Fighting the good fight

Modern Brewery Age, March 16, 1992

We are saying to people that we only speak for the Century Council, as an independent organization, funded and subscribed to, by certain concerned members of the licensed beverage industry. This goes back to what I said earlier. We specifically stressed that we don't represent, lamentably, certain major players in that industry.

MBA: According to your literature, each segment of the alcohol beverage industry is represented on your executive committee.

JG: Yes. On our executive committee, we have one member from distilled spirits, one member from wine, and one from beer. And myself. That group governs the organization.

We also have an outside independent advisory board. The people on that list are truly independent, and truly care about these issues. We have a former secretary of labor, a former secretary of transportation, a former state governor, a president of a university, a former director of the DEA, It's a representative group of strongly independent people, which is the kind of people we should have.

MBA: What tack will you take to win over the skeptics in the brewing industry?

JG: We will focus on our strategic imperatives. We will help everywhere we can, within our abilities, to combat drunken driving, and illegal sales to minors. And we will, by doing these things, I hope, convince the people as a whole, together with policy and decision makers, that the Century Council is an organization that is honestly dedicated to do what it says it's going to do and nothing more and nothing less.

If we've done that, and I don't think that will be a rapid process, then I think, over a period of time, even the severest critics, and the people who have whatever reasons to compete against us, will see that they can look at us as an honest broker, and perhaps we can deal with each other in a context of mutual respect. Whether they would join us then or not, I don't know, but if we're doing good work, does it matter?

In the area of trying to achieve good work, the more the merrier.

MBA: Can the Century Council survive as it stands, if the large brewers decide not to come aboard?

JG: Well, we certainly would come their participation, not only because it would indicate unity, and thus help them as well as us in my opinion, with the policy makers and the public as a whole. But it would increase obviously the contributions to our operating budget. But, we have been assured by those people who have become subscriber, that they recognize that in order to make any impact on the issues, that their commitment will have to be a long-term one.

MBA: Are you heartened by your progress thus far?

JG: Yes, remarkably so. We're farther along than we dreamed we'd be at this time.

MBA: Will the group expand its target cities exponentially as more people join up?

JG: Well, exponentially would mean that we have the budget to do it. But, indeed we will. As you know, our Century Cities programs are designed individually for each community we go into. Not designed by us so much, but buy the people in the community. We bring together all the elements possible. The majors the councilpersons, teachers, and, if they will participate, people involved in programs that have already had success, whether it be MADD, SADD or designated driver programs, and of course, wholesalers and retailers if they will participate. Then, they design the program, and we fund it. We fund an office, and appoint a coordinator, but it becomes their program. And that's the way we believe it should be done. And we've already had some marvelous success.