photo by steed media service

Founder/CEO, Hill Brewing Company

Most successful businesses are built on faith. Hill Brewing Company of St. Louis is no different. Founder and CEO Ray Hill trusted his instincts and it has paid off tremendously. After starting his company in his garage, Hill has become one of the mavericks of the brewing industry. "I started brewing as a hobby in 1998," explains Hill. "By 2002, I perfected it and everybody started asking where they could buy [my] beer, so I cashed in my 401K, sold my house and took all of my money - every single dime - and started my own company." Five years later, Hill's vision paid off. "For five years we were looking for a distribution deal," he continues. "We were working with a brewing company in Rochester, N.Y., and then we realized that we [could] do it in downtown [St. Louis] with Anheuser-Busch." Anheuser-Busch looked over Hill Brewing Company's history and practices, and in April of 2007, HBC signed a distribution deal with the brewing giant. It's easy to see why Anheuser-Busch was happy to have HBC affiliated with their brand. "I use special malts to give [the beer] a creamy head and imported hops, so it has a very smooth finish," Hill says. "[Anheuser-Busch has] the best distribution system in the world. Anywhere you go, you're going to see Budweiser and Bud Light." - terry shropshire