WASHINGTON – American Beverage announced today that Franklin Davis has been promoted to vice president of federal government relations, helping to lead the non-alcoholic beverage industry’s federal legislative agenda and driving advocacy efforts before Congress and the Biden administration.

“Franklin has been a critical part of our government affairs team for more than eight years, and his leadership and expertise will serve him well in this role,” said Katherine Lugar, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Beverage. “Franklin has been a driving force in our advocacy successes to date. He will be central to working with the Administration and Congress to share and advance our members’ innovative and solutions-oriented approach to challenges facing our country and communities.”

Davis most recently served as senior director of federal affairs for American Beverage since 2012. With his leadership as a vice president, American Beverage’s government affairs team will advance its work with lawmakers and policymakers on major issues to its members and the communities they serve. This includes working on initiatives to help communities recover from the pandemic, reduce the beverage industry’s plastic footprint, and provide families with more beverage choices to help reduce sugar in their diet.

“I’m honored for the opportunity to lead our efforts to advance American Beverage’s government affairs initiatives. I will work with my colleagues to further dialogue with policymakers on the important efforts being undertaken by America’s leading beverage companies, including The Coca-Cola Company, Keurig Dr Pepper and PepsiCo, and support our customers and communities across the country,” Davis said.

Prior to joining American Beverage in 2012, Davis served as director of government relations for the American Subcontractors Association, Inc., where he led the association’s government affairs department, managing advocacy on the municipal, state and federal level. He also served from 2006 to 2008 as program coordinator for the Columbia-based South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. Davis began his career in the corporate affairs department for Toyota Motor Manufacturing, North America, based in Erlanger, Ky. A native of Marion, S.C., Davis earned his master’s of public administration (MPA) from the University of South Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from Clemson University.

American Beverage’s membership is made up of America’s leading beverage companies, bottlers and suppliers, whose 227,000 employees are the backbone of a thriving U.S. industry made up of American companies making American products by American workers in America's hometowns.

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About American Beverage

American Beverage is the national trade organization representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in the United States. For more information, please visit www.americanbeverage.org. For more information on our leadership initiatives, please visit www.balanceus.org and www.innovationnaturally.org.