Forward Janesville - TheReport - Fourth Quarter 2023

generational businesses. “Duff tells the story that the first piece of equipment he ran was the shovel. Once he mastered that, he moved to the diesel equipment. What he is saying is that [you have] to be willing to get dirty and learn the ins and outs of the business from the ground up, to have a solid understanding of what makes it work. Too many want to start at the top without knowing the nuts and bolts of the company. How can you manage or lead without knowing the business?” remarked Roger. Gray Brewing Co. “We are not business owners, we are caretakers for the next generation,” Bob Gray, fourth-generation owner. Gray Brewing knows a thing or two about passing the torch. The 168-year-old beverage manufacturer is in its sixth generation of ownership, a feat fueled by a strong sense of family pride, said Sarah (Gray) Running, sixth-generation managing director. Running has been working in the brewery her entire life, she said. She and her brother Jacob Gray spent their childhood spring breaks working the bottling line. At the end of the week, their father would pay them for their work with a trip to Toys R Us, where they got to pick out a new toy. It’s too soon yet to know whether the next generation will carry on the family business. The oldest child in the family is four years old. But Running said the young kids already enjoy spending time at the brewery and watching the bottles go through the line. She enjoys seeing the brewery through the eyes of her kids and connecting with the feelings she had when she was their age. Being excited about the family business is one part of cultivating an interest in future generations to eventually run the business. That spark has to be balanced with the right skills to take over. As Running notes, “growing up there were two very important things our parents placed emphasis on: instilling a strong work ethic in us and providing educational opportunities. At a young age [we understood the need to] develop the necessary skills and knowledge to run a business.” The Gray family’s values are the same at home and at the office: hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Those values carried them through the challenges of balancing tradition and modernization. Each generation of Gray Brewing has faced their own unique challenges, Running said. In the 1990s, her father had to rebuild the brewery after a catastrophic fire. Running and her brother had to work their way through the COVID-19 pandemic. The family found new ways to take care of business during the pandemic, like expanding their contract bottling business and diversifying revenue streams. Their family values provided a guiding template, but their connection to Janesville was also crucial. “Legacy and tradition, industry knowledge, and community engagement are the biggest strengths to our generational business. We’re fortunate to have our business in Janesville where we’re deeply embedded in the community,” said Running. Hoffman House Catering “It is not the number of people we serve; it is the number of people we please,” Michael Prosser, second-generation owner. Endurance in the hospitality industry often hinges on the ability to swiftly adapt to changing market conditions. And the industry is changing all the time. The Prosser family owns successful hospitality venues in Wisconsin and Illinois that include catering businesses (Hoffman House and Henrici’s), luxury event venues (The Pavilion at Orchard Ridge Farms and the Copperstone Inn), and three restaurants (Ishnala Supper Club, Scoreboard Sports Bar, and Firehouse Pub). As Michael Prosser notes, “Over the years we’ve witnessed significant changes in the catering landscape and diversified our offerings to include a broader range of cuisines and service options.” The hospitality industry thrives on relationships and personal connection. “From the very beginning, we’ve 8 | FORWARD JANESVILLE Current production floor at Gray Brewing Michael Prosser and his father Bob Prosser building the business together Gray Brewing's original pop truck