Katie Leinenkugel Named President of Historic Brewing Company

The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company announced that Katie Leinenkugel will take over as President of the company this week.

According to a social media post on Wednesday, Katie Leinenkugel is a 6th generation member of the family that’s operated the Chippewa Falls brewery for over 150 years.

“I’m especially proud to be only the second female president in our family company’s long history,” she said in the post. “The first was Susan Leinenkugel, daughter of Jacob Leinenkugel, who led the brewery in 1927. Nearly a century later, I’m humbled to follow in her footsteps and the footsteps of every president before me, to continue the legacy of leadership, innovation, and family spirit that defines our iconic brewery.”

The brewery has seen some significant changes over the last year. Molson Coors, which owns the brewery, decided to close the Chippewa Falls facility and relocate its production to Milwaukee. Molson Coors officials said only about 25% of the company’s products were still being brewed in Chippewa Falls and they wanted to centralize production.

The closure resulted in over 50 employees being laid off. Following the closure announcement, Jake and Dick Leinenkugel attempted to purchase the Chippewa Falls brewery back from Molson Coors, highlighting the importance of the facility to both their workers and the overall tourism industry in the Chippewa Valley.

Molson Coors CEO Gavin Hattersley declined to pursue that agreement, saying the company remained fully committed to the Leinenkugel’s brand. While the brewery side of the facility was shut down, the popular Leinie’s Lodge remained open.