Rick
Perkins Profile

After 33 years of service, Rick retired from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission on December 31, 2010.

A 1976 graduate from Michigan State University (B.A.-Accounting), Rick began his career with the Commission as a Regulation Agent (Investigator) in the Enforcement Division.  As a field investigator, Rick conducted licensing investigations of prospective and existing liquor licensees, violation investigations, and enforced the Liquor Control Code and Administrative Rules.   Rick transferred to the Financial Management Division in 1984 as an internal auditor, auditing Michigan wineries, breweries, beer and wine suppliers, wholesalers and state liquor stores.

In March 1985, Rick began a long tenure with the Commission’s Manufacturers and Wholesalers Section, working extensively with alcoholic beverage suppliers, manufacturers and wholesalers, gaining valuable experience with tied-house regulations, taxation, industry trade practices, federal regulations through Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the subsequent Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, and other non-retail regulatory areas.

In September 1998, Rick was promoted to Assistant Director of the Licensing Division, a division responsible for the licensure of approximately 17,000 retail licenses and 8,000 non-retail licenses.  This position brought Rick more valuable exposure to the retail licensing area, while he still maintained oversight of the Manufacturers & Wholesalers Section.

In January 2003, Rick completed the ‘circle of life’ through a promotion to Director of Enforcement and spent the next seven years leading the Enforcement Division of the Commission.  As Enforcement Director, Rick was responsible for planning, organizing, directing and controlling the work activities of Enforcement staff located in four district offices throughout the state; acting as technical advisor to the Commission on licensing and enforcement matters; providing analysis, development and implementation of statutes, administrative rules, division and agency policies and directives; and providing expert knowledge and interpretation of the Liquor Control Code, administrative rules and federal regulations to Commissioners, Commission staff, Assistant Attorneys General, the alcoholic beverage industry, law enforcement agencies, governmental agencies, attorneys, legislators and their staffs, and other concerned parties.

Finally, in March 2010, Rick accepted a transfer to Director of Administrative Services to oversee the Commission’s server training program and the development and implementation of Michigan Business One Stop.
Rick’s 33 years of service with the Michigan Liquor Control Commission has provided him with an unmatched broad background in Michigan’s beverage alcohol industry.  This extensive knowledge and expertise are welcome additions to Carlin Edwards Brown PLLC, and its many clients.