Harrisburg – Today, Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) Chairman Tim Holden assumed the role of chairman of the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA), the national association representing jurisdictions that directly control the distribution and sale of beverage alcohol within their borders.
“One of the things I loved about serving in Congress was that I got to work with people from all around the country. Everyone brought their own sets of priorities, and everyone had their own experiences and unique points of view that shaped how they voted and what was important to them. In many ways, NABCA is a lot like that,” Holden explained. “NABCA members come from all different parts of the country, and we’ve all been shaped by our own experiences and local priorities and interests. But we also share something in common – we are control systems and that unites us. We all work toward common goals – protecting public health and safety and ensuring responsible and efficient systems for beverage alcohol distribution and sales.”
Established in 1938, NABCA serves its members by providing research, analytics, and alcohol regulatory information, and acts as liaison to federal, state, and local governments, research groups, public health associations, the media, and other organizations impacting alcohol policy.
Holden has served on the NABCA Board of Directors since 2015. He has been involved in several of the association’s committees including Finance, Governance, Public Affairs, Internal Affairs, the Pension Plan Trustees Committee, and the Chairman’s Task Force.
As NABCA chairman, Holden’s theme will be, “Power of the Past, Forces of the Future.”
“The ‘power of our past’ has set the stage for NABCA and its members to be ‘forces of the future’ in our states. The last two years in particular have challenged the entire world, and the beverage alcohol industry was not spared,” Holden said. “This is our opportunity to acknowledge a new and different world in which we do business, collaborate in ways we maybe never would have imagined before, and demonstrate leadership, to show that our value to our states is more than just dollars added to a bottom line. We must draw on our combined experience of integrity, service, and innovation to be effective forces of the future in our own jurisdictions and within our NABCA community.”
Holden was named chairman of the PLCB by Governor Tom Wolf on Feb. 17, 2015. He was nominated to a second term by Governor Wolf in May 2016 and was unanimously confirmed by the state Senate a month later. He was nominated to serve a third term by Governor Wolf in May 2020 and was unanimously confirmed by the state Senate in October 2020.
Holden is a native of St. Clair, Schuylkill County. After attending St. Mary’s Elementary School and St. Clair Area High School, Holden received an athletic scholarship to Fork Union Military Academy, completing one year of college prep. He earned a football scholarship to the University of Richmond, but an illness cut short his football career. Holden completed his education at Bloomsburg University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology.
In 1980, Holden earned his license as an insurance broker and real estate agent. He went on to work as a probation officer, was sergeant-at-arms for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and served as sheriff of Schuylkill County from 1985 to 1992.
Holden was a member of Congress for 10 terms, representing the Sixth District from 1993 to 2002 and the 17th District from 2003 to 2012. The Sixth District was comprised of Schuylkill and Berks counties, as well as parts of Northumberland and Montgomery counties. The 17th District was comprised of Schuylkill, Dauphin, and Lebanon counties, as well as parts of Perry and Berks counties.
Holden was a member of the House Agriculture Committee and served as vice chairman of that committee in the 110th and 111th Congresses. He was named chairman of the committee’s Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research during the 110th and 111th Congresses, and he served on the Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry subcommittee. In the 105th Congress, Holden was appointed to the Transportation and Infrastructure committee.
He and his wife, Gwen