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ABC Chief Administrator Mike Herring Retires
<br />Mike Herring retires December 2014 as Chief
<br />Administrator of the North Carolina Alcoholic
<br />Beverage Control Commission with 33 years of
<br />service, all at the same state agency. During his
<br />tenure, he has played a strong leadership role in
<br />shaping many important aspects of alcohol policy
<br />that created efficiencies while increasing the
<br />Commission's effectiveness with industry and the
<br />general public.
<br />In his three decades at the Commission, the
<br />number of local ABC boards has increased by
<br />nearly 30, gross sales of liquor have gone from
<br />$281 million to nearly $870 million annually,
<br />warehouse capacity has doubled and shipments to
<br />the local boards' retail shelves now top five million
<br />cases a year.
<br />Soon after his graduation from NC State
<br />University, Herring started as a field auditor for the
<br />Commission on Nov. 1, 1981. His career path
<br />includes his early work in audit, monitoring how
<br />well the 1,500 businesses with mixed beverage
<br />accounts in 1981 were complying with the newly
<br />passed liquor -by- the -drink legislation. Herring was
<br />promoted to head the Audit Division in 1987 and
<br />was named Assistant Administrator in 1993. By
<br />the time he was sworn in as Chief Administrator
<br />in 1995, with responsibility for operations of the
<br />entire agency, the number of mixed beverage
<br />accounts had grown to 2,500. And at his
<br />retirement, that number stands at more than
<br />5,600. The staff of the Commission today includes
<br />Mike Herring
<br />Bob Hamilton
<br />NC ABC Warehouse Case Shipments
<br />Climb Under Herring's Watch
<br />5,100,000
<br />5,000,000
<br />4,900,000
<br />4,000,000
<br />4,700,000
<br />4,600,000
<br />4,500,000
<br />4,400,000
<br />4,300,000
<br />4,200,000
<br />4,100,000
<br />4,000,000
<br />3,900,000 January 1991
<br />3,900,000 Federal Excise Tax increase
<br />3,700,000 $12.50 to $13.50
<br />3,600,000 + per 100 proof gallon
<br />3,500,000
<br />3,400,000
<br />3,300,000 •
<br />3,200,000
<br />3,100,000
<br />3,000,000
<br />2,900,000
<br />July 2011
<br />Sales Tax decreased
<br />from 8 %to7%
<br />October
<br />7% Sales Tax added ed at at register
<br />Sales Tax increased
<br />from 6% to 7% September 2009
<br />• Excise Tax Increase
<br />25% to 30
<br />Effective 09/01/2009
<br />NC Sales Tax on liquor
<br />• changed from 7% to 8%
<br />• February
<br />State Excise Tax decrease
<br />28% to 25
<br />December 2001
<br />6% Sales Tax added
<br />at register
<br />1930 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
<br />approximately 40 professionals who focus on
<br />permits, legal, audit, education, IT, local board
<br />audit and pricing, administration and the initiative
<br />to reduce underage drinking.
<br />Herring has provided oversight of the Commission
<br />during a time when the Commission encouraged
<br />the local boards to convert from retail ABC stores
<br />where customers had to request specific brands
<br />and bottles from a clerk standing behind a counter
<br />to stores that are overwhelmingly customer -
<br />friendly, profitable and efficient self- service
<br />locations. Under his direction, the Commission
<br />also invested in technology that resulted in one of
<br />the first web sites in the control system. In 2003
<br />North Carolina implemented the first internet-
<br />based price quote filing system for distillers.
<br />(Distillers set the case price for their products,
<br />which are then sold with a standard mark -up at
<br />the same retail price throughout the state). The
<br />efficiency of the warehouse operation has cost
<br />controls in place and also allows for growth and
<br />fair distribution to local boards, large and small.
<br />As Herring retires, he is succeeded as Chief
<br />Administrator by Bob Hamilton. Hamilton was
<br />named Deputy Administrator in 2012 with
<br />oversight of the Commission's legal, permit, and
<br />audit/investigative sections. Hamilton has served
<br />since 2010 as rule- making coordinator for the
<br />Commission. Hamilton's experience includes 10
<br />years as Executive Director of the NC Auctioneer
<br />Licensing Board.
<br />For his 33 years of service to the NC
<br />ABC Commission and the State of North
<br />Carolina, Mike Herring was presented
<br />with the prestigious Order of the Long Leaf
<br />Pine award, which recognizes individuals
<br />for extraordinary service to the state,
<br />contributions to their communities, and
<br />many years of service to their organizations.
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