By Anna Kaminski, Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — The first female director of the Kansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division will retire at the end of the month, she announced Wednesday, ending her tenure as the longest-serving director in its history.
Debbi Beavers said she was proud of the 10 years she spent reducing underage access to alcohol, building partnerships and modernizing the division’s systems within the Kansas Department of Revenue.
Beavers was the second high-level official at the revenue department to announce a July retirement this week. Revenue secretary Mark Burghart announced Monday he will step down July 31. Beavers said she will step down July 1. Replacements were not named for either.
“Director Beavers’ leadership and dedication have strengthened the ABC and improved service for Kansans,” Burghart said. “Her commitment to modernization and public safety will have a lasting impact on the agency.”
Beavers spent 22 years at the division, working as a licensing manager and operations manager before she was appointed as director in 2016. She served during both of the outgoing Gov. Laura Kelly’s two terms.
Beavers led modernization efforts at the division by updating its customer service portal, licensing and renewal process, and brand registration workflows to save Kansas businesses more than $100,000 in annual fees, according to the revenue department, which announced her retirement.
“The dedicated professionals at the ABC are the reason this work has been successful, and I am grateful to have served alongside them,” Beavers said. “I look forward to seeing the agency’s continued progress in the years ahead.”
The national Center for Alcohol Policy awarded Beavers in 2019 a leadership in alcohol regulation award for leading the state division through major changes while prioritizing the wellbeing of Kansas. She also previously served as president of the National Conference of State Liquor Administrators.
Chair of the National Beer Wholesalers Association and president of Eagle Beverage Corp in Frontenac Steve Beykirch congratulated Beavers on her retirement.
“Debbi has been a respected leader, trusted colleague, and tireless advocate for responsible alcohol regulation. Her impact on Kansas and the regulatory community will be felt for years to come,” Beykirch said.
Spokespeople for the governor’s office and revenue department didn’t immediately respond to questions about replacements for the director and secretary.
