Jason Spears

Jason is a father to Elliott, 12, and Lucy, 8, and a husband to Rebecca Spears. His daughter Lucy has hydrocephalus and craniosynostosis, having undergone five surgeries, including one for craniosynostosis, a spinal fusion, and three related to her VP shunt.

Currently, Jason serves as the CEO of Locust Cider, a beverage manufacturing and wholesale company he founded in 2015. It was through this venture that he established a connection with the Hydrocephalus Association (HA). His daughter Lucy was born with hydrocephalus a month prior to the inception of Locust Cider, motivating him to reach out to HA and establish a partnership. Over time, Locust Cider has contributed more than $100k to HA and local walks through sales percentages and customer donations. Under Jason’s leadership, Locust Cider has grown from scratch to a thriving business, generating nearly $10 million in revenue. The company owns 15 retail locations and operates a consumer goods program across multiple states. Even during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jason successfully navigated the threats it posed to the business and the industry.

Prior to Locust Cider, Jason pursued a diverse array of roles and experiences. He graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked as a Manufacturing and Design engineer for Ingersoll Rand, including their leadership development program. In Colorado Springs, he founded and presided over BSB Restaurants, overseeing three independent restaurant concepts, a concert venue, and a concert promotions company. The range of artists his company presented spanned from Maroon 5 to Ziggy Marley. Jason also founded the Colorado Springs Music Coalition, a nonprofit organization that supported local musicians, fostering their growth in the music business and enriching the local music scene.

His expertise extended to restaurant consulting, where he provided guidance to more than 100 independent and corporate restaurants, aiding in their conception, design, programming, and feasibility assessments. In his capacity at Starbucks Coffee, he played a pivotal role in store development and design. Among other accomplishments, he led supply chain efforts that facilitated Starbucks’ expansion across China, the Asia Pacific region, and the United States. His innovative approaches to furnishing new stores resulted in faster construction times and accelerated growth.

Jason resides in Gig Harbor, WA, loves his family and has a passion for racing bicycles on the road and at the velodrome.