Craig Purser serves as the leading advocate for America’s more than 3,000 independent beer & beverage distributors. In this role, Purser is responsible for the strategic development and tactical execution of the association’s mission in the areas of government, public, industry and political affairs. He has led the charge to strengthen the three-tier system of beer distribution and state-based alcohol regulation.

Purser has been a consensus builder among industry partners, control advocates, public health activists and elected leaders.

Purser has been recognized by CEO Update as a Top Association CEO and as a Top Association Lobbyist by The Hill newspaper.

Purser serves as a trustee for the U. S. Capitol Historical Society and the Center for Alcohol Policy (CAP). He also serves as a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Association Committee of 100, the ASAE’s Key Industry Association Committee (KIAC), the Association Executives Council of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) and is the past Chair of the Bryce Harlow Foundation’s Board of Governors.

A native of Oklahoma, Purser is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. He and his wife, Gretchen, reside in Alexandria, Virginia, and have three children.

Paul Pisano leads the association’s efforts in industry, legal and state governmental affairs and serves as a liaison to state distributor associations and outside groups.

Prior to joining NBWA, he served at the Department of Commerce, most recently as director of congressional affairs at the U.S. Census Bureau. He also spent six years working in senior positions on Capitol Hill.

Pisano holds a B.A. degree from Hampden-Sydney College and earned his J.D. from Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law.

Laurie Knight leads the association’s lobbying team, directs the association’s federal advocacy efforts and plays a key role in advancing the association’s member-focused agenda on behalf of America’s 3,000 independent beer distributors.

Prior to joining NBWA in 2013, Knight served as the senior vice president, government affairs for the Association of American Railroads. She also spent more than five years as the executive vice president of government affairs for the National Association of Broadcasters.

Before gaining significant experience in the communications and transportation industries, Knight served as Washington representative and director of government affairs at NBWA from 1999 through 2005.

As a veteran association executive, Knight has a proven track record in advancing advocacy agendas, building coalitions and navigating complicated policy challenges.

Knight also has served on Capitol Hill, having worked as legislative director for then Representative Jim Turner (TX). She also practiced law in Texas and is licensed in Texas and California.

Knight is a graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law and Southern Methodist University.

Lester Jones tracks the economic factors that impact the beer distribution industry and alcohol policy decisions at the federal, state and local levels. He evaluates and develops primary industry data, including economic impact, tax impacts, sales and volume data.

Jones has more than 20 years of experience in research, survey methodology and applied economics. He previously served as chief economist at the Beer Institute, where he developed and executed significant research initiatives that helped shape America’s beer industry.

Jones also has become a respected public speaker, offering in-depth technical, analytical and quantitative expertise.

In addition to his decade of work at the Beer Institute, Jones previously worked for Arbitron Company (Nielsen) in Columbia, Maryland, and the Regional Economic Studies Institute in Towson, Maryland. Jones holds a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Delaware as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.