News Release: VIP Appoints Chief People Officer, Chief Information Officer, and Head of Sales

Appointments come as the beverage technology leader deepens its investment in AI, product innovation, and its people

VIP, the technology backbone of the beverage industry, today announced the appointment of three senior leaders: Paige Esser as Chief People Officer, Kinan Al Haffar as Chief Information Officer, and Lucinda Ochwat as Head of Sales. They join at an exciting moment for the company, as VIP deepens its investment in AI, product innovation, and its people, while continuing to serve the industry it has powered for more than 50 years.

The appointments build on recent additions to VIP's leadership, including CEO Andrew Criezis and CFO Doug Cocklin.

"VIP has always been built on deep expertise and real relationships, and each of these leaders brings both," said Andrew Criezis, CEO of VIP. "We're investing in our technology at a level we never have before, and Kinan is exactly the leader we need at the center of it. Pair that with Paige's focus on our people and Lucinda's deep roots in this industry, and you have exactly the team for this moment."

Together, the three appointments span the people, technology, and customer relationships at the core of VIP's business:

Paige Esser, Chief People Officer 

Esser joins VIP from BitSight, where she served as Chief People Officer through a period of rapid scaling, guiding the organization through fundraising and three acquisitions. Prior to that, she held leadership positions at Goodwin, Fidelity Investments, and Deloitte, partnering with executive teams to build high-performing organizations during periods of growth and transformation. At VIP, Esser will be responsible for people strategy, talent, culture, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness. She joins a company that has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont by VermontBiz and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce for six consecutive years.

"What drew me to VIP is how seriously this company takes its people. You don't build fifty years of customer trust without a culture that invests in the humans behind the technology. I'm thrilled to be joining alongside Kinan and Lucinda, and excited to help grow that culture as VIP continues to invest in what's next," said Esser.

Kinan Al Haffar, Chief Information Officer

Al Haffar brings more than two decades of experience leading technology, infrastructure, and security across software, healthcare, and life sciences organizations. Most recently, he served as Vice President of IT, Infrastructure & Security at Reveleer, where he held responsibility for IT, cybersecurity, and data privacy, and over his career he has led technology and security functions through significant growth and numerous M&A integrations. At VIP, Al Haffar will strengthen and advance the technology foundation that supports the business and its customers.

Lucinda Ochwat, Head of Sales 

Ochwat brings more than 20 years of experience across nearly every side of the beverage alcohol industry: supplier, distributor, operator, and consultant. She spent 14 years at The Boston Beer Company, where she led sales and distribution on five major brand launches, including Truly, Twisted Tea, and Angry Orchard, before serving as Vice President of eCommerce Solutions and Specialty Craft at Andrews Distributing. At VIP, she will lead sales strategy and deepen customer partnerships, having sat in many of the same seats VIP's customers sit in every day.  

About VIP 

VIP (Vermont Information Processing) empowers smart decisions in the beverage commerce industry. Since 1972, VIP has earned the industry's trust by building reliable, integrated technology that helps suppliers, distributors, and retailers run smoother, smarter, and more profitably. Its data, the deepest in the industry, is the foundation of VIP's expanding AI capabilities. Learn more at vipinsights.com.