August Busch IV

August Adolphus Busch IV
August Adolphus Busch IV
Born	June 15, 1964 (age 62); United States
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, former CEO of Anheuser-Busch
Years active	1980s–present
Known for	Former CEO of Anheuser-Busch, marketing leadership, Budweiser advertising campaigns

August Adolphus Busch IV (born June 15, 1964) is an American entrepreneur and former chief executive officer of Anheuser-Busch. He was the final family descendant to oversee the company prior to its 2008 hostile takeover by InBev. Busch earned acclaim for his leadership in marketing, guiding Anheuser-Busch's advertising team to secure ten consecutive USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter awards, along with honors from Cannes and the Grand Clio. Additionally, he held a directorship at the shipping corporation FedEx. His professional journey has also included several legal controversies.

Early life

Busch descends as a great-great-grandson of Anheuser-Busch founder Adolphus Busch and is a great-great-great-grandson of Eberhard Anheuser, who acquired the brewery in 1860. He is the son of Susan (Hornibrook) and August Busch III, who formerly served as chairman, president, and CEO.

Following his parents' divorce when he was five years old, Busch primarily resided with his mother. His interactions with his father were mostly confined to the brewery environment and maintained a professional nature.

Education

He obtained a bachelor's degree in finance and an MBA from Saint Louis University, where he later joined the board of trustees. In his early twenties, Busch earned a brewmaster’s certification from Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei, a brewing institute located in Berlin.

Early years

Continuing a family tradition, Busch began working at Anheuser-Busch from an entry-level position as a brewing apprentice and subsequently took on roles such as foreman in packaging and shipping. In 1989, he transitioned into marketing, contributing to the launch of the Bud Dry brand, which initially showed promise but eventually did not succeed.

Although his father was initially critical of the campaign, he later admitted to losing connection with younger consumers. By 1994, Busch had advanced to vice president of brand management, then to vice president of marketing in 1996, and ultimately to group vice president of marketing and wholesale operations by 2000.

Busch’s leadership steered the company toward inventive and often humorous advertising strategies. He focused on revitalizing Budweiser’s iconic brand image to stimulate sales growth despite facing internal opposition. His marketing initiatives reinforced his reputation; Budweiser and Bud Light commercials consistently won the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter from 1999 through 2008.

Budweiser frogs, penguins, ants, lizards

Busch IV’s marketing approach emphasized humor, youth appeal, animals, and heritage. He introduced the famous Budweiser Frogs campaign featuring puppet frogs croaking "Bud," "Weis," "Er." Other notable campaigns included a congenial alligator, a penguin uttering "doobie doobie do," lively ants at a party, and Louie—a self-centered lizard character. These imaginative advertisements contributed to a 27% increase in Anheuser-Busch's stock price in 1996. By 1998, the company achieved its highest sales figures ever recorded.

Chairman and InBev takeover

In 2002, Anheuser-Busch appointed Patrick Stokes as its first CEO from outside the family, bypassing Busch IV and other relatives. At that time, Busch's father owned only about 1% of shares; control rested predominantly with the board.

In 2004, Busch IV announced that Anheuser-Busch had secured naming rights for twenty years for the new Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals, reinforcing the brand’s local heritage. This naming agreement aligned with ownership changes after William Dewitt Jr.'s group purchased the team from the brewery in 1996.

Busch assumed the roles of president and CEO in December 2006. Responding to critiques regarding limited international expansion under his father’s tenure, he pursued acquisitions such as talks with Diageo in 2007; however, these negotiations did not materialize.

Within eighteen months of taking office, rumors emerged about a potential takeover by InBev. In April 2008, Busch pledged to keep Anheuser-Busch independent while its stock traded at $49.20 per share. InBev’s initial bid of $65 per share was declined; prior to this offer, A-B shares had peaked at $51.97. To counter InBev’s proposal, Busch suggested acquiring Grupo Modelo's remaining shares. Despite this effort, InBev excluded him from its newly formed board but included his uncle Adolphus Busch IV, who supported the acquisition. Subsequently, InBev increased its offer to $70 per share and retained Busch on its board.

On July 13, 2008, Busch approved selling Anheuser-Busch to InBev, concluding 156 years of family governance. At that point, the Busch family held approximately 4% of shares—less than major shareholders Barclays (6%) and Berkshire Hathaway (5%)—and lacked supervoting stock privileges typical of family-controlled companies. The board did not implement staggered terms as a defense against takeovers.

Reports suggested a rift between Busch and his father; allegedly, his father orchestrated the takeover without his son's knowledge, which contributed to raising the acquisition price. After the sale closed, Busch maintained a non-executive director position along with a consultancy agreement extending through December 2013 and received personal security protection until 2011.

The transaction provided Busch with around $100 million plus a three-year seat on InBev’s board; this included $10.35 million upfront payment, monthly consultancy fees amounting to $120,000, and continued security services. Concurrently with finalizing this deal, he resigned from FedEx’s board where he had served since 2003.

