StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/776556
StateWays | www.stateways.com | January/February 2017 16 In an effort to reinforce its messages about underage drinking, the ABC manages various social media channels and distributes content primarily focused on prevention and intervention. SMS messages also are used to communicate messages to license holders. "We want to try and take everything we are doing in-per- son and emulate it online and through social media," Frier- son explains. The ABC also pushes out television commercials during the holiday season. Geared toward minors and parents, the messages focus on illustrating the consequences of underage drinking. In addition to lacking more enforcement positions, the ABC also lacks the funds to pay its agents a lucrative wage. Frierson notes that salaries for law enforcement agents are not During the holidays, the ABC's warehouse is already at capacity and needs an overhaul to continue growing. very competitive, which is also a problem with salaries for the warehouse staff. "We're paying our workers, especially our warehouse work- ers, very low wages, which makes it very hard to retain people and to get dependable people," Frierson says. "It's an in-between job for most people right now. The warehouse is located in an area that has other businesses offering a more competitive salary. People take our jobs until something better comes along, which it usually does." Associate Commissioner Meg Bartlett agrees. "A lot of our problems in the warehouse could be solved if we could offer people a higher wage," she says. Frierson says that the ABC plans to request additional fund- ing from the state legislature to increase staff salaries. That, in addition to an overall increase in funding, will help the ABC make the necessary improvements to keep up with the rapid growth of the beverage alcohol industry within the state. • MELISSA NIKSIC is a freelance writer and market- ing communications strategist from Chicago, IL. Her work has appeared in Chicago's Daily Herald news- paper, Time Out Chicago, Suburban Life newspapers, and various magazines. She is also the author of several chil- dren's books. Follow her @MelissaNiksic.