40 Under 40 Spotlight: Christopher Watzig

CHRISTOPHER WATZIG

VP of Sales, Columbia Distributing

Age: 32

First industry job: Beer Career Intern at Columbia Distributing

Favorite drink: an ice-cold beer or smoked Old Fashioned

Christopher Watzig first joined Columbia Distributing in 2015 as a college intern. In less than eight years and five promotions later, he is now vice president of sales in Portland.

Under Watzig’s leadership, the Portland sales team has earned two Gold Network Awards from Constellation Brands and is on track for a third. Additionally, they’ve implemented cutting-edge sales analytics, significantly reduced annual inventory expenses and dramatically improved quality audit scores from a failing 58.85% in 2022 to a perfect 100% in 2024.

“Chris has a unique set of skills. He’s a strong people leader, has excellent technical knowledge, and on top of that, he has high emotional intelligence. He’s a true five-tool player,” says Dave Stander, Columbia Distributing’s chief commercial officer. “Of the people I’ve worked with throughout my career, Chris has one of the highest ceilings I’ve seen.”

Another example of Watzig’s tremendous leadership can be seen when he oversaw the opening of Columbia Distributing’s new warehouse in Canby, OR, in 2020.

“The project involved relocating nearly one million cases of product, 350 jobs and warehouse/delivery assets from three warehouses in North Portland to our new facility, approximately one hour south,” he says. “This project was especially challenging as it occurred during peak covid, historic Oregon wildfires that were burning within 25 miles of our new location and significant labor shortages.”

Despite these obstacles, Watzig and his team successfully transitioned to the new location on schedule and under budget, with no disruption to retail operations.

“This experience taught me invaluable lessons in leading through adversity, maintaining team morale and employing creative problem-solving strategies. While it was one of the most demanding projects I have faced, it was also one of the most rewarding,” he says.

You can read about all of our 40 Under 40 winners here.

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