Personal life

Busch has achieved advanced black belt rankings in Judo, Tae-Kwon-Do, and Hapkido, having studied under Korean Grand Master Bong Yul Shin, who also acted as his personal bodyguard. In 2005, he was described as a slender man standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and bearing a strong resemblance to his father.

Aviation plays a significant role in Busch's family heritage; he is certified to pilot both helicopters and jets.

In August 2006, shortly before assuming the role of CEO, Busch wed Kathryn "Kate" Thatcher, who is sixteen years younger than him. He initiated divorce proceedings in November 2008, coinciding with the completion of the InBev acquisition. The couple had entered into a prenuptial agreement, and their divorce was finalized by January 2009. They did not have any children.

Charity

Busch IV has participated on multiple charitable boards, including:

BackStoppers, where he currently serves as a director.

The August Busch IV Foundation, which supports research focused on treatment-resistant depression at Barnes Jewish Hospital.

Former board member of Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital located in St. Louis.

Former board member of the National Urban League.

His contributions to sports television were acknowledged by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and he received a lifetime achievement honor from the Larry King Cardiac Foundation.

Fatal accident involving Michele Frederick (1983)

At age 19, while enrolled at the University of Arizona, Busch was involved in a deadly car accident that resulted in the death of his passenger, 21-year-old Michele Frederick, a local model and waitress. Witnesses reported that Busch left a bar early that morning accompanied by Frederick. The vehicle crashed on a curve with a posted speed limit of 25 mph, overturned, and ejected Frederick through the sunroof, likely causing instantaneous fatal injuries. Busch fled the scene without alerting authorities. Investigators discovered Bud Light cans near the crash site along with Busch’s wallet and handgun inside the vehicle. He was later located at his Tucson residence with blood on his person, possessing a sawed-off shotgun and exhibiting amnesia attributed to a skull fracture sustained in the crash. After an extensive inquiry, the Pima County District Attorney chose not to file charges due to insufficient evidence despite eyewitness accounts indicating Busch was driving at approximately 45 mph. Blood and urine samples collected were rendered unusable owing to mishandling by hospital staff.

High-speed police pursuit (1985)

At twenty years old, Busch was apprehended in St. Louis following a high-speed chase reaching speeds between 85 and 90 mph along Kingshighway Boulevard. He was returning from PT's Sports Cabaret, a strip club located in Sauget, Illinois. Law enforcement terminated the pursuit by disabling his vehicle’s rear tire with gunfire. Busch asserted he believed officers intended to kidnap him. Authorities accused him of attempting to run down two police officers with his Mercedes-Benz. A St. Louis jury ultimately acquitted him of assault charges.

Death of Adrienne Nicole Martin (2010)

On December 19, 2010, Adrienne Nicole Martin, aged 27 and Busch’s girlfriend for roughly two years, was discovered deceased at Busch's residence in Huntleigh, Missouri. A household employee contacted 9-1-1 at approximately 1:15 p.m., with Busch present at the time. Martin’s mother described her as content in her relationship with Busch, while her obituary referred to him as "the love of her life."

The initial autopsy found no signs of trauma and was inconclusive regarding cause of death. Martin’s former spouse, Dr. Kevin J. Martin, noted she suffered from Long QT syndrome, a cardiac condition associated with sudden death risk, and that she was prescribed trazodone for insomnia—a medication necessitating medical supervision.

The investigation conducted by Frontenac, Missouri police revealed toxicology results indicating lethal concentrations of cocaine and oxycodone in Martin’s system; pill containers bearing her name contained these substances despite no prescriptions being issued to her for them. The St. Louis County Prosecutor classified her death as an accidental overdose linked to chronic cocaine use.

On March 31, 2011, Kevin Martin filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Busch on behalf of their son Blake Alexander Martin (born 2002). Adrienne’s mother retained attorney John Q. Kelly to pursue legal action and sought custody of her grandson amid concerns over an alliance between Kevin Martin and Busch potentially influencing the case. On April 6, 2011, Adrienne’s father George "Larry" Eby joined the lawsuit claiming loss of companionship despite their estrangement in recent years.

By April 20, 2011, Busch consented to a $1.5 million settlement with Kevin Martin for Blake; subsequent court proceedings would determine any distribution allocated to Adrienne’s parents.

Helicopter Incident

On July 10, 2017, Busch was detained in Swansea, Illinois after reportedly attempting to pilot a helicopter while under the influence, carrying four firearms and eight dogs. Swansea law enforcement arrived at approximately 8:15 pm when Busch IV seemed to be preparing for takeoff. He underwent two breathalyzer examinations, both of which registered a reading of 0.000. Due to concerns about possible use of prescription medication, he was transported to a medical facility for blood and urine analysis. According to the St. Clair County State's Attorney, the follow-up blood tests showed no traces of substances.

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