Adam Beak is one of the most accomplished commercial bankers in the U.S. wine industry today. As Managing Director / Vertical Head of BMO’s Beverage Group, he leads a team with a $3.6-billion loan portfolio and has managed financing for some of the most noteworthy M&A deals in the wine industry. Since joining Bank of the West in 2005, Beak has built a team of relationship bankers based in Napa, Calif., who cover domestic and international companies across the entire beverage industry. Beak’s strategy of cultivating deep, long-term relationships grew Bank of the West’s wine and beverage loan portfolio to $1.8 billion from $56 million in 2005. A veteran of California’s wine industry, he is partner in Sean Minor Wines and served as chief operating officer and chief financial officer for Heron Wines prior to joining Bank of the West. He was previously a lender for IBM Credit, Deutsche Bank and GE Commercial Distribution Finance. Beak holds an MS degree from California State University – Sacramento, where he also received his undergraduate degree in marketing. He is also a graduate of the UC Davis Wine Executive Program and the Pacific Coast Banking School.