2019 BEST PRACTICES AWARDS
Best in Class :
OHIO BRINGS DATA TO THE FOREFRONT
by MELISSA SA SHERWIN
The past two and a half years have been a period of transformation for the Ohio Division of Liquor Control , which operates under the state ’ s Department of Commerce and JobsOhio Beverage System ( JOBS ).
Ohio currently has a total of 481 independently owned agency stores that sell spirits on consignment on behalf of the division . Each store varies in size and scope , ranging from small family-owned business to big-box grocery stores . Agency stores maintain their own inventories of low-proof alcohol , beer , wine and other products . The division manages the retail and wholesale operations for the sale of high-proof liquor , and also oversees licensing across the state alcohol sales . JOBS owns liquor product in Ohio for retail and wholesale sales . Together , the two entities make up Ohio Liquor ( OHLQ ).
Division Superintendent Jim Canepa was initially appointed in a temporary capacity by former Governor John R . Kasich , Jr . in February 2017 . Canepa came on to oversee the Liquor Modernization Project ( LMP ), an effort to modernize systems and
8 StateWays | www . stateways . com | September / October 2019