issues, pro or con, behind the subject. Some people didn’t care, and saw us as a company on which to focus their online ire, beginning a litany of hostile accusations on websites and in emails. We responded to these comments with what we believed would end any speculation of our involvement. However, our response was dismissed by a small group of people who were very familiar with the MLPA. Admittedly, the MLPA issue was not something we were involved in, and not something we knew much about as it is not within our scope of business. Stone Brewing Co. in no way has ever supported, is currently supporting, or planned to support the MLPA in the future (other than the single misguided generic letter we responded to that I mentioned in the first paragraph). Saying we support the MLPA is like saying we’re supporting a particular political party because we once said we thought one of their policies seemed reasonable. We’ve participated in no rallies. Conducted no fundraising. There has been no activity by Stone Brewing Co. regarding the MLPA. None. We do participate in more than 500 charitable events a year, and have donated more than $2 million to local charities and nonprofits during the past 16 years. Is it possible that we donated beer to an event that was being held in support of the MLPA? It’s possible. Our policy is that if a 501(c)3 or 501(c)6 organization approaches us with the necessary and correct California Alcoholic Beverage Control paperwork, we most often say yes to their donation requests. Due to the unfounded accusations around this MLPA issue, we reached out to the San Diego Surfrider chapter and inquired whether any funds we ever donated had been channeled to the MLPA. In their response letter to us, they assured us they had not. To guarantee our non-involvement, we have formally asked them to only use donated funds from Stone Brewing Co. exclusively for efforts such as beach cleanup, runoff treatment, Hold On To Your Butt, and their Rise Above Plastics campaign (programs which most certainly are near and dear to our hearts). We’ve made it clear to them that we do not wish to be listed as a supporter of the MLPA, as we never should have been in the first place. We’re politically neutral, and it was an error on our part to have allowed ourselves to be listed on the initial letter. Since this letter covers how the events unfolded, this will be the last you’ll hear from us on this subject. If, after reading my account on the way everything played out, you still feel you will not buy our beer or visit our restaurant, so be it. Thank you for taking the time to read my account and taking into consideration the facts about Stone’s non-involvement in the MLPA issue. Greg Koch Stone Brewing Co. CEO and Co-Founder July 25th, 2012" __________________ they are getting bigger....