Virgis Colbert, Miller v.p., announces retirement

Modern Brewery Age,  August 15, 2005  

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Virgis Colbert an executive vice president at Miller Brewing Company, and one of the brewing industry's most visible black businessmen, will retire at the end of 2005, the company has announced.

Colbert, who is 65 years old, is expected to remain on the company's board, and will serve as an adviser and consultant to the company.

Colbert joined Miller in 1979, as an assistant to the plant manager in Reidsville, N.C. He had previously worked for the Chrysler Corporation.

Colbert was transferred to Milwaukee in 1981, and he was appointed vice president for material manufacturing in 1989. In July 1997, he became executive vice president of worldwide operations.

Colbert said that the company's direction has changed dramatically since it was bought by South African Breweries in 2002.

"I found the last two years really the most gratifying of my career," Colbert told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "We set about turning the business around [and] our numbers are looking good while our major competitor's numbers are down, so I said this is a good time to retire."

Colbert will be replaced at Miller by Maurice Egan, from SAB in South Africa.

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