Meet Our Leaders

Mike Gleason

Cincinnati Operations Manager

What is your background and career path at Heidelberg?
I was hired to do inventory and began with Heidelberg on July 3, 1995. Back then we did inventory with a pencil, calculator and a big eraser! I had an inventory background previously working for Thriftway Supermarkets at their distribution center. After Thriftway was bought out and closed, one of my supervisors was hired in as wine warehouse manager at Heidelberg and recommended me for the inventory job. I was then promoted to Anheuser Busch beer warehouse manager and then in 2013, I was asked to be the Cincinnati Operations manager.

What are your job responsibilities and priorities?
My main job is to make sure my managers and all the employees have what they need to be successful and that the operation is working efficiently as possible. I have a great team in Cincinnati that works well together and supports each other.

Any recent accomplishments or notable projects from you or your team?
Just trying to keep everyone healthy and getting all the deliveries out during the pandemic has been an accomplishment. All the employees have really stepped it up in both 2020 and 2021. The business has been so unpredictable, it has been a struggle at times to keep up with routing.

Who do you interact with on a regular basis – suppliers, retailers, management, HDC “wheel” teams?
I interact everyday with my general manager, my management team and many of the employees. You need to keep good lines of communication open with everyone.

What are you looking forward to in the upcoming year?
In 2021, I am looking forward to some normalcy. Hopefully, we can get people back in the building and have that personal interaction again.

How has the business and/or company changed since you joined Heidelberg?
The business has changed so much over the years. I think the biggest change is the amount of SKU’s that we handle compared to years ago.

How do you like to spend time when you’re away from work (family/hobbies)?
When I am away from Heidelberg, I enjoy attending sporting events and spending time with family.