SESLOC Credit Union is proud to honor Nick Firestone as a SESLOC Young Change Maker. Nick recently earned the award for his dedication to environmental sustainability on the Central Coast with the Firestone Walker Brewing Company.
The SESLOC Young Change Maker Award is given monthly to a young person or young professional under 40 doing significant work to benefit their community. Anyone can nominate a young person for the SESLOC Young Change Maker award on the Wild 106 website.
Nick’s career did not begin inside the brewery. His corporate education started with odd jobs, ranging from picking grapes on the family winery, to dishwasher and kitchen hand at the taproom kitchen, to driving forklifts. Nick says these lessons gave him understanding of the industry from the ground floor, with the lessons continuing to serve him today.
After high school, Nick was accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy, where he would ultimately graduate and join the United States Marine Corps as an officer. His service over five years would take him across the United States, Southeast Asia, and Afghanistan.
When he returned, he came back to the family business to manage one of their taproom locations before enrolling in graduate school at the University of California, Berkley. Earning his graduate degree ultimately led to him working closely with his uncle in the finance department, paving the way for him to become the chief executive officer of Firestone Walker Brewing Company.
Under his leadership, the company installed numerous sustainability projects to make their brewing process more environmentally friendly. Some of the initiatives included water recycling to improve efficiency throughout the process and building a solar power center to reduce their carbon footprint. In October 2025, Firestone Walker unveiled a carbon dioxide recovery system, which will allow them to return produced carbon dioxide for use in carbonating beverages. Through their process, the company anticipates harvesting four million pounds of carbon dioxide that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.
Protecting the Central Coast isn’t their only tie to the community. Firestone Walker has a deep relationship with Cal Poly for internships, giving students an opportunity to “Learn by Doing” at the brewery. Beyond creating a pipeline to keep talent on the Central Coast. The brewery also partners with the college in brewing “Cal Poly Gold,” which will continue for years to come.
We congratulate Nick Firestone for his recognition as a SESLOC Young Change Maker!