Photos by Janelle Rose Photography
ONWARD and
UPWARD
WYOMING LIQUOR DIVISION GROWS THROUGH MODERNIZATION
E ven through some of the most challenging times in the beverage alcohol industry ’ s history , the Wyoming Liquor Division continues to demonstrate resilience and innovation . After emerging from the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic , the division is moving forward while positioning itself for success in the years ahead .
ADDRESSING INDUSTRY CHALLENGES The pandemic resulted in many changes for everyone , and the division was no exception .
As part of the Wyoming Department of Revenue , the division serves the tenth largest state in the country . Wyoming is primarily composed of rural communities stretching across more than 98,000 square miles . Due to the division ’ s resourcefulness and ability to quickly pivot when the pandemic began , it only had to shut down for one day during the health crisis when unable to ship due to the state ’ s Covid-19 policies .
by Melissa Sherwin
However , other repercussions could not be avoided . “ There was a time at the start of Covid when we had to go back to a two-day delivery cycle for a while due to staffing shortages , which we hadn ’ t ever done before , at least not since I can remember ,” says Thomas Montoya , Administrator of the division . He was appointed to his current position in 2021 and has been with the organization for 31 total years . “ We had always offered overnight delivery anywhere across the state , as long as you placed your order by 9 a . m .”
Although overnight deliveries were reinstated in April 2022 , an ongoing hurdle the division continues to battle is the current labor market .
The division has struggled to retain its warehouse staff , facing competition from other local warehouses in addition to restaurants and fast-food establishments . Many employers are now offering higher wages , enhanced benefits packages , signing bonuses and other perks to attract and retain workers , making it difficult for the
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