Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Thursday named a Benton lawyer as the next director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control agency.
Gary "Bud" Roberts will replace Michael Langley, who had served in that position since former Gov. Mike Beebe appointed him in January 2007. As director, Langley earned $98,632.56 for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.
"Bud's breadth of experience in Arkansas law, in addition to the knowledge he possesses of the issues related to ABC, makes him the right choice as new director," Hutchinson said in a news release.
Roberts did not return a message left for him on a listed phone number Thursday. It was unclear Thursday what Roberts would earn annually in his new role in the agency, which is tucked in the state's Department of Finance and Administration.
Roberts' appointment comes at a time when two counties -- Saline and Columbia -- approved alcohol sales in the last general election. The appointment also follows Little Rock lawyer David Couch's second attempt to enact an amendment to allow the sale of alcohol in all of Arkansas' 75 counties.
As director, Roberts will oversee and evaluate all applications for permits in the state and also will become the policy arm to alcohol issues for state lawmakers.
"It's a challenge because it's not as common-sense as people think it is," Langley, who used to work as Beebe's campaign attorney, said by phone Thursday. "It's not as straightforward as people think. But Mr. Roberts has the best staff of state employees. If he will trust them, then he will transition just fine."
Roberts graduated from Louisiana State University, where he studied finance, and later earned his law degree at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law.
He founded the Little Rock-based Roberts Law Firm in 1990 and led it for nearly two decades, according to the news release. He now runs a general law practice in Benton.
A Section on 02/20/2015