Ask Harbor Distributing General Manager Mike Ciriza if a looming recession worries him, and he offers up the last three years.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the global supply chain issues showed how much this beer distribution giant prioritizes people, from its employees to its Orange County customers.

“When the going got tough, our people showed up,” said Ciriza, who oversees the Huntington Beach facility, the West Coast headquarters of the Reyes Beer Division’s collective of beer distributors nationwide. “Keep in mind, our people were in their trucks, in the stores, and making sure that the supply chain was intact — it wasn’t easy, but we managed to get through it, and we’re stronger for it.”

Is it any wonder Harbor Distributing makes its second-consecutive appearance in the Top Workplaces program among large companies?

The local division joined Reyes Beer Division in 1989. Each year, 22 million cases of beer move out of this modern distribution center on the strength of 500-plus workers.

They include delivery drivers, salespeople, merchandisers and warehouse crews. There’s also a large shared services department for accounts payable, human resources and other support roles.

Employees who responded to the Top Workplaces survey described Harbor Distributing’s culture as one where “opinions matter,” opportunities abound, and “managers and employees listen to you and help you any way they can if an issue comes up through work or even personal life, like a big family.”

“We are all here to help each other out,” said another employee. “The teamwork here is unmatched.”

And that teamwork exists in and out of the workplace.

Harbor Distributing holds team-building activities that might involve a Saturday morning at the beach to pick up trash, followed by food and beers at a local restaurant.

“It’s half a day spent just getting to know one another, eating food, having fun, and tasting our wonderful portfolio of beer,” Ciriza said.

We asked Ciriza to share more of what makes Harbor a top workplace.

Q: What makes Harbor Distributing a place where people want to work?

A: From the owners on down, there’s a high level of integrity. When people say, “Do the right thing,” we not only expect that, but we won’t tolerate anything less. That’s important in a competitive environment. The other piece is growth.

For anybody who works hard and is ambitious, this is the place to be. You can get a job with us in the merchandising or warehouse departments and work your way up into a Class A driver. We will help you train and achieve that if that’s the direction you want — or work your way up into the sales department. A lot of people here started at entry level and are now running teams, running companies, running divisions.

We know we’re very fortunate to work with these brands and have a responsibility to our supplier partners and the community we serve. We live that with beach cleanups and giving back to the community. Our folks recognize that and want to be a part of that.

Q: Can you tell me more about the beach cleanups?

A: Imagine a Saturday morning. One of our supplier partners will team up with us. We’ll get a restaurant on the water and coordinate a beach cleanup. At this last one (at Sea Legs in Huntington Beach), we had about 100 folks bring their families.

Everybody gets a bag, and for 90 minutes to 2 hours, we collect trash and weigh it. The person with the most trash collected by weight will win a prize, and then we’ll buy everybody lunch and beers. That’s just one example of the kind of activities we do.

Q: Are you worried about a potential global recession in 2023?

A: We remain focused on growth through product innovation, process innovation and strong brands. We are really excited about the momentum of Pacifico, a pilsner-style beer out of Mexico. Pacifico has a great story about Southern California surfers back in the late 70s heading south to discover hidden surf spots in Baja, Mexico, where they also discovered a beloved local beer, Pacifico. I’m sure some of your readers made that trip back in the day

I understand that 2023 could be a challenging year, but our focus will be on running a good business. We are currently hiring for open positions. Now is a good time to join our team.

Q: What advice would you have for other companies?

A: Be available by walking the floor and getting out to retail. When engaging your team, listen and be responsive. Empower and encourage your leaders to engage and develop their teams.

The economy has gone through tremendous change over the past couple of years, and we are all looking for answers. It’s important to have a road map to navigate the path forward. Here at Harbor HB, we have “Our Performance Promise” centered on purpose and ambition. Developing our employees for future growth will remain a focus in the years to come.

5th place large company

Harbor Distributing Huntington Beach

Founded: 1976

Industry: Distribution

West Headquarters: Huntington Beach

OC employees: 505

Website: reyesbeerdivision.com/

Quote: “Our message is only as strong to that frontline employee as the leaders that pass it down the line and really live it.” Mike Ciriza, general manager at Harbor Distributing Huntington Beach