The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) has named Daniel Hammer a 2025 Advocate of the Year. Presented at HPBExpo25, this award recognizes individuals for their leadership in public policy and advocacy. Hammer was honored for his more than 20 years of work protecting small business interests in Washington State’s evolving energy landscape. He and Edward Hosack, the Vice President of Travis Industries were honored with this year’s Advocate of the Year awards.
An Unconventional Path to Advocacy
Hammer, President of Sutter Home & Hearth in Seattle, didn’t set out to become a policy advocate. His journey began in the late 1990s, working at his brother’s hearth shop while attending college.
“I was planning to go to medical school,” Hammer said. “But working in that industry for several years while I was going to school… I ended up deciding to stay. I appreciated the relationship nature of the business.”
That early experience shaped his long-term path. He later earned a management degree and eventually took over operations at Sutter Home & Hearth. As his business, so did his awareness of the critical role that policy plays in the industry’s future.
Advocacy Through Collective Action
Hammer became involved with the Northwest Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (NWHPBA) and quickly recognized the importance of collective advocacy.
“We’re in the energy business,” he said. “I don’t think people think about that, but that’s one of the most important topics in U.S. politics. If we get shaken off, the smallest ones on the ladder are going first—and that’s us.”
To gain these skills, he joined the Government Affairs Academy in 2014, a year-long program that trains industry professionals to advocate at all levels of government. This program, now known as the Government Affairs Leadership Academy, equipped him with skills he would use later in his career.
The Fight for Fuel Choice in Washington
That mindset led Hammer to get involved in organizing public outreach efforts across Washington. In 2017, he helped coordinate opposition to a proposed municipal ban on natural gas in Seattle. He noted, “Everyone showed up to those meetings, and that made a huge difference.”
In 2023–2024, Hammer played an active role in the statewide effort to support Initiative 2066, a measure aimed at protecting access to natural gas in Washington.
Hammer hosted petition drives at his store, participated in media interviews, and even debated the issue on live television with just two days’ notice. “That tells you how important this issue is to Washingtonians,” he said. “It really helped me believe that I’m not the only one who sees this the way I do.”
A Grounded Approach to Policy Engagement
Hammer approaches advocacy by emphasizing the people behind the products such as business owners, employees, and customers.
“You want to talk about how things can impact you and your business and your constituents,” he said. “Your employees and your customers, those are the people who matter to your elected representatives.”
Encouraging More Voices at the Table
Hammer believes more professionals in the industry should speak up.
“If you believe in what you’re supporting, not just for your own needs, but the greater good, then you’re in the right place,” he said.