About Us

Matthew Dent

President & Chief Executive Officer

Matthew Dent, President and Chief Executive Officer of Buffalo Rock Company, is responsible for the company’s overall operations. Matthew began his career with Buffalo Rock serving as an intern during his junior year at the University of Alabama where he subsequently received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Culverhouse College of Business. His proposed 3-month internship developed into a now 25-year career in the beverage industry, all of which has been with Buffalo Rock.
Matthew has served and is currently serving several organizations locally and nationally:

American Beverage Association – Board Chair
Pepsi Cola Bottlers’ Association – Executive Committee Member, Immediate Past Chairman
Alabama Beverage Association – Executive Committee Member, Past Chairman
Keurig Dr. Pepper Bottler’s Association – Board Chair
Young Presidents Organization – Member of the Southern 7 Chapter
University of Alabama – Member of the President’s Cabinet organization
UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center – Advisory Board Member
Salvation Army of Greater Birmingham – Advisory Board Member
United Way of Central Alabama – Executive Committee Member, Past Chair of the Marketing Committee, Past Chair of Tocqueville Society New Members
Alabama State Parks Foundation – Board Member
2025 Alabama World Police and Fire Games – Board Member

Among other accomplishments, Matthew served as Chairman of the USGA’s 2018 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, was named finalist in Birmingham’s 2012 Top CEO Awards, and in 2007 was named one of Birmingham’s Top 40 under 40 by the Birmingham Business Journal.

Matthew enjoys spending time with his wife, Jen, and their two children. They reside in Birmingham, are active members at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church and enjoy traveling, snow skiing, boating, water sports, golf, and staying personally engaged in their friends’ and families’ lives.

Kevin Conaway

Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Kevin Conaway serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Buffalo Rock Company and is responsible for leading the company’s financial operations including oversight of economic return, liquidity, compliance and financial reporting. Kevin also provides strategic leadership in information technology and risk management. Kevin joined Buffalo Rock Company in 2013 as the company’s Corporate Controller before being named the company’s Chief Financial Officer in 2017.

Kevin’s senior leadership experience spans more than 23 years of serving in a broad spectrum of industries including three start-up entities in health care and technology, foodservice distribution, and a publicly-traded restaurant company.
Kevin is currently involved with the Harbert College of Business at Auburn University and has previously served in leadership and board positions through church and youth athletics affiliated organizations.

Kevin is a certified public accountant and a graduate of the Harbert College of Business at Auburn University with a degree in Business Administration. He grew up in Gadsden, Alabama, and currently resides in Homewood, Alabama with his wife, Charlotte. Kevin enjoys spending time with his three children, participating in all Auburn-related events, reading, and traveling in his spare time.

Emily Brown Cotney

Senior Vice President – Chief Employee Experience Officer & Legal Counsel

Emily Cotney is Senior Vice President Chief Employee Experience Officer and Legal Counsel for Buffalo Rock Company, providing leadership for the areas of employee experience, talent development, benefits, governmental affairs, compliance and legal affairs. Emily began her career at Buffalo Rock Company in 2007 and has been with the company for 14 years.

Formerly, she served as the Executive Director of Legal Affairs and as Counsel for Buffalo Rock Company, representing the company in a variety of legal matters and governmental affairs.

Emily is passionate about service and industry advancement. In support of those ideals, she currently serves as a Board Member for Buffalo Rock Company. She is a member and former Board Member of the Alabama Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, and a member, current Board Member and Vice-President for the Alabama Beverage Association.

Emily is a graduate of Auburn University, where she earned a degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in marketing and a minor in political science. While at Auburn, she was a scholarship recipient and became a member of Golden Key, Pi Lambda Sigma and Beta Gamma Sigma, an international business honor society. She is also a graduate of Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, where she earned a Juris Doctor degree. While at Cumberland, Emily was on the Cumberland Trial Advocacy Board, Cordell Hull Speakers Forum, and served as an Honor Court Justice.

Emily is originally from Talladega, Alabama, and now resides in Birmingham, Alabama. Outside of work, Emily serves as a Habitat for Humanity volunteer, PTO volunteer, and has held many volunteer and leadership positions within the Junior League of Birmingham, an organization whose mission is to serve the needs of women and children in the Birmingham area. In her free time, she enjoys cheering on the Auburn Tigers, spending time with friends and family, and traveling with her husband, two daughters and son.

Mike McDonald

Senior Vice President of Manufacturing & Supply Chain

Mike McDonald serves as Senior Vice President of Manufacturing and Supply Chain for Buffalo Rock Company. Mike’s responsibilities include strategic planning, goal setting, inventory management, and oversight of warehouse and transportation. Mike joined the Buffalo Rock team in the fall of 2017 and brings with him more than 30 years of manufacturing and logistics experience to his position.

While Vice President of Warehouse, Mike led strategic and tactical operations of five plant warehouses and 38 satellite warehouses at PepsiCo’s Great Lakes division. Mike also oversaw the Great Lakes division’s largest producing facility where he led efforts to drive overall line efficiencies, improve waste, and reduce out-of-stocks, all while increasing employee satisfaction.

