Governor appoints new head of ABC Commission after former chairman resigned

NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY) — Gov. Roy Cooper has appointed Hank Bauer to be the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission chairman.

Former chairman A.D. “Zander” Guy resigned in September, citing anxiety over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the agency’s recent challenges with liquor distribution.

He was at the job for more than four years, resigning as mayor of Surf City in March 2017 to take the position.

“Hank Bauer has over thirty years of valuable experience in the industry,” Gov. Cooper wrote in a release on Monday. “He will be an asset to the ABC Commission and I am grateful for his willingness to serve.”

Bauer is a former General Manager at Empire Distributors, where he also served as the Director of Sales and On-Premise Director. He was previously the North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia District Manager for Boston Beer Company and a District Manager and Sales Representative for Blue Ridge Beverage. Bauer earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Western Carolina University.

The NC ABC Commission controls the sale, purchase, transportation, manufacture, consumption and possession of all alcoholic beverages in the state.