Officers

Stuart Carter, President

Information Systems Specialist at UAB, 40
Birmingham, AL

Stuart first became interested in FTH soon after moving from Scotland to Alabama, after being invited to a meeting by a colleague. His passion for legalizing gourmet beer got him involved immediately, particularly in trying to change the bad image that beer holds in Alabama. Subsequently, in 2007, he began regular beer and food pairings to encourage a new way of thinking about beer.
Stuart took over as President from Danner in January 2008.

Lee Winnige, Vice-President

Architect, 39
Vestavia, AL

Lee heard of FTH through a friend in late 2004. At the time there were only a few members; they really had to re-invent the wheel because none had done anything like this before. There was no membership base, no official title and no money. Since then he has seen FTH grow exponentially with a very enthusiastic membership and a strong sense of purpose that keeps the organization going.

Chris Eidson, Secretary

Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at UAB, 36
Birmingham, AL

Chris became involved after being approached by Lee Winnige, the Vice-President of FTH; they knew each other through their common interest in homebrewing. Chris, Lee and Danner were the original members of FTH, as it is in its present form.

Chip Davis, Treasurer

Bank Auditor, 30
Birmingham, AL

Chip first heard about FTH from an article in the Black & White in 2005, which gave him the realization that he couldn't get the same beers available in virtually every other state. Hating to see the state he has called "home" for 26 years be one of the last to have these outdated and unfair laws restricting responsible adults' choices, he immediately joined FTH to help. Chip also holds the position of Events Chair.

Danner Kline, Founder

Telecommunications Manager, 29
Vestavia, AL

Danner grew up near Atlanta and moved to Birmingham in 1996 to attend Samford University. After graduating from Samford in 2000 with a BA in English, he entered the telecom field and also began trying different styles of beer. His growing appreciation for quality beer inspired him to found Free The Hops in late 2004 and he led the group as President until December 2007, when he stepped down to devote more time to his growing family (his second child was born that September).

Committee Chairs

Gabe Harris, Business Support

Grants & Contracts Officer at UAB, 31
Birmingham, AL

Gabe joined FTH in 2005 after seeing an article in the Black & White with Danner and Lee, and has been involved ever since. Through FTH he discovered there was far more to beer than college life would suggest, and was thrilled to find there was an organization who thought the same. Gourmet beer is such a complex and interesting product that he wanted to learn everything about it, so he dove right in to help garner support from local businesses and breweries nationwide to help FTH succeed. He is also now the Birmingham Chapter Organizer.

Dan Roberts, Legislative Support

Electrical Engineer, 27
Huntsville, AL

A native Alabamian, Dan had no idea of the variety and complexity of beer until his tenure in the Marine Corps sent him around the country and around the world. After developing a taste for gourmet beers, he returned to Alabama in 2004 and soon discovered that some of his favorite beverages were banned in his home state. Dan joined Free the Hops after he read an article about the organization, and he has been a prominent volunteer for over 2 years, including running the Tuscaloosa Chapter before his relocation to Huntsville.

Chapter Organizers

Mark Warren, Montgomery Chapter

Student at the University of Auburn in Montgomery, 21
Montgomery, AL

Mark's interest in beer was sparked after a trip to the U.K., where he experienced a variety of beers with new and complex flavors, many of which were not available in Alabama. Although he is a relatively new member of Free The Hops, he has been working hard to share his enthusiasm about the movement by creating an active core of members in Montgomery.

Levi Smith, Tuscaloosa Chapter

Senior at the University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL

Levi recently took the job as Tuscaloosa Chapter Organizer despite his senior status and his work in the Air National Guard in Avionics, both of which keep him busy. He intends to continue his studies by entering graduate programs in Archiving and Record Management.