“ I have a lifelong commitment to serving the community through hospitality.”
Kathie Durbin, Chair of the NABCA Board of Directors
“ It’ s nice to be on top of that and take a little bit more control,” Durbin says,“ and it also helps us be more efficient for customers.”
Maintaining efficient relations with customers requires acknowledgement of the diverse populace that resides within Montgomery County.
“ Three of our cities have been noted for their diversity,” Durbin says.“ We have lots of materials for people, and they’ re available in several different languages. It’ s important that we remember the diverse cultural impact of alcohol.”
“ We develop relationships and engage with those different cultures so that they understand what they can do in Montgomery County as a license holder,” she adds.“ As a result, we have lots of different, wonderful restaurants” representing a variety of cultures.
Of course, with all these pro-business initiatives, Durbin and her staff do not lose sight that“ alcohol is a drug, and we have to treat it respectfully,” she says.“ That’ s why we do everything we can to train bartenders and servers for free.”
Responsible service education includes virtual trainings in a number of languages.
“ I’ m really proud of all of that,” Durbin says.“ It’ s what we should be doing for our customers.”
The ABS continues to work on ways that keep the organization and its customers prepared for the modern, shifting market.
“ We just started a new permit for spirits-based RTDs that are 8 % ABV and higher,” Durbin says.“ That’ s never been sold in our beer and wine stores yet. They could still sell RTDs, just
nothing over 8 % ABV. We’ ve already had 150 business apply for the permit already, out of the 400 beer and wine stores that we have.”
Naturally, none of this would have been possible without the ABS staff that work for Durbin.
“ They’ ve been incredible,” she says.“ We couldn’ t do what we do unless everyone here was working together with one goal in mind, and that’ s keeping our community safe.”
“ We keep getting better every year, and that’ s because of the team,” she adds.
NABCA COLLABORATION
Durbin becomes Chair of the NABCA Board of Directors after already being a member of the association for the past 20 years.
“ I feel like I’ ve grown up in this industry as part of NABCA,” she says.“ And I’ m already used to thinking of control systems as being more different than just one type. Each has unique policies and enforcement strategies. Each control system really does reflect their own communities. They each still need to maintain those protective environmental strategies. And they bring to NABCA what they need to.”
“ For example, for us, our liquor stores close at 10 p. m.,” she adds.“ That may be different in other states. We’ re always learning from NABCA Board members and NABCA staff.”
Among the perks of her long NABCA tenure, when Durbin has a question or concern, she can simply call or email and conduct a poll of NABCA Board members.“ We’ re always there to help and support each other,” she says.
NABCA is an invaluable place to brainstorm solutions in an environment where you can feel safe, Durbin reflects.“ Everyone works together and shares their data and collaborates.” This expands beyond the Board.“ We’ re true partners now, people in the industry and the control systems,” Durbin says.“ I see more of that occurring now and more often.”
BACK TO WORDS
Traditionally, every NABCA Chair enters their term with a theme. For example, outgoing Chair Becky Schlauch’ s theme is " Forward Together, Stronger Tomorrow."
What about Durbin? Considering her four C’ s as ABS Director, it’ s no surprise that her theme goes“ back to words,” she explains.“ I think of life as one big word cloud.”
Accordingly, her NABCA Chair theme is:“ Connect, Respect, Elevate.”
“ With‘ Connect’, it’ s about building relationships as the way we work within the industry,” Durbin explains.“‘ Respect’ is understanding that we don’ t always understand each other, and therefore need to listen to people and meet people where there is a feeling of civility.”
“‘ Elevate’ goes back to hospitality,” she adds.“ Going the extra mile, doing it through education and leaving things better than how we found them.”
“ Those three words, like the four Cs, are very important to me,” she continues.“ Everything I do is in support of those words.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Now as always in the industry, Durbin recognizes that“ consumer preferences
14 StateWays • Summer 2025 www. stateways. com