Jill Kerr, the president of the new beverage alcohol industry organization Foundation for Alcohol responsibility, has nearly 15 years experience in executive leadership positions in both non-profit and membership-based organizations.

For ten years, she served as the President of The ASCII Group, Inc. the nation's largest buying group of independent computer resellers. There she was responsible for managing the company’s sales and marketing programs as well as overseeing the day-to-day operations of the organization. Jill has also acted as the VP of Sales for ITAA, The Information Technology Association of America, the largest IT trade association in the United States. Jill has also served as the director of marketing for CompTIA: The Computing Technology Industry Association for which she opened and ran the association’s first Silicon Valley office.

Question #1
Adams Beverage Group (ABG): Tell me about the founding of your new organization, the Foundation for Alcohol Responsibility (FAR).

Jill Kerr: FAR was created in January of 2006 by Health Communications (providers of the TIPS training program) to fund alcohol responsibility initiatives at the community level. The foundation was formed upon the belief that when community members are effectively taught to prevent the irresponsible use of alcohol or to intervene when alcohol is used irresponsibly, alcohol-related deaths and injuries can be prevented. The organization's message is neither pro-alcohol nor anti-alcohol but rather promotes the responsible consumption of alcohol for those who choose to drink.

Question #2
ABG: Your mission statement says you want "to make intoxication socially unacceptable and ensure responsible alcohol consumption by funding community initiatives that effectively prevent irresponsible alcohol use." How are you doing that?

Kerr: By going into a community and getting all community members to speak the same “language” in terms of responsible alcohol consumption practices. Through a combination of training for servers and sellers of alcohol coupled with community awareness campaigns and educational tools such as ID checking services and personal BAC instruments, FAR is able to begin to influence social change at the local level.

Question #3
ABG: You are focusing much of your attention on grant programs - do any of these effect retailers and restaurateurs?

Kerr: Yes. FAR will fund server training for restaurants, bars and retailers as well as informational materials such as table tent cards, poster, and coasters with imprinted messaging about responsible alcohol consumption practices.

Question #4
ABG: Your first major initiative is in Harrisonburg, VA, correct?

Kerr: Harrisonburg is the inaugural community for FAR. Harrisonburg will thus serve as a "template" for other community-based alcohol responsibility initiatives around the country. All of the elements of the program which is taking place there will be documented for other communities who wish to seek funding for similar programs. This will save each community from reinventing the wheel.

Question #5
ABG: Your supporters so far include primarily firms involved in training and alcohol awareness - will you welcome support from beverage alcohol suppliers?

Kerr: We have received contributions from Charmer Sunbelt Group and most recently from Beam Global Wine and Spirits. We are talking to other beverage alcohol suppliers about participating and expect to have some of them on board in the coming months.

Question #6
ABG: Is there a benefit for the rest of the industry to participate in FAR?

Kerr: It’s my observation that all the players in the alcohol distribution chain desire to do the right thing. Everyone I’ve encountered wants to prevent drunk driving, intoxication and especially underage consumption. By supporting the important work that FAR does, the industry is sending a strong message to communities around the country that it’s important to drink responsibly – and giving the entire community the skills to do so.

Question #7
ABG: What are the long-term plans for FAR?

Van Ness: While we have had tremendous success in Harrisonburg, that community is just one community. The long-term goal for FAR is to fund multiple initiatives around the country simultaneously. If we can provide communities with the tools they need to unite as a community in promoting responsible alcohol consumption and make them replicable and scalable then we will have fulfilled the vision of the foundation.