ABL executive director dies suddenly
Harry Wiles, executive director of the American Beverage Licensees (ABL), the Montana Tavern Association's national affiliate, died Aug. 18 after a brief illness.
Wiles led ABL, with its nearly 20,000 members, from its beginning, the result of a merger of the former National Licensed Beverage Association (NLBA – taverns) and the National Association of Beverage Retailers (NABR – liquor stores) in 2002.
MTA's Harry Klock and Darrell Keck were Montana's representatives to ABL and worked closely with Wiles for the past eight years. Both men expressed sadness over Wiles' death, but optimism that ABL would continue its steady progress.
Klock served on the executive director selection committee that hired Wiles.
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Harry Wiles
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"We had narrowed our search down to eight candidates," Klock recalled in an interview with the Montana Tavern Times Aug. 24. "During the interview, Harry seemed to lock onto me," Klock said. "Maybe it was because we were both named Harry," he said with a laugh. "He was Harry East and I was Harry West, but I think we were similar in a lot of respects. We hit it off from the start. Harry loved the west and horses. He had a special place in his heart for Montana."
Indeed, the ABL Board of Directors conducted one of its quarterly meetings in Billings in 2004 and Wiles was on the bus that Klock piloted to the summit of the Beartooth Pass.
Keck, also interviewed Aug. 24, said Wiles always yearned to come back to Montana after that 2004 board meeting. "In fact I was trying to put together a primitive backcountry trip for him on a ranch out of Choteau. He loved the outdoors. He was a rustic guy who had a dream image of Montana.
"We had some fun together," Keck said. "He had a great work ethic and was well respected on The Hill and within the industry, but he also had an excellent social sense. He understood the value of having some fun."
Klock said, "He did a very good job as executive director of ABL. He was well known and well respected in Washington, D.C. We have a very good team in place now (at ABL) and our president, David Jabour (of Austin, Texas), will keep the organization moving forward" until a new executive director is selected.
Keck said Wiles left a solid record of success at ABL.
"He brought us a long way, made us an effective organization. He improved our status. He was essential in developing our functional and efficient organizational structure. Harry was good at making things work. He excelled at building coalitions. He always had good input, good advice. He did his homework and followed through.
"Besides being very down to earth, he was a good leader, a hard worker, very intelligent. He had excellent contacts within the federal government. He was in touch with America.
"We came a long way with Harry. He will be very hard to replace and will be sorely missed."
In a statement issued by ABL, the organization's president Jabour said, “Not only has our industry lost a leading advocate, we all have lost a dear friend. Harry was the consummate industry ambassador and steward, and will be remembered for years to come. He was truly part of our industry family.”
ABL Director of Operations and Trade Relations Susan Day Duffy, who worked with Wiles during his tenure, said, "We (in the office) spent more time with Harry some weeks than we did with our own loved ones and families, and came to know him as a kind person, a generous boss and someone who always looked for the best in people.
"Never one to raise his voice in anger, Harry loved the peacefulness of the outdoors and being a cowboy. While he relished the political realm of Washington and the big family of the beverage alcohol industry, Harry was probably most at home in the saddle, and always looked forward to his annual western rides with his long-time friends."
ABL Director of Communications and Public Affairs John Bodnovich said, "Harry led ABL in much his own image. He wanted it to be a place where everyone – beverage retailers and the industry as a whole – came to together. He came to ABL to build on the spirit of unity in which its two predecessor organizations merged, and he succeeded in that, stabilizing that which was unstable, and providing a platform for thousands of people in our industry.
"Harry's personal warmth made us feel like family, and we certainly thought of him as such. We know he is at peace, but we miss him dearly."
An avid supporter of the western lifestyle and horseback riding, Wiles was a member of western riding organizations Rancheros Visitadores, based in Santa Barbara, CA, and El Viaje De Portola in San Juan Capistrano, CA. He was also a board member of the Heartland Alliance of America, the association for rural Americans.
In 2010, Wiles was inducted into the Sky Ranch Hall of Fame, and served on the Executive Committee of the Sky Ranch Foundation. He also served as a board member of the Responsible Hospitality Institute (RHI), the Responsible Retailing Forum (RRF) and the Night Club & Bar Advisory Board.
Prior to joining ABL, Wiles was the Senior Vice President for Federal Government Relations, and later Senior Counsel for the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) from 1987-2000. During that time he expanded WSWA's government relations and grassroots efforts in Washington.
Previously, Wiles worked in government relations for the National Association of Independent Insurers as a lobbyist.
Wiles came to Washington from his home state of Kansas in 1976 to become the Legislative Director to Rep. David Cornwell (D-IN). He then was named Majority Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee for Sen. Patrick Leahy.
Before working in Washington, Wiles served as a trial attorney for the Kansas Department of Transportation, engaged in the practice of general law and served as Kansas Assistant Attorney General.
He was a current member of the Bar in the State of Kansas, the District of Columbia, and in 2005 was sworn in as a member of the Bar of the United States Supreme Court.
Wiles graduated in 1967 from the University of Kansas, where he also received a J.D. in 1970. He was an avid Jayhawks fan.
He is survived by his wife Cindy; his daughter Heather and husband, Troy Valerius; and four grandsons. Memorial contributions in Wiles' memory were to be sent to: Cowboy Heritage Association of Fort Worth, P.O. Box 136639, Forth Worth, Texas, 76136; or Sky Ranch for Boys, 10100 Sky Ranch Place, Sky Ranch, SD 57724.