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: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/307773
StateWays Q www.stateways.com Q May/June 2014 34 John W Byrne Director of Control States Rémy Cointreau USA, Inc. Chairman, NABCA Industry Steering Committee T he Industry Steering Committee (ISC) serves the alcohol bev- erage industry as a forum for communication between control states and suppliers. Given the fi scal and political challenges each control state faces, it is even more important today that states and industry partner to effect positive change that will strengthen the control system. Since the last annual conference, the ISC has met twice with the NABCA Board of Directors and with state offi cials at the Administrators Conference. At the board meetings, the ISC had presentations from individual NABCA Directors and their staff concerning major operational changes taking place in their states. This was valuable interaction that underscored the modernization efforts taking place in control jurisdictions. In addition, the ISC continued its program of meeting "one on one" with each control jurisdiction to discuss operational, technological and legislative challenges that both state and industry face together. The meetings offer a dialogue that assists states in identifying best practices as they continue to modernize their operations. Indeed there are many examples where modernization efforts have resulted in upgraded or new warehouse operations (e.g., IA, NH, NC and Montgomery County); modernized and/or expanded retail stores (e.g., AL, NH, ID, OR, VA, OH and VT); introduction of trade shows for licensees (e.g., AL, WV and MS), as well as continuing to implement effi cient product selection and category management systems. A paramount goal is to help control states bridge economic and political challenges at hand. Indeed, while Members of the NABCA Industry Steering Committee offer insights into the important issues facing the beverage alcohol industry, its suppliers and the control states. T hroughout the year, the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA) Board of Directors meets with the Industry Steering Committee, a group of industry leaders from distilled spirits companies, to address new and ongoing issues facing the beverage alcohol industry and the control states. [The committee is being renamed the Industry Advisory Committee when it reconvenes following the annual NABCA Conference in May.] StateWays once again asked these committee members to participate in a virtual roundtable where they were invited to discuss accomplishments of the past year and challenges facing their industry and the control states in the coming year. The theme of the NABCA Chairmen this past year [both J. Neal Insley, of Virginia, followed by Jeffrey Anderson, of Idaho, the current NABCA Chairman] has been "Progressive Control," and we suggested that Industry Steering Committee members participating could use that as a jumping off point for their comments. Naturally, we also suggested that they can address a variety of issues affecting the industry and the control states: for example, privatization, social responsibility, modernization, best practices, etc. We thank those supplier representatives who took the time out of their busy schedules to respond. These include: John W Byrne, Director of Control States, Alliance & Public Affairs, Rémy Cointreau USA [and chairman of the Industry Steering Committee]; Marc Satterthwaite, Vice President, Director, Control States and Canada, Brown-Forman; Alison Potts, Vice President and Managing Director, Control States, Bacardi USA; John Trainer, General Manager, Control States, Pernod Ricard USA; Claudia Schubert, Incoming President, U.S. Control States & Canada, Diageo North America; Steve Feller, Vice President of North American Sales, Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc.; Rachel Roberts, General Sales Manager, Control States, Beam Suntory; Ted Roman, Senior Vice President, Sales, William Grant & Sons; Scott Oppenheimer, Senior Vice President, Control States, Moet Hennessy USA; Rich Renkens, Vice President, General Manager, Control States, Constellation Brands; and Ronald Dodge, President, Hood River Distillers. NABCA Industry Steering Committee Roundtable