Hospitality Industry Expertise

For over two decades, John Chwat has represented retail, wholesale and suppliers in the hospitality industry before the U.S. Congress and government. Selected clients in the industry have included:

• The National Licensed Beverage Association (NLBA) representing over twenty thousand alcohol beverage retailers including bars, taverns, liquor stores, hotels and restaurants.

• The National Association of Beverage Retailers (NABR) representing both on and off premise establishment owners in over eighteen thousand retailers.

• Coalition on Alcohol Beverage Procurement represented by Wine and Spirits Wholesalers Association, National Beer Wholesalers Association, National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, National Conference of State Liquor Authorities, National License Beverage Association, twenty three state beer and wine wholesale associations and individual wholesale companies.

• Created a multi-million dollar market opportunity for alcohol beverage wholesalers by convincing Congress to overturn an 80-year law requiring in-state procurement by the U.S. Military for beer, liquor and wine products.

• Organized industry and government support for controlling direct shipment of alcohol beverage products to consumers through legislation which eventually became law.

• Changed a 30-year old music copyright law to benefit hospitality retailers seeking exemption for paying performing rights fees for music in their establishments through legislation which eventually became law.

• Initiated U.S. congressional hearings on the “effectiveness” of the national 21 drinking age law and the use of false ID’s by underage customers.

• Counseled retailer industry groups on all U.S. Congress smoking legislation, impacting tobacco regulations and government environmental tobacco smoking policy for over 15 years.

• Defeated legislation in the U.S. Congress to change the independent contractor status of performers of live music in retailer establishments to “employee” status. 

• Identified the issue and developed with the industry legislation protecting retailers seeking to comply with “alleged” violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

• Duty Free Store competition with liquor store operations; the impact of Indian gaming operations on retail and wholesaler sales; privatization of Class VI US Military Liquor Stores and review of MWR defense operations; impacting all federal and assisting in selected state legislation on the percentage of blood alcohol content for drunk driving purposes.