Our Team

CHRISTOPHER & CATHERINE ERICSON

FOUNDERS / OWNERS

Christopher & Catherine Ericson officially opened Big Slide in June of 2016. Chris has also owned and operated The Lake Placid Pub & Brewery since he founded the company in 1996 at the age of 24. He graduated from Williams College with degrees in History and Psychology in 1993 then decided to pursue microbrewing in his native Maine at Kennebunkport / Shipyard Brewing Company. He then was hired as Head Brewer at The Shed Restaurant & Brewery in Stowe, Vermont, where he worked for a year and a half. During that time, Christopher and a friend from Williams wrote a business plan and their search for a location led them to Lake Placid. In 2000, Chris & Catherine married, and Catherine began working as a crucial part of the ownership structure. Chris’s beers have received dozens of awards in both international and national competitions.

He currently sits on the Executive Committee of the New York State Craft Brewers Association, and is one of the co-founders of the group. He is a member of the national trade group, the Brewers Association, and sits on the BA’s national committee for Brewpubs. He is a member of the Lake Placid / Essex County Regional Office of Sustained Tourism, and served on the Board of Directors, including two years as Chairman. He was the Chairman of the Branding Project for Lake Placid, a three year endeavor. For ten years he was on the Education Council and the Finance Council for St. Agnes Primary School in Lake Placid. Prior to moving to Lake Placid, he was a Charter Officer in the Vermont Brewers Association.

Mr. Ericson has been a guest lecturer at Williams College, SUNY Plattsburgh, Paul Smith’s College, Lake Placid High School, and Northwood School, teaching classes in entrepreneurship, restaurant economics, food & beverage management, microbrewing, marketing, and social media. Chris & Catherine currently live in Lake Placid with their daughter, Grace and their son, CJ.

STEPHEN KROHA

COO

Stephen started working at the The Lake Placid Pub & Brewery since 2002 and was promoted to General Manager in 2005, then to Chief Operating Officer at both The Pub and Big Slide Brewery in 2016. Stephen married his wife Katrina in the fall of 2014 and enjoy being the parents of an ‘UBU lookalike” chocolate lab named Cabot. He enjoys overseeing all aspects of the business and takes special pride in being able to fix almost any machine at the Pub and Big Slide Brewery. During the winter months when Stephen is not working, he enjoys cross country skiing in the endless forest that surrounds Lake Placid. During his free time in the summer, Stephen spends most of his free time out on one of the many rivers and lakes in the Adirondacks in search of big fish. He even catches one every now and then..

Josh Spanburgh

General Manager

Josh has been part of the pub family since the summer of 2002. Josh moved to Lake Placid in 2001 to teach and coach at The Northwood School, but he was quickly introduced to the Pub by a fellow teacher, and the rest as they say is history. Josh has had the unique honor of working for both the Pub and the Lake Placid Craft Brewing Company. Josh is considered to be the spiritual leader of the Pub family, the Pub guru, and is the creator of Josh’s Fire Fish, one of the Pub’s most popular dishes. Josh graduated from Hamilton College (in 2000) in Clinton, NY., and is the proud father of Sophie who enjoys reading & hanging out with her friends.

KEVIN LITCHFIELD

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Kevin began his brewing career right out of Paul Smith’s College, hired as the first brewer to take over for Owner/Brewmaster, Chris Ericson in the fall of 1999, when the company was only 3 years old. Growing with the company over the years, Kevin has had the pleasure of working with many very talented brewers, and has learned a great deal from each one of them, compiling a wealth of brewing knowledge that continues to grow every day. Currently, as the Director of Brewing Operations for both the Lake Placid Pub & Brewery and Big Slide Brewing Company, he manages all aspects of Production Brewing, including recipe formulation, quality assurance, brewery maintenance, and day to day production. His passion for craft beer and dedication to producing the highest quality beer, drive him to continue researching and learning within the brewing community. In his free time, Kevin enjoys living and playing in the Adirondack Wilderness, including hiking, camping, paddling, biking, and swimming. Kevin is a six time finisher of the Lake Placid Ironman Triathlon, an Adirondack 46er, and is currently on a lifelong quest of running a marathon in all 50 states, while stopping for a delicious local beer along the way. Cheers!

Evan Butler

Restaurant Manager

Evan was born & raised here in Lake Placid, a graduate of Lake Placid High School in 2010. He’s been working here at the pub since 2013. Evan plays hockey in the winter and golfs & likes long walks around Mirror Lake in the summer. Evan has made his way up the Pub ladder from busser/host to waiter/bartender and now he has joined the management team. Sole winner of the prestigious Jesse Miles Broadfoot award.