Alex is a native of Greenville, South Carolina. He has worked on grant teams for the SCDA and USDA. Alex has previously served as President of the Executive Board of the Southeastern Section of the Institute of Food Technologists. He also served in the United States Army as a tank crew member and is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom. Alex has previously worked as a production brewer and has been an avid home brewer for over 12 years. He has conducted research on microbial surface hygiene in small breweries and on the reduction of spoilage bacteria in fresh fruit added to beer. Alex is also a member of the South Carolina Brewers Guild, American Homebrewers Association, Master Brewers Association of the Americas, and the American Society of Brewing Chemists. He currently leads a Creative Inquiry team researching the use of hops in Hazy IPAs and teaches FDSC 4210, Brewery Process and Operations at Clemson University.