Courtesy shop.threesbrewing.com
Threes Brewing CEO is stepping down following controversial Covid-19 comments
Josh Stylman has been with the company since its founding but faced backlash for calling vaccine mandates a 'crime against humanity'
Threes Brewing’s CEO and co-founder Josh Stylman is stepping down from his position as chief executive “effective immediately” in the wake of incendiary comments about Covid-19 vaccine mandates.
“He believes that his fiduciary responsibilities as CEO of Threes Brewing are in conflict with his duties as a parent and a citizen and is choosing to be able to speak his mind without concern that the team at Threes will be held responsible for his personal views,” the company said in a statement posted to Twitter.
An update from our team. pic.twitter.com/jzFGcbLKmA
— Threes Brewing (@ThreesBrewing) March 1, 2022
The leadership change comes about two weeks after Stylman went on a tear on his personal Twitter account about the deadly virus, saying among other things that the controversial vaccine mandates were akin to a “crime against humanity.” In one deleted tweet, he said that the vaccine passport system is “against any defensible scientific reality, echoes early sentiments in the Jim Crow South, Nazi Germany, Stalinism, Maoism, and other dark times in human history.”
Threes thanked Stylman for his “leadership and vision” since its founding in 2013. Jared Cohen, the brewer’s chief operating officer, is “stepping in” as CEO.
It’s unclear if Stylman will retain an ownership stake in the company, which has outposts in Gowanus, Greenpoint, Governors Island and Huntington. What is more clear is that his Twitter tirade didn’t go down well with much of its staff, with Stylman himself writing that “most” of his team doesn’t agree with his views.
The brewery seems inclined to distance itself from any controversial viewpoints. “The quality of the product and our company values remain the same as before,” the brewery said on Twitter. “Our doors are open and we look forward to welcoming you in for a beer soon.”
Stylman’s exit comes about a week before New York City is set to lift its vaccine passport program as Covid-19 rates continue to decline. The city’s positivity rate sits at just below 2 percent, according to city data.
