Over here at VBWA, we’re mourning Denny Gallagher, who gave 33 years of his career to Virginia’s beer wholesalers and the people and communities they serve. Denny died of Alzheimer’s disease on August 7.
Denny was my predecessor, and I learned so much from him in the short time we worked together. Those of us with the good fortune of leading industry associations must understand that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Denny was just that in the beer business and broader Virginia political community.
He was a true Virginia beer industry legend, serving as VBWA’s executive vice president and chief lobbyist before retiring in 2016. But he was more than a lobbyist — he was a tireless advocate, a mentor, and a man of deep integrity. He stood up for fairness, fought for small and large distributors alike, and brought honesty, heart, and humor to every room he entered. “He was one of the good ones,” is a line you’ll hear often about Denny.
Before he reached VBWA, his career path was colorful: he started selling textbooks, taught fine arts to kids, counseled Virginia inmates, and was superintendent of a state correctional facility. He was one of six members in management at the Department of Corrections indicted by a grand jury for misconduct, and the frivolous charges were dropped, “but not before the taint of the indictment left an indelible mark on him,” as his family notes in his obituary. He left the agency, worked for the Virginia Attorney General, and met friends in industry trade groups that would ultimately lead him to the VBWA.
In 2012, he was honored by the NBWA with the Industry Service Award, citing his efforts to uphold state alcohol regulation and organize effective opposition to deregulatory proposals that would have hurt the state budget.
He read histories and biographies, mastered the art of writing, and was a stickler for detail. He brought people together to find common purpose, was respected by his peers and legislators for his truthfulness and directness, and was compassionate, smart, sharp-witted, always ready to listen. “And he never forgot a birthday,” his family writes.
He believed in doing things the right way — with purpose, with principle, and always with people in mind. His impact on the beer industry in Virginia will be felt for generations.
Denny is survived by his wife, Audrey Gross, a brother and in-laws, cousins, and many friends and colleagues including our friends Chuck Duvall and Shelley Gravatt, the two with whom he worked the closest and longest.
Thank you, Denny, for everything. You will be missed beyond measure.
For anyone wishing to make a memorial contribution, the family suggests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, Richmond SPCA, or PBS Foundation.
Godspeed Denny, and cheers to Virginia’s beer wholesalers.
Cheers.
Philip H. Boykin
President & CEO
Virginia Beer Wholesalers Association
Oct. 9: Mike Mullin’s On Tap looks at Virginia’s alcohol advertising laws and regulations 
Join VBWA General Counsel Mike Mullin for his second “On Tap,” where members will get the latest on the rules and regulations guiding the wholesaler industry. Our topic: Happy hours, non-alcoholic products, and all things advertising. Open to VBWA distributor members only. October 9, 3-4 p.m. Register.
Employee Spotlight: Al Pugh Distributing’s Cynthia Walker
Join us in congratulating Cynthia Walker, sales execution coordinator, inventory manager and sales coach with Al Pugh Distributing Co. as our Distributor Employee Spotlight!
Cynthia jumped into the beer business with tenacity, positivity, and grit. Though her time at Al Pugh is shorter than some, she has quickly become a trusted resource for both seasoned veterans and new team members. Cynthia is known for her hard work, dedication, integrity, and determination. She sets an example and standard, and it is apparent that the care and concern she puts into the company goes above and beyond a Monday-Friday job.
Known to many as “Coach Walker,” Cynthia exemplifies what it means to lead by example. She takes pride in her work and is always there to lift up others on the team and support her co-workers. It is rare to both excel in job results and positively impact the mood and culture of the business environment, but Cynthia does both on a daily basis. Her competitive drive pushes others to do better, not just in the goals she sets but in the example she shows professionally and personally. If you don’t have high expectations, you won’t achieve high expectations. Cynthia stands out because her expectations spill over to everyone to work hard, be kind, and take the shot. We are grateful for the opportunity to say thank you to Cynthia for being a part of the Al Pugh and VBWA family.
Feature an employee at your warehouse. Contact VBWA’s Lauren Cash.
2025 Virginia Alcohol Law and Policy Manual Available Now
This past year has seen wholesale revisions to Virginia’s alcohol regulations. Prepared by VBWA general counsel Mike Mullin and building on the hard work of outside counsel Kevin McNally, this manual is a must-have for those working in the alcohol industry. The citations and laws have been updated throughout the document, and it includes all the new alcohol laws that took effect as of July 1. To get your copy, members should email Mike Mullin.
Among those new July 1 laws:
- A VBWA-championed bill clarified that no manufacturer, bottler, importer, broker, or wholesaler can make an agreement, or attempt to make an agreement, with a retail licensee to exclude competitor products from being carried at the retailer. This was necessary because a legal opinion questioned the prior law after decades of general understanding in the alcohol community. No substantive law was changed. HB1703 (Bulova) /SB834 (Favola)
- Alcohol retailers will now be required to offer human trafficking prevention training to their employees. HB2033 (Simonds)
- The sunset on off-premise sales for on-premise licensees and consumption of alcoholic beverages was removed and made permanent after several years of review to ensure that ID checks were being made at the proper level. HB2058 (Krizek) /SB811(Rouse)
- Mixed beverage licensees may deliver an original bottle containing spirits if it is no more than 16 ounces and no higher than 15% ABV. This amends 3VAC5-50-60. SB868 (Reeves)
Save the Dates for Upcoming NBWA/VBWA Events
2025 NBWA Annual Convention, October 12-15, 2025
Las Vegas, NV (Register)
2026 VBWA Annual Legislative Conference, January 28-29, 2026
Richmond
NBWA Annual Legislative Conference, April 19-22, 2026
Washington, D.C.
2026 VBWA/VWWA Annual Convention, June 14 -16, 2026
The Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort, Hilton Head Island, SC
NBWA 2026 Annual Conference, October 11-14, 2026
Orlando, Fla.
Thank you to our 2025 Associate Members!
