Beer and beverage distributors from across America arrived in Washington, D.C., for NBWA’s Legislative Conference, held April 6-9, with tax policy top of mind. The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) says “over 400 meetings with members of Congress and their staff,” took place during the week, in addition to expert analysis on regulatory and political developments impacting the industry.
More than 600 members of the NBWA made the trip and focused their advocacy on “maintaining competitive tax policy for Main Street businesses. If Congress does not act, local, family-owned businesses face a significant tax increase when provisions from the 2017 tax bill expire at the end of this year.”
“This is our chance to remind our representatives that beer distributors are local businesses that drive significant economic activity and provide solid career path opportunities,” said NBWA Chair Rebecca Maisel. “Raising our taxes hurts our ability to invest in our businesses, our valued employees and our communities.”
Other key issues highlighted at this year’s conference included updating the alcohol section of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and supporting our nation’s state-based alcohol regulatory system.
Maisel urged attendees to share the industry’s great story of community service and local growth in their meetings with policymakers. Beer and beverage distributors employ 135,000 hardworking Americans and contribute more than $56 billion to the U.S. economy.
“There are more than 70 new members of Congress this year, some of whom are not familiar with beer and beverage distribution, who have never heard of the three-tier system and who may not know the central role you all play in your local economies,” said NBWA President and CEO Craig Purser. “It’s time to get back to basics, to educate, to inform and to advocate for this great industry.”
Empowering Women Forum
The 2025 Legislative Conference opened with the largest Building Relationships & Empowering Women (BREW) Leadership Forum yet. More than 160 women and men in the beer distribution industry gathered to sharpen their leadership skills and explore the new industry landscape — preparing themselves to win in an era of change.
Launched in 2021 to connect and develop women in beer and beverage distribution, BREW seeks to provide access to essential resources, events and insights. This year’s Leadership Forum focused on resetting attendees’ drive, remixing their thinking, and redrawing the playing field. The forum featured remarks by U.S. Representative Angie Craig (MN-02), a luncheon with U.S. Representative Julie Fedorchak (ND-At Large) and a keynote address from former CNN journalist Nadia Bilchik.
“As women play an increasingly critical role in beer and beverage distribution, BREW programming like the record-setting 2025 Leadership Forum helps companies tap into the energy of this growing movement – elevating your team members to deliver serious results,” said NBWA Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kim McKinnish. “We could not be more thrilled to gather so many leaders in beer distribution here in our nation’s capital, equipping them with tools to enhance their skills and drive business growth throughout the year.”
Nadia’s keynote inspired attendees by helping them better articulate their personal brands — an essential tool for creating stability and driving impact in today’s dynamic landscape. The BREW Leadership Forum also featured Clarissa Peterson, a former beer distributor turned HR guru, who led an interactive session aimed at transforming attendees’ approaches to challenges through a proactive, problem-solving mindset.
Attendees learned to unlock the secrets to successful negotiating during a panel discussion moderated by real estate leader Jessica Miller and featuring Genesis Smith of Pepin Distributing Company, Karen Kovtun of Ippolito Christon and Co. and Laurie Knight, NBWA Executive Vice President of Government Affairs.
A standout panel featured Adam Vitale of G&M Distributors moderating a candid discussion on convergence in the beverage alcohol market. Participants Aimy Steadman of BeatBox Beverages, Peter Marino of Lofted Spirts and Erica Garvey of Stateside Brands explored opportunities for beer and beverage distributors to expand their portfolios and deliver value for retail customers.
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