him I thought I might, but I just wasn’t ready to commit. I had to be honest. I said he needed to make the decision that was right for him, and not worry about me. “So he made the unlikely choice, which was to buy out the other shareholders,” Michael said. “That was reflective of who he was. The ultimate optimist. He bought out the other shareholders, completing the process in 1994 and enjoyed one year of sole ownership before he passed away. A rags to riches story. Started out without a dime, ended up owning a business that was solid with a bright future.” Rose Ann Faber, Michael’s mother, took over as president of the company and Michael headed to Denver to work for a public accounting firm. “I wanted some outside experience,” Michael said. “I didn’t want to be the owner’s son or receive special treatment. I needed to establish myself as an individual, an employee, a professional who could make it in the work world.” But after three years of traveling home on weekends to help in the business, he realized his heart belonged to Viking Coca-Cola. “As they
say, it gets in your blood,” Michael said. “I loved it that much. I love the people. It was fun, energizing, constantly changing, and I could see so much opportunity.” “I worked with Michael’s father for almost 25 years and with Michael for 15,” said Marv Soldner, retired president of Viking Coca-Cola said. “They’re both entrepreneurs. Joe Faber built the business from the ground up. He expanded the size of the business. Michael has done that as well, but in addition he’s created an innovation company that has allowed us to expand into different beverage categories.” Like coffee. As Michael gazed at that convenience store coffee bar, he didn’t see coffee, he saw opportunity. It was the genesis of the innovation arm of the family business. “Our home grown, or entrepreneurial products, originated out of gaps in our beverage portfolio,” he said. That first gap was coffee. Since Coca-Cola did not carry a coffee line, there was no conflict for the Fabers to add it to
Personal Profile Michael Faber Age: 42 Position: CEO, Viking Coca-Cola Affiliated businesses owned by the Faber family: Viking Beverages, a Molson Coors distributor serving St. Cloud, Willmar, Hutchinson and the surrounding communities; First Choice Food and Beverage Solutions, a food and beverages service provider servicing Minnesota and Wisconsin; Replenishment Solutions, an innovative beverage company that launched and markets the regional brands: Armada Coffee, Warrior Energy drink, and Avalanche Ice Slushie. One of the 12 founding families of Granite Equity Partners private equity fund. Hometown: St. Cloud Education: Apollo High School and St. John’s University
Work History: YMCA, Herberger’s, Deloitte & Touche, and within the family business portfolio of companies Family: Stacy (wife), Alexa (daughter) and Grayson (son) Hobbies: Mountain biking, fishing, golf and any activity outdoors Advice to a would-be entrepreneur: Live your life with minimal regrets and take risks, you don’t want to reflect on your life and be haunted by the things you should have done. Best advice you’ve received and who gave it to you: You can either start at the bottom and work your way up or start at the top and work your way down. – Advice from my father. Michael Faber’s innovation company, Replenishment Solutions, develops products that fill gaps in the Viking beverage portfolio. The first product to launch was Armada Coffee.
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