Fran Caradonna

Fran Caradonna is the chief executive officer of The Saint Louis Brewery, the makers of Schlafly Beer. Caradonna brings over 25 years of experience in craft beer to her role at the original, independent craft brewery. After joining the Schlafly Beer team earlier this year as both chief financial officer and chief administrative officer, Caradonna was appointed as chief executive officer in July 2019. In just a few short months, Caradonna's leadership has made a palpable impact on the organization, and her stewardship brings a renewed focus on the talents of the brewers and destination-worthy experiences at both of Schlafly's brewpubs: the Schlafly Tap Room and Schlafly Bottleworks.

In Caradonna's tenure in the craft beer industry, she greatly contributed to the St. Louis area's craft beer expansion. She was co-founder and vice president of The Signature Beer Company, one of Schlafly's first wholesalers, as well as co-founder and chief executive officer of O'Fallon Brewery. At The Signature Beer Company, the wholesaler acquired and launched several national craft beers in the St. Louis area. Caradonna built the company for success through raising capital for expansion and management of all financials. In 2000, Fran co-founded O'Fallon Brewery with her former husband, Tony, and helped build several award-winning brands over 10 years. She most recently served as the brewery's general manager.

Now, at Schlafly Beer, her career has come full circle. "I sat in on some of the first sales meetings at Schlafly Beer," says Caradonna. "I get to see how far the brewery has come over the last 20+ years. It is an honor and a privilege to join the Schlafly team at this particular moment in the company's life, especially given my own career history and experience. It is such an amazing opportunity to work shoulder to shoulder with the people who have worked together to make Schlafly a great destination in our city."