Carlos Alvarez's introduction into the brewing industry was a modest one: as the son of a beer distributor in Acapulco , Mexico , Alvarez got his start as a teenager delivering beer to Acapulco supermarkets. Today Alvarez is president and CEO of The Gambrinus Co., a San Antonio-based beer distributor that for the last 20 years was the exclusive importer for Corona Extra in the eastern United States .
Alvarez founded Gambrinus in 1986, after working his way up through various sales and marketing positions at Mexican brewery Grupo Modelo. In 1978, he was named the company's export director, and in 1981, he won brewery approval to take Corona Extra to markets outside Mexico . When he left Grupo Modelo to start Gambrinus, Alvarez became responsible for selling and marketing Grupo Modelo's brands in Texas and 24 eastern states. Under his leadership, Corona Extra became the best-selling imported beer in the United States .
Alvarez is similarly credited with popularizing Shiner Bock after Gambrinus purchased the foundering Spoetzl Brewery in 1989. Gambrinus also owns craft breweries BridgePort Brewery of Portland, Ore., and Pete's Brewing Co,, and is the exclusive U.S. distributor for Moosehead Canadian Lager.
Alvarez holds a degree in biochemical engineering with an emphasis on food technology from the Monterrey Institute of Technology in Monterrey , Mexico , and is a graduate of the U.S. Brewers Academy in New York . An ardent supporter of higher education, Alvarez has given generously of his time and talents to local universities, including UTSA. He is a founding board member of the San Antonio-Mexico Foundation for Education, a postgraduate exchange program that allows Mexican university students to study at UTSA.
A native of Mexico who became a U.S. citizen in 2001, Alvarez through the years has worked to strengthen commercial, cultural and educational ties between the two countries. In 2002, he received the Amistad Award from the San Antonio-Mexico Friendship Council for his efforts. He has been similarly honored by the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the American Immigration Law Foundation. He was named to Hispanic Business magazine's list of Most Influential Hispanics and was voted the seventh most powerful person in the brewing industry by Beer Business Daily .
The University community is honored to present the Tom C. Frost Award to Carlos Alvarez.