BREWed for This Moment: BREW Leadership Forum Delivers Star Power and Timely Lessons

Fourth annual event convenes leading beer and beverage distribution leaders, Members of Congress, a longtime Saturday Night Live producer and more in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. - The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) proudly hosted its Building Relationships & Empowering Women (BREW) Leadership Forum on April 20, gathering more than 150 passionate beer and beverage distributors for content focused on modern leadership skills and preparing their businesses for the future.

The Forum was held in Washington, D.C., during NBWA's Legislative Conference, April 19-22, the premier advocacy event for beer and beverage distributors.

Launched in 2021 to elevate women in beer and beverage distribution, BREW delivers training, connection and tools to help members advance their careers and drive change across the industry. The annual BREW Leadership Forum provides an opportunity for distributors to share knowledge and tackle the most pressing issues facing America's independent beer and beverage distributors.

This year's theme, BREWed for This Moment, reflects an agenda focused on helping distributors position their teams and businesses for long-term success, no matter the challenges and changes they encounter.

"What I love about looking around this room is that it reflects the workforce we're building - leaders from across roles, generations and perspectives who are invested in getting better together," said Rebecca Maisel, Gulf Distributing Holdings Chief Corporate Strategy Officer, BREW Advisory Board Member and Immediate Past Chair of NBWA. "The decades of experience and leadership in this room are essential as the industry continues to evolve."

Maisel helped bring the day's themes to life during a powerhouse opening panel on multi-generational leadership, joining her father Elliot Maisel and two other father-daughter distributor leadership teams: Lauren Doll-Sheeder and Mark Doll (Doll Distributing) and Sarah Matesich and Jim Matesich (Matesich Distributing).

Panelists shared keys to successful cross-generation collaboration and strategies for adapting their family-owned businesses for the future.

Other highlights included remarks from U.S. Representatives Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Rob Bresnahan (PA-08), an insightful look at consumer behavior and market dynamics from beverage analysts Caroline Levy and Nik Modi and a spirited keynote from legendary Saturday Night Live producer Lindsay Shookus.

"Amid an evolving policy landscape and shifting market dynamics, strong leadership has never been more critical for our industry," said NBWA Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kim McKinnish. "The BREW Leadership Forum provides a vital space for distributors to come together, share insights and build the skills needed to adapt, advocate and lead with confidence through change."

BREW will convene again this year at Making Moves, Oct. 13-14, held during NBWA's 89th Annual Convention and Product Showcase in Orlando, Florida, from October 11-14, 2026.

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BREW officially launched in 2021 to address the underrepresentation of women in management roles in the beer distribution industry. For more information about BREW, click here.