Andy Deloney Joins Distilled Spirits Council as Vice President of State Public Policy
Former Michigan Liquor Control Commission and NABCA Chairman to Manage Control State Relations & Advocacy
WASHINGTON − The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) today announced the appointment of Andy Deloney as the association’s vice president of state public policy.
Andy will focus on government relations activities in most of the control states where he’ll be responsible for advocating for policies that create a more level playing field for distilled spirits and increased convenience and choice for adult spirits consumers.
“We are so pleased to bring someone of Andy’s caliber, professionalism and commitment to excellence to the DISCUS Public Policy team,” said Christine LoCascio, DISCUS Chief of Public Policy.
“I have had the opportunity to interact with DISCUS for many years in my role as a control state administrator and I’m excited to join the leading U.S. spirits association to continue its outreach efforts in the control states,” said Deloney. “The control states are an essential part of our members’ business, and I look forward to reconnecting with state officials to meet the needs of spirits consumers in their states and support their responsibility initiatives.”
Andy joins DISCUS from Johnson Brothers, one of the largest U.S. wine and spirits wholesalers, where he served as vice president of external affairs directing government and regulatory activities in the states.
Prior to that, Andy served as chairman of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) for eight years. Appointed by Governor Rick Snyder to four-year terms in 2011 and again in 2015, Andy served in the governor’s cabinet and led a 150-person team overseeing all operations of the state’s wholesale spirits business including licensing, enforcement, hearings and appeals, and tax collection.
During this time, Andy was appointed to the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association’s (NABCA) Board of Directors and served as the Chairman of the Board in 2017.
“Andy is the perfect fit to lead our control state initiatives during this time of rapid evolution in the spirits industry,” said DISCUS President and CEO Chris Swonger. “His leadership and experience in working with control state officials, combined with his reputation for relationship and consensus building will help us as we partner with control states to address issues impacting the spirits sector and its consumers.”
Before joining the MLCC, Andy spent eight years as the vice president of public affairs for the Michigan Restaurant Association where he was the senior lobbyist responsible for directing the association’s federal, state and local public policy advocacy efforts.
Earlier in his career, Andy worked as assistant state director for the National Federation of Independent Business and also served as a legislative assistant for two state representatives in the Michigan House of Representatives.
Andy received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Albion College, Albion, MI.
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HEADSHOT: Andy Deloney, DISCUS Vice President of State Public Policy