Mike and his wife, Julie, live in Mountain Brook and have two daughters who reside in Michigan. Giving back to the community through volunteer work, perpetuating their faith, and maintaining close relationships with friends and family are all of the utmost importance. The McDonalds are also sports enthusiasts and take great pride in their love of everything outdoors.

Robin McKean

Senior Vice President of Integrated Services

Robin McKean serves as Senior Vice President of Integrated Services for Buffalo Rock Company and is responsible for leading information technology, corporate marketing equipment, fleet, safety, security, and facilities initiatives. Robin joined Buffalo Rock Company in 2012 as Director of Project Management.

Robin attended The University of Alabama, graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor of science in management and a minor in Spanish. Robin also holds a master of business administration from Auburn University with a concentration in marketing.

After starting his career with Johnson and Johnson as a pharmaceutical sales representative in Montgomery, AL, Robin moved to Birmingham to join Vulcan Materials Company. During this time, he worked in various roles, most notably in accounting and information technology, and managed teams in the United States and Mexico.

Since joining Buffalo Rock, Robin has served in roles including project management, information technology, and applications support. His teams have led transformational processes and system upgrades in retail, full line vending, and field service. Robin’s passion is to provide excellent service to all customers, both internally and externally, at Buffalo Rock.

Robin and his wife have three daughters. He enjoys all things sports-related, spending time outdoors, and is an active member of Church of the Highlands.

David Miller

Senior Vice President of Customer Strategy, Marketing & Brand Development

David Miller is Senior Vice President Customer Strategy, Marketing and Brand Development for Buffalo Rock Company. With more than twenty-six years of experience in the beverage industry, David leads sales strategy, customer relationships, media and external partnerships.

David is passionate about people, customers and supporting the relationships built along the way. He finds that nurturing these relationships, both inside and outside of the company, while working towards common goals and objectives is the key to a successful partnership.

David’s illustrious Buffalo Rock career began in the company’s Birmingham division, which provided an introduction to the understructure of the beverage industry. From there, he moved on to serve as Business Development Director at Corporate and later as Franchise Sales Manager at the Gadsden division. While in Gadsden, David oversaw the development and launch of the Buffalo Rock Talladega franchise. The passion, skill and leadership he exhibited as part of this effort resulted in him accepting the role of General Manager of the Tuscumbia franchise. During his time in Tuscumbia, David was honored as the inaugural recipient of what has become the company’s greatest honor, the Buffalo Rock President’s Award. Having made a name for himself across the company’s footprint, David returned to Birmingham where he served as General Manager of Marketing, Execution and Communication and Vice President Customer Strategy, Marketing and Brand Development. In this role, David became the first marketer to integrate a second system of brands into the existing portfolio. He is now responsible for maintaining the strongest and most diverse non-alcoholic brand portfolio in the beverage business. His continued efforts and leadership led him to his latest advancement and current title Senior Vice President Customer Strategy, Marketing and Media.

David has served in various positions for the United Way of Northwest Alabama and was named 2011 Campaign Chair, as well as President in 2012. He also served as a board member of The Healing Place. Currently, he serves on the Dr Pepper PASO Leadership Council, the Pepsi National Retail Sales Committee, The Pepsi South Division Retail Trade Committee and The Pepsi South Division Marketing Committee. David graduated from The University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and has since been selected for the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Leadership Class of 2016.

David and his wife, Michelle, reside in Birmingham with their 4 children. The Millers find joy in nature and are big supporters of everything outdoors including boating, fishing, water sports and hunting. They are also fans of traveling, attending basketball games and championing their children in all their endeavors.

Wayne Wisdom

Senior Vice President – Chief Business Operations Officer

Wayne Wisdom serves as Senior Vice President Chief Business Operations Officer for Buffalo Rock Company and offers more than twenty-five years of experience within the company. Wayne leads all non-corporate business for the Regions and Franchises including process flow, logistics, and development.

Wayne’s extensive career at Buffalo Rock began in Tuscumbia where he served as a Merchandiser, Delivery Merchandiser, Account Development Coordinator and Trade Development Manager. His talents led him to Tuscaloosa where he acted as Sales Operations Manager and eventually Division Support Manager.

From Tuscaloosa, Wayne spent one year in Birmingham as a Division Support Manager until being asked to take on the role of General Manager for the Newnan Franchise. After four years in Newnan, Wayne moved back to Corporate to assume his next role as General Manager of Supply Chain. Wayne continued at Corporate becoming the Executive General Manager of Corporate Development and Strategic Planning until his most recent promotion to Senior Vice President Chief Business Operations Officer.

During his time with Buffalo Rock, Wayne was a member of the Newnan Kiwanis club and has been on the board of several organizations including Florence Jaycees and the Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Alabama. While in Newnan, Wayne also served on the board for the Georgia Beverage Association. In 2015, Wayne was nominated for the prestigious Donald M Kendall – Pepsi “Bottler of the Year”.

Wayne currently lives in Vestavia Hills, Alabama with his wife Laura and their daughter. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, cooking, fly fishing and helping others develop their careers.