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Important Update

Important Update

Notice is hereby given that the 2024 Annual Meeting for regular members of the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) will take place on Tuesday, November 19 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time in the Herbert Hall Alumni Center, 698 Mills Road, West Point, New York 10996. The business of the meeting will be to elect a Chair, Vice-Chair, five members to our Board of Directors, and six Advisors at Large.

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Podcast: Saber to Startup with Sam Kazmer ’11 and Devin T. Adams ’13

Category: Grad News
Class Years: ,

This episode features a conversation with Sam Kazmer ’11, CEO and Founder of Elsewhere Brewing Co., and Devin T. Adams ’13, CEO and Founder of What’s A Roadblock Beverage Company.

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On this episode, join Sam and Devin as they reflect on their West Point legacies and how these experiences carved out their current leadership roles.

A metro Atlanta native, Sam graduated high school and started at West Point in 2007 with the Class of 2011. At West Point, Sam studied Economics and competed on the Nordic Ski Team. Upon graduation in 2011, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry and stationed in Vicenza, Italy with the 173rd Airborne. Following service there, Sam was selected to serve with the 2d Ranger Battalion in Tacoma, WA. After sustaining training injuries during a parachuting crash while conducting an airfield seizure exercise, Sam was medically retired from the Army in 2017. Upon retirement, Sam and his wife, Sara, began their journey in entrepreneurship by traveling through North America, South America, and Europe to develop a concept for a craft brewery. In 2019, they returned to Atlanta, GA and opened Elsewhere Brewing Co in October 2020. In September 2023 they opened a second location in Atlanta. Currently, Sam is the CEO of Elsewhere Brewing Co. as he continues to search for new and novel ways to grow Elsewhere as a business and a brand.

“I’d say, at West Point, what am I trying to figure out? I’m trying to figure out how to be a leader because I need to, I need to figure that out real fast because I guess I’m going to show up to the 173rd. And sure enough, I show up to the 173rd, I’m there for two months, and we’re in Afghanistan. And in the first month we’re there, two or three officers had gotten killed right off the bat. And I would say like four or five platoon leaders lost their jobs. So it was like, I need to figure this out and the consequences are real.”

— Sam Kazmer ’11

Devin T. Adams ’13 (D-1) is the CEO and Founder of What’s A Roadblock Beverage Company (WARBEVCO.), a portfolio of brands that currently owns two award-winning mezcal brands: Sigiloso and Mala Mía Mezcal. Devin is a Vanderbilt Law School graduate and studied Economics and Systems Engineering at West Point. Devin served as a Ranger qualified Fire Support Officer in the 173rd Airborne Brigade and as an enlisted Infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division completing a deployment to Afghanistan in OEF XII.

Join us for an episode that connects the dots between disciplined beginnings and the freedom of business creation. Get inspired as Sam and Devin reveal how strategic skills from West Point have been pivotal in their ventures, offering a unique perspective on leading with innovation in the entrepreneurial landscape.

**This episode does not imply Federal endorsement.

Episode Timestamps

(01:42) Reflecting on the Journey to West Point
(04:20) The Challenges and Lessons of West Point
(12:45) Transitioning into Entrepreneurship
(15:39) The Impact of Military Training on Business
(20:26) The Role of Perseverance in Entrepreneurship
(23:07) Preparation and Planning in Entrepreneurship
(37:37) Applying Military Principles in Business
(39:14) The Importance of Teamwork and Mentorship
(45:11) Overcoming Failure and Embracing Growth
(55:18) The Power of Community and Networking
(57:14) The Future of Elsewhere Brewing Company
(01:05:02) The Importance of Mental Health and Wellness

Links

Connect with Sam Kazmer ’11
Connect with Devin T. Adams ’13
Check out Elsewhere Brewing Co.
Check out What’s a Roadblock Beverage Company

“There’s just so much, so much care, like the sponsor system at West Point, I think is such a great idea…I was being a hardheaded 19, 20-year-old when we were at school, but I’m just so thankful for all the professors that poured into me over the years. I think again, back to our economics degree, I’m fascinated by how advanced the level of understanding that they were pushing on us was because I really felt like I understood a lot of things from an academic and theoretical level.”

— Devin T. Adams ’13

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The WPAOG Podcast is a strategic initiative focused on tailored audible communications to further inform Graduates on current AOG projects, events, and USMA updates. This customized content is mainly for USMA Alumni and the West Point Community solely produced by the West Point Association of Graduates. The Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Audible, YouTube Music, and iHeartRadio.

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