KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) has named Brian Harvey as the new director of Marketing Partnerships. In this newly created role, Harvey will develop and implement new marketing programs and initiatives for the society and its partners.

“I am excited to have Brian Harvey join us as our Director of Marketing and Partnerships. Brian has a tremendous background in building brands and developing innovative partnerships with leading brands such as Hostess, 5-hour Energy and Red Bull in the food and beverage space, as well as building the Zipcar brand,” said Emily Detwiler, CEO of KCBS. “His experience as a marketer, combined with his passion for barbeque, including as a KCBS Certified Barbeque Judge, make him an ideal fit for helping us grow the KCBS brand. He will also be a great asset for our partners in helping them work through how to build custom programs to reach both the professional pitmaster and the backyard grilling and smoking enthusiast.”

Harvey started his career as a broadcaster and journalist and later transitioned to marketing. In his 15-year career he has worked with brands such as Red Bull, 5-hour Energy and Zipcar, and most recently, he led Hostess Brands’ 100th anniversary consumer program.

KCBS is a nonprofit organization supporting and promoting the barbecue industry. With more than 20,000 members in over 40 countries, KCBS sanctions nearly 500 barbecue competitions worldwide each year.