Michael LaLonde Oral History Interview

Michael LaLonde took as position at Deschutes Brewery as the Chief Operating Officer in 2005 and, as of June 2017, is both the President and CEO of the company. In this interview LaLonde talks about growing up in Atlanta, moving to Chicago as a teenager, his mother's work as a nurse and social justice activist in the 1960s and 1970s, attending college in Georgia, and his graduate work at the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona, where he obtained an MBA. LaLonde also talk about his 12 years working as the Chief Financial Officer for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, including some of the challenges he faced working with tribal elders in his position overseeing the tribes' businesses. Finally, LaLonde talks about moving to Bend and his early memories of working at Deschutes, as well as how his role has changed with increasing management responsibilities and the future he sees for the company in a competitive market.