Press Release

Press Release Oct 15, 2025

NBWA Wraps Innovation-Driven Annual Convention in Las Vegas

Steve Beykirch of Eagle Beverage Corporation Named Incoming Board Chair

Las Vegas, NV – Today, the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) wrapped up its 88th Annual Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas, naming Kansas’ Steve Beykirch as its new board chair.

With 2,800 beer distributors and beverage professionals in attendance, and the first-ever Innovation Showcase, this year’s convention underscored the durability of the beer industry while looking ahead with optimism and energy.

“Beer distributors are doing the work, making the investment and adapting to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow,” said Craig Purser, President and CEO of NBWA. “We all have to adjust to change, whether technology, social norms or consumer preferences. And the good news is, being mindful and nimble in the face of changing dynamics is what distributors do every day.”

This year’s convention equipped beer distributors with solutions for growing their businesses:

The week kicked off with the BIECC Innovation Showcase, featuring presentations from 17 companies about game-changing technology and market trends
Distributors found exciting new beverages and products on the sold-out Trade Show floor — the association’s biggest-ever, featuring over 250 booths and 88 first-time exhibitors
Attendees learned in 20 education seminars on topics ranging from regulatory updates and portfolio diversification to automation, leadership and sales strategies

“Over the past year, our industry has been tested, and beer distributors have shown our collective strength,” said Rebecca Maisel, outgoing NBWA Chair. “The last few years made clear that disruption in our industry is inevitable. But it also showed us that with disruption comes opportunity, and no group is better positioned to seize it than America’s beer distributors.”

Incoming Chair Steve Beykirch, President of Eagle Beverage Corporation in Frontenac, KS, spoke to the industry’s power to foster connection.

“This industry is deeply personal to me, as it is to so many of us,” said Beykirch. “It’s not just a business, it’s a passion, a part of the social fabric that brings people together and a proud legacy. Beer connects us to something bigger than ourselves.”

Convention attendees also heard from an impressive slate of speakers including NFL legend and co-owner of Garage Beer Jason Kelce; entrepreneur, investor and star of Shark Tank Robert Herjavec; VP of Adult Beverage at Walmart Katie Smith; Constellation Brands VP & President, Beer Division Jim Sabia; and former Secret Service Special Agent Evy Poumpouras.

NBWA also recognized exceptional distributor contributions to the industry:

Bill Adams of Adams Beverages and Charles Kramer of Kramer Beverage both received the Life Service Award, NBWA’s highest honor, for their leadership and legacy in beer distribution
The Freida G. Maisel Trailblazer Awards were presented to Sue McCollum, owner and CEO of Eagle Brand Sales and Double Eagle Distributing, and Manhattan Beer & Beverage Distributors for advancing opportunities for women in the industry
The Public Affairs Award was awarded to DeCrescente Distributing Company recognizing their impactful promotion of the beer distribution industry
The Kenny Kerr PAC Award honored Chris Kaminski, president of
B & K Distributing, for his outstanding commitment to grassroots advocacy
Del Papa Distributing, represented by Larry and L.J. Del Papa, received the Whitey Littlefield Award, which celebrates distributors who go the extra mile to grow the NBWA PAC

Innovation was the unifying theme of this year’s program, as on-stage panels highlighted how distributors continue to adapt and thrive amid change:

Impact of the 2025 Tax Bill featuring Bryan Cunningham of Polaris Consulting, Terry White of Golden Beverage Co., and Karen Kovtun of Ippolito Christon & Co.
Challenges, Headwinds, Solutions and Successes with Nadine Sarwat of Bernstein, Nik Modi of RBC Capital Markets and Mike Frank of Frank Beverage Group, moderated by Robbie Maletis Jr. of Maletis Beverage
Navigating Health Care featuring patient rights advocate Cynthia Fisher with John Taylor of J.J. Taylor Companies

NBWA’s 89th Annual Convention & Product Showcase will be held in Orlando, Florida on October 11-14, 2026.

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The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) represents America’s 3,000 independent beer distributors who service every state, congressional district, and media market across the country. Licensed at the federal and state levels, beer distributors get bottles, cans, cases, and kegs from a brewer or importer to stores, restaurants, and other licensed retail accounts through a transparent and accountable regulatory system.

Distributors build brands of all sizes – from familiar domestic beers to new startup labels and imports from around the world – and generate enormous consumer choice while supporting more than 135,000 quality jobs in their home communities. Beer distributors work locally to keep communities safe by sponsoring programs to promote responsible consumption, combat drunk driving, and reduce underage drinking.