On the steps of the Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus, OH, David Goodman, Director, Department of Commerce (far right), joins the leaders of the Ohio Department of Commerce's Division of Liquor Control, including, from left, Chief of Investigations & Compliance Gary Jones; Chief of Agency Operations Tom Kappa; Peter Patitsas, Division Counsel; and Superintendent Bruce Stevenson.
"When the governor got into office, anything and everything was on the table," said David Goodman, whom Governor Kasich appointed as director of the state's Department of Commerce. "Our mission is to invest in jobs creation." So far, the governor has made two moves that directly involve the state's control agency, the Division of Liquor Control (DLC), which is part of the state's Department of Commerce. One, Kasich has changed where the DLC's revenues from spirit sales go. Before, approximately 60% of the DLC's profits, which totaled a record high of $237 million in fiscal year 2011, went to the state's General Revenue Fund, with the rest directed toward a variety of specific state programs and services, such as the $11.3 million that went to the state's Department of Public Safety last year. Now, however, the DLC's spirits-sale revenue will be directed to a non- profit organization called JobsOhio, which will use it – via things like grants and low-interest loans — to attract businesses to the state and create jobs. "It is our belief
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that we need to invest in the state's economic develop- ment," said Goodman. "We need to grow our way out of [this economic downturn.] Our object is to invest in the future."
The second change is to continue to improve and modernize the DLC's own business practices. For instance, the DLC has just begun the process of replac- ing the computer system it uses with its 458 private liquor agencies. "One of the key items we've identified as an opportunity is to improve our ability to communi- cate with our agents," said Bruce Stevenson, the DLC's superintendent.
DLC Responsibilities
he DLC is responsible for controlling the manufac- ture, distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages in the state of Ohio. It is the sole purchaser and distributor of spirits, which are sold through those 458 private liquor agencies, which are contracted sales agents for the state. The DLC also handles issuing licenses, or permits,
T StateWays s www.stateways.com s January/February 2012
