Ken Baker, President and CEO of NewAge Industries, Inc. (NAI), has officially completed his transition from leadership, retiring from the role he held since 1984. The company announced that Baker will remain on the Board of Directors, while Mary Marcus, who assumed the permanent role of President and CEO in December 2024, continues to lead the organization. Baker was honored on May 8, 2026, at a celebration attended by over 300 guests at Spring Mill Manor in Ivyland, Pennsylvania.
Baker's tenure was marked by significant strategic and cultural shifts. He was instrumental in transitioning NAI to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) structure, culminating in 100% employee ownership. The company's commitment to sustainability also flourished under his leadership, with initiatives such as powering corporate headquarters and a manufacturing facility with solar energy, earning an EcoVadis Platinum sustainability rating. Baker also expanded the company's market reach by launching the AdvantaPure product line for high-purity applications like biopharmaceutical manufacturing, and by opening facilities in the Netherlands and a sales office in Hong Kong.
Beyond business, Baker co-founded the Pennsylvania Center for Employee Ownership and supported organizations such as WHYY and ACT II Playhouse. He also founded the Center of Excellence for Employee Ownership at Montgomery County Community College Foundation. NewAge Industries, now a Certified B Corporation with an ISO-9001 certification, continues to serve high-purity pharmaceutical, biopharma, and industrial markets from its U.S. and Netherlands locations.
