Maine's liquor and lottery chief to resign
Gerry Reid, director of the Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations, is resigning his post.
Reid, a retired liquor executive, declined telling the Portland Press Herald why he was stepping down, other than to say, “It’s for a good reason.”
Reid’s resignation comes on the heels of last week’s announcement of a 10-year contract between the state and Pine State Trading for the state’s liquor distribution business, a deal that is expected to generate $450 million in revenue. Reid became Maine’s liquor and lottery director in February 2012 after coming out of retirement, the newspaper reported. Prior to that he oversaw product development for tequila maker Jose Cuervo International.
In a recent Mainebiz story about Maine’s craft distilleries, Reid said Maine's distillers are doing a good job getting their product before consumers, but stressed the importance of focusing on pre-selling their products to small, independent liquor stores, which can provide important shelf space and visibility. He also said legislation approved by lawmakers last year will help the state compete more effectively with New Hampshire, which historically has undercut Maine on liquor prices.
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments