HEY, BEER MAN!

NOBODY ENJOYS SUMMER IN CHICAGO—AKA PEAK BEER-DRINKING SEASON—MORE THAN CORONA MARKETING KING JIM SABIA.

Nobody enjoys summer in Chicago—aka peak beer-drinking season—more than Corona marketing king Jim Sabia.

“Summer is go time for us,” says Constellation Brands CMO Jim Sabia. As the marketing guru for brands like Corona and Modelo Especial—the country’s number-one and -two imported beers, respectively—sabia knows the season is crucial to his success for the year. Now, as Corona celebrates its 20th anniversary at the top, the 56-year-old Northfield resident shares how he makes the most of the city’s peak months.

Seize the season: “I’ve never seen a city embrace summer like Chicago. It’s like, ‘We only have 120 days of this, we have to do everything we possibly can.’ It’s fun to watch.” Summer stress release: “I leave my house every morning at 6 and go to the East Bank Club (500 N. Kingsbury St., 312-5275800; eastbankclub.com). That hour, hour-and-a-half workout is mine. [It lets me] get into my own space and think.”

Essential sights: “Walk Michigan Avenue, from the top down to the Chicago River. It’s vibrant, people are out, and what the city does with flowers and plants is amazing. And you have to see the lake.” Swing time: “I have two boys who are 12 and 14, and on summer weekends I’ll play nine holes at the Glen View Club (100 Golf Road, Golf, 847-729-6500; glenviewclub.com) with each of them individually. It’s a great time to connect.”