Lawyer will lead alcohol agency

Selection undoes resignation letter

Three weeks after Mary Robin Casteel submitted a letter of resignation from Alcoholic Beverage Control, she was named head of the state agency.

In a news release Friday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced that he had appointed the 38-year-old attorney as director of the Alcoholic Beverage Control agency.

Casteel had intended to leave. She cited a goal of entering private practice in a letter of resignation last month. However, after the former director, Bud Roberts, departed May 25, she agreed to serve as interim director.

Hutchinson then made the move permanent Friday.

“I really never could have imagined the series of events that occurred,” Casteel said in an interview Friday afternoon. “I’ve always liked working here. That was never an issue. I just had thought it was a good time to transition — for me to go into private practice — but given the situation that we’re in, [staying] seems like the right thing to do.”

Casteel submitted her letter of resignation on May 19, a Friday. Milton Lueken, another attorney with nearly 28 years at the agency, then announced May 22, a Monday, that he would resign. Roberts then submitted his letter of resignation on May 25, a Thursday, after a meeting in the governor’s

office.

The departures would have left Alcoholic Beverage Control, a division of the Department of Finance and Administration, without lawyers.

“When I turned in my resignation, I had no way of knowing that Bud would resign,” Casteel said. “I didn’t know that Milton was going to retire so soon.”

In a news release, Hutchinson said Casteel’s appointment ensures stability for Alcoholic Beverage Control.

“The [agency] faces a number of challenges in the near future, and continuity of leadership will help ensure the success of the agency,” Hutchinson said. “Mary Robin has proven herself a capable leader and an authority on [agency] operations. We’re glad she’s agreed to stay on.”

Alcoholic Beverage Control

regulates the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages. Under the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment, which voters adopted in November, the division also now is charged with regulating licensed dispensaries and cultivation facilities.

Casteel wrote much of the medical marijuana rules for the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission, which will license medical marijuana growers and sellers, and Alcoholic Beverage Control, which will enforce rules and laws for the new industry.

She said she will phase out her involvement with the commission to focus on the division.

In the meantime, Casteel said her immediate focus will be to hire attorneys to fill hers and Lueken’s old positions.

Casteel will be paid $88,968 annually. She was paid $73,407 as an attorney specialist. Roberts was paid $89,857.