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May 8, 2006
OLYMPIA – Merritt D. Long, Chairman of the Washington State Liquor
Control Board, has announced he will be stepping down from his post effective September 8, 2006 to
spend more time with his family as well as his civic and business interests in Olympia. In 2001,
Governor Gary Locke appointed Merritt to Chair the Liquor Control Board. Governor Christine Gregoire
reappointed Merritt and the Senate confirmed him for a term ending in 2011.
Under Merritt’s leadership, the Board adopted a resolution reducing its time and pay to 60 percent,
hired an Administrative Director to handle daily operations and began to focus more on policy and
strategic planning. When asked to highlight his major accomplishments at the agency, Merritt cited
changing the Board’s focus from operations to policy development, forming a Business Advisory Council
to heighten stakeholder accessibility to the Board, and securing legislative funding in 2005 for a
major new Alcohol Awareness initiative.
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