The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) announced the appointment of Corey Staniscia as vice president of state government relations where he will cover lobbying efforts in the southern region of the country.

Staniscia joins DISCUS from CSC Group, a private government affairs practice he established in 2021, which specialized in government engagement at the state, county and municipal levels throughout Florida.

Before founding CSC Group, Staniscia (pictured) served as the senior legislative aide to Florida Representative Chip LaMarca where he oversaw all legislative activities including spearheading policy and public affairs support for the Student Athlete Achievement Act, which championed NCAA regulatory reform and the rights of collegiate athletes to leverage their name, image and likeness for publicity.

Earlier in his career, he provided government affairs counsel for a top Florida law firm and a lobbying and consulting firm, and he also was active in political campaigns.

“Corey brings a wealth of lobbying experience to DISCUS that will benefit our efforts to ensure distilled spirits are treated equitably in the marketplace,” Denzel McGuire, chief of federal and state policy at DISCUS, said in a news release. “His professional background and familiarity with the legislative landscape will help grow DISCUS’ leadership in the states he will cover. We welcome Corey to our team and look forward to continued success with his expertise.”

Staniscia has achieved many professional accolades, including being named Florida League of Cities’ 2014, 2015 and 2018 Legislative Staff of the Year. He has a passion for sports and sports policy and currently serves as an advisory board member of the National Collegiate Players Association and College Football Players Association.

Staniscia holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of South Florida in Tampa and resides in south Florida.

The Distilled Spirits Council works in the nation’s capital and at the local and state level to ensure the spirits sector is leading the discussion and setting the agenda with public officials and regulators.