A New Direction
By the time The Roost closed, Dr. Edwards had already transitioned into a different role in the alcohol industry: as a volunteer director for The Texas Lyceum. “The Lyceum exists to educate rising leaders in Texas about the policies, places, and people in the state,” said Dr. Edwards. Now in its 41st year, the Lyceum offers events, some open to the public, others for directors and alumni only (directors become alumni at the end of a six-year term), that focus on different topics to raise awareness on issues important to the industry.
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October 2021The Lyceum also sponsors fellowships at different public policy schools in Texas; fellows present their research yearly at the Lyceum’s public conference, said Dr. Edwards. The organization also conducts a highly regarded annual poll that includes state candidates and political issues as well as topics of interest at their public conference.
I had a great time with it, but you really have to be hands-on to make it a success. I have a lot of respect for people in the service and food industry after the experience. —John D. Edwards, MD
Dr. Edwards became involved with the Lyceum when he helped out at the group’s 2018 conference on healthcare, which was open to the public. His six-year volunteer directorship began that year; currently, he joins 95 other directors who oversee the operation of and programming for the organization.
Dr. Edwards drew on his experience as a bar owner when he was asked to co-chair the Lyceum’s November 2020 virtual/in-person hybrid conference on alcohol legislation. “In Texas, you can sell beer and wine at grocery stores, but when the pandemic happened we were able to focus on the small bars and restaurants that were struggling when their customers stopped coming,” he said. As those businesses pivoted to selling cocktails to go, Edwards helped others understand the nuances of each of the three tiers of the alcohol industry—sales, manufacturing, and distribution. “The 2020 conference was the first time that members of all three tiers were able to meet and talk together in a neutral setting,” he said. “We had hoped to promote dialogue about issues affecting the industry within the three tiers, and this was a great step.”
Dr. Edwards worked hard to fulfill the Lyceum’s goal to educate others in a balanced way about topics that affect Texans. “Lyceum directors themselves “are completely split when it comes down to race, gender, political party, and location,” he said. “Above all, we promote civil discourse and the ability to talk about issues in a balanced way. We brought in nonpartisan speakers so that members could make their own decisions on different topics and then can take that information back to their communities.”