Conversations with Rhiannon Hoeweler

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rhiannon Hoeweler.

Hi Rhiannon, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am currently the VP of Experience & Impact at MadTree. I am responsible for intentionally driving the brand, consumer and employee experience and supporting MadTree’s revenue growth. Prior to that I served as the first Director of Strategic Impact leading efforts around sustainability, community, and strategic corporate philanthropy which resulted in achieving B Corp Certification in October of 2023. I’m proud to say we are the only B Corp certified brewery in the state of Ohio. I’ve been with MadTree over the last 4.5 years and we’ve accomplished more than I could have imagined when I joined the company. We’ve increased the number of locations from 1 to 3, our team has grown from 80 employees to 320 employees, and we are living out the Vision, Purpose, and Points of Difference that the company aligned on when I first arrived. Through our Let’s Grow Local annual event and ReLeaf we get 1000’s of trees into the ground in neighborhoods with less than 40% tree canopy cover in partnership with some of the best nonprofits in the city. And we’ve set the bar for what a purpose driven company can accomplish when you get the right people in the right seats.

Previously, I was the V.P. of Visitor Experience, Strategy and Fun at the Cincinnati Zoo. I led all of the day to day operations, the Zoo’s AZA Accreditation, and was part of the leadership team that took annual attendance from 900,000 to 1.8M. However, the work I’m most proud of there was the launch of Zoo Access for All which made the zoo one of the most accessible and inclusive zoos in the country. That passion has carried over to MadTree, as we just launched Branch Out, positioning us as the most accessible and inclusive restaurant in the country through our 3rd location, Parks & Rec.

I am proud to serve on the Cincinnati Parks Foundation Board, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Board, and the CORA Board. I earned my Masters degree in Environmental Science from Miami and my BS of Environmental Science from UNC-Asheville. You might be able to tell where my heart and purpose align!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
First and foremost, I believe resilience and growth happens when obstacles and challenges are placed in front of us and/or we seek them out. Childhood had a fair amount of resiliency training for me. My parents went through quite a few divorces and remarriages leading to an ever changing landscape at home. I also suffered from Legg-Calve-Perthes disease which is a childhood condition that occurs when blood supply to the ball part of the hip joint is temporarily interrupted and the bone begins to die. Interestingly, Perthes is about four times more common in boys than in girls. Fortunately it was caught early, but I had to start Kindergarten wearing a brace on my legs. It was a hard way to start Kindergarten, learn how to ride a bike, etc. There are a lot of ripple effects that were supposed to hinder my athletic abilities and lend to a potential hip replacement in my early twenties. I remained extremely active through childhood and my high school years and became a college athlete running at a Division 1 school. The irony is, I think my knee might give out before my hip does through the wear and tear of soccer & skiing and a couple of dislocations.

I’m a firm believer in your origin story being a big piece of who you become and how you lead. And yes, there have been plenty of obstacles throughout my career but working through some of those hurdles in childhood made me extremely adaptable and better able to lead through change management and growth.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
VP Experience and Impact at MadTree.

I lead the HR (or People Strategy), Marketing, Sales, Private Event Sales teams and our community impact work for MadTree. In my last role as VP Experience, Strategy and FUN at the Cincinnati Zoo I led Membership, Ticketing, Rides and Attractions, Wild Encounters, Theming and Habitat Design, the Zoo’s strategy/AZA Accreditation process, and Animal Welfare. I love that in these 2 roles, I’ve had the opportunity to lead very different sides of an organization and very different teams, one being at a 150 year old nonprofit and one at a very young for profit (it was 8 years old when I joined). I also have been part of leadership teams that are relentlessly focused on growth with deep ties to the community. At both the Zoo and MadTree the amount of growth has been pretty remarkable and a lot of fun to be part of.

I am probably most proud of the foundation and work we’ve put into the Cincinnati community at MadTree. Four years ago we weren’t known for our community work and I think now we are a leading brand in Cincinnati, receiving recognition for the work we do. We are the only B-Corp brewery in the state of Ohio. We have a strong purpose, vision, points of difference, and core behaviors for our staff and leadership to tie back to. We have built a strong purpose driven company through some extremely tough times in the hospitality and brewing industry. I stated above that we’ve increased staff size and number of locations alongside that:
We’ve put thousands of trees into the ground in our local community in neighborhoods that need it the most.
We’ve built sustainability into the core of our brand so we compost at every location religiously.
We’ve built countless relationships and friendships in our community,
We’ve had our fair share of internal promotions which means our staff see a future for themselves inside of our company
We’ve increased our revenue to create stability and opportunity for future growth and expansion
We’ve poured over $1M into environmental nonprofits in our local community through our commitment to 1% for the Planet
We’ve volunteered over 8000 hours for those same nonprofits many of who now rely on our volunteers as part of their annual plan – Findlay Market and Rothenberg Rooftop Garden to name a couple.

Recently, I asked folks that have worked with me through the years to provide some feedback. Here was their answer about what sets me apart.

Rhiannon is deeply passionate and empathetic, showing a genuine care for both her work and the people involved. She brings an infectious energy that inspires and connects others. Rhiannon is known for her ability to unite diverse groups and foster collaboration. Her positive attitude, emotional awareness, and openness to others make her a masterful connector.

How do you think about luck?
Luck – happenstance – right place right time – saying yes. I’m a firm believer in all of that playing into life and business. I’ve been given opportunities because other people left openings behind them, or someone believed in me, or because it was the right time in the cycle of the business for someone to step in, or a million other things that have led me to where I am today. I’m lucky that after being in a nonprofit organization for over a decade that a small for profit would see the possibility in hiring me. I’m lucky and I’ve built the respect and trust of the people I report to, to allow me to lead all sorts of teams and things that I don’t have experience with previously. But they have all allowed me to lean into what I do best and offer to their business or organization my skills to grow brands, teams, people, revenue, and community impact. And I’m excited for the luck and opportunities that are still down the road!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhoeweler/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhiannon.hoeweler
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhiannon-hoeweler-4bb29a44/