NBWA
November 2012
Beverage Media
101
beer
NBWA Awards Presented
in san diego
The National Beer Wholesalers As-
sociation (NBWA) honored several
industry leaders during the associa-
tion’s 75th Annual Convention held
in October in San Diego, CA. The
first Life Service Award was present-
ed posthumously to Mike McKinney,
former chief executive officer of the
Wholesale Beer Distributors of Tex-
as who passed away earlier this year.
Life Service Awards were also given
to Steve Sourapas, Crest Beverage
Company of San Diego; and Don
Faust Sr., Faust Distributing Com-
pany of Houston, TX.
The NBWA Industry Service
Award was presented to four state as-
sociation executives; Clark Corson,
Beverage Distributors of New Hamp-
shire; Denny Gallagher, Virginia
Beer Wholesalers Association; Tim
Kent, North Carolina Beer and Wine
Wholesalers Association; and Mitch
Rubin, executive director of the Flori-
da Beer Wholesalers Association. The
NBWA Public Affairs Award was pre-
sented to J.J. Taylor Distributing Com-
pany of Minnesota, a company that is
aggressive in the social media space,
utilizing Facebook, Twitter, Untappd
and Pinterest.
The NBWA and the Brewers As-
sociation (BA) also announced that
Brown Distributing Company, based
in West Palm Beach, Florida, has been
selected as the 2012 Craft Beer Dis-
tributor of the Year. Brown Distributing
Company, a family-run Florida compa-
ny for more than 90 years, has evolved
into a craft beer powerhouse, distrib-
uting beer from 64 craft breweries to
nearly 4,000 retail accounts throughout
the state. Over the past 12 months, the
company has achieved a 76% increase
in craft beer sales volume.
NBWA President & CEO Craig
Purser moderated a “Retailer Round-
table” discussion with Danny Brager
of Nielsen’s Beverage Alcohol Team;
David Jabour, president of Twin Li-
quors, a Texas-based independent
chain with more than 70 outlets;
and Sally Smith, president & CEO
of Buffalo Wild Wings.
Brager said, “Beer is doing well,”
citing innovation in the beer category
and the vast selection of beer available
to consumers in the marketplace to-
day. Jabour emphasized the great part-
nerships that independent retailers
enjoy with independent beer distribu-
tors, telling attendees, “Our future for
the next 75 years is really incumbent
upon what we’re able to do together…
you are the retailer’s best friend and
vice versa.” Smith spoke about beer’s
contribution to the success of Buffalo
Wild Wings and how beer distributors
act as valuable partners by offering lo-
cal support for their national programs
and helping train and educate their
restaurants’ employees about beer.
Don Faust Sr. receives the NBWA Life Service Award from NBWA President & CEO Craig Purser
(
left) & NBWA 2011-2012 Chairman of the Board Steve Lytle.
