A CEO Transition Rooted in Legacy and Built for the Future at Arctic Beverages

May 13, 2025 in News
Explorer: Spring 2025

After nearly three decades of dedicated leadership, Sean Post has stepped down as CEO of Arctic Beverages, passing the torch to Harold Bonazew Jr., a long-standing leader within the company. This transition marks the next chapter for a business that has grown exponentially under Sean’s guidance—while setting the stage for continued innovation and stability under Sean’s leadership.

For employees, partners, and clients, this shift is both a moment of reflection and an exciting glimpse into the company’s future. While Arctic Beverages prides itself on consistency and trust, the leadership change is also an opportunity to reinforce the company’s values, expand on its successes, and continue to serve communities with excellence.

Under Sean’s leadership, Arctic Beverages transformed from a regional soda distributor into a multi-category powerhouse, offering beverages, snacks, dairy products, janitorial supplies, and even personal protective equipment (PPE). More than just a distributor, the company has become an essential partner to communities across Canada, the U.S., and even parts of Europe.

The numbers tell the story. What once was a company that covered 5% of Canada now services nearly half the country, growing 22 times its original size. “It’s just amazing to see the growth and the expansion over time,” Sean says. “We had a slow and steady growth, but it just boomed in the past ten years.”

While he has moved into retirement, Sean remains focused on the people he’s worked with for so long. His leadership was marked by approachability, hands-on involvement, and a deep respect for the employees and customers who built the business. “I’ve always been out there with the team,” he says. “I’ve been fortunate to work with incredible people and to be part of something bigger than myself. That’s the part I’ll miss the most—the people.”

His impact goes beyond business success. Sean was also instrumental in charitable initiatives, community sponsorships, and fostering a culture of care within Arctic Beverages. His philosophy on leadership? A mix of honesty, accountability, and teamwork. “If you mess up, fess up, and fix it up,” Sean recalls as one of his guiding principles. “You’re never going to be perfect, but you have to build that trust with your team so that when mistakes happen, they know you’ll help them fix it and move on.”

His legacy is imprinted in the company’s achievements and the relationships he built. “What has kept me here has always been the people. The team, our partners, and our communities—they are what make this company special.”

His retirement isn’t the end of his journey—just the start of a new chapter. While he’ll no longer be in the CEO seat, Sean plans to stay active in special business projects and community work. “I have two families that I love dearly—my work family and my home family,” he says. “I have only been able to have a work family because my home family supported me. I feel fortunate, and I’m excited for what’s next.”

Harold Bonazew Jr.: Stepping into a New Role, Building on a Strong Foundation

Taking over as CEO, Harold Bonazew Jr. is no stranger to Arctic Beverages. Having spent three decades with the company, he has been a key part of its growth and evolution. In many ways, his transition into leadership has been years in the making.

Indeed, Harold’s connection to Arctic Beverages runs deep. His family has been involved in the company since 1953, working with multiple ownership groups and playing a pivotal role in its expansion. For Harold, being part of Arctic Beverages was never just a job—it was a calling.

“I’ve always been here. This has been my life,” Harold shares. “When they offered the CEO role, I was like, absolutely, I want it. I want to see what I can do, and I’d already been around for a long time.”

“Sean and I literally grew up in this business together,” Harold adds. “The transition was better because of it. While we could strongly disagree on some things, our foundation of trust and shared vision allowed us to reach a consensus and get aligned.”

Harold’s leadership philosophy aligns seamlessly with the company’s core values: “Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Take care of this place.” He emphasizes that these principles will continue to guide the business forward.

Harold has affectionately been named the ‘truck whisperer’ because of his deep understanding of logistics and sales. Sean’s strengths included finance, strategy and business operations. “We were like peas and carrots…or Pepsi and Lays chips,” notes Sean. Together, their collaboration ensured that Arctic Beverages remained financially strong and operationally agile.

Harold’s vision for Arctic Beverages is one of continued growth, innovation, and customer-centered service. “We’re about halfway through a five-year plan, and we’ve already hit most of our goals,” Harold says. “That’s a testament to the incredible team we have here.”

While maintaining the company’s values and strong foundation is a priority, Harold also sees new opportunities ahead. Arctic Beverages recently expanded its territory, product offerings, and partnerships, even acquiring businesses outside of beverages—including an Indigenous art company, Oscardo- Indigenous Art and Giftware. “Some of these opportunities came to us unexpectedly,” Sean explains. “We never would have gone looking for a business like that, but when it was presented to us, and it made sense. Many of the customers we sell to are the same ones this Indigenous art business serves. It’s about creating synergies and providing more value to our communities. And it’s about listening to people’s needs and adapting. The market is always changing, and we’ve got to be ahead of it.”

Harold is also focused on employee retention and engagement, recognizing that attracting and keeping talent is one of the biggest challenges in today’s marketplace. “Employees are our biggest asset,” he says. “Equipment, financing—that’s all manageable. But finding good people and ensuring they want to stay; that’s the real challenge.”

Arctic Beverages offers competitive benefits, pension matching, and professional development opportunities to address employee retention. Yet, Harold understands that today, younger employees value flexibility, purpose, and growth opportunities. “We have to keep people engaged constantly,” he says. “If they get bored, they start looking elsewhere. That’s the reality of the job market now.”

Technology will also play a growing role in Arctic Beverages’ future, particularly in inventory automation and data-driven decision-making. However, Harold is careful to balance efficiency with personal relationships. “A lot of our business is still very hands-on,” he says. “Customers appreciate real connections, and that’s something we don’t want to lose.”

With Harold at the helm, Arctic Beverages is poised to continue its impressive trajectory, exploring new territories, forming strategic alliances and strengthening existing operations. While Sean’s presence will be missed, the company remains in capable hands. For employees, business partners, and customers, this leadership change is a reminder of Arctic Beverages’ commitment to stability, growth, and community impact.

Stepping into retirement, Sean did so with confidence in Harold and the team. “We fought the good fight, and I’ve finished my portion of the race. I look forward to cheering them on from the sidelines,” he says. “With a glass of Pepsi in hand, of course!”

Harold, in turn, is ready to embrace this next chapter as Arctic Beverages’ CEO and as a steward of its people, values, and future. “I intend to be consistent by ensuring we look after our existing backyard, yet flexible enough to adjust when needed and continue to seek growth opportunities when it makes sense,” says Harold.

As Arctic Beverages moves forward, one thing remains clear: the company’s success has always been about people. And with Harold leading the way, that tradition is set to continue. Indeed, Harold is poised to carry on the lessons and partnerships built over decades. “This company has been around since 1938, and we’re just getting started. The best is yet to come,” he concludes with a smile.