Written by At the September 27, 2018, meeting of the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (“TABC”), Director Clay Byrd announced that he would be stepping down as Director, effective October 10, 2018. Director Byrd shared with the Commission and all present his very mixed feelings about his departure. With the implementation of wine in grocery stores, the rollout of the TABC’s new online application system, RLPS, and the promulgation of a wealth of new rules and regulations, Director Byrd and the TABC Staff should be very proud of what they have accomplished over the past two and a half years.
We will certainly miss working so closely with Director Byrd and we wish him all of the best in his future endeavors. News of Director Byrd’s departure has been quickly spreading throughout the industry, and fear of the unknown has been causing some nervousness. To those industry members wondering what the future holds, sleep well, the agency is in very capable hands. As Director Byrd stated during the September meeting, he could not have accomplished what he did without an extremely competent team behind him. Tennessee has a strong Alcoholic Beverage Commission and Staff, and there is no doubt that it will continue to seamlessly service the industry while the search for the right candidate to fill Director Byrd’s formidable shoes continues.
Last modified: October 22, 2018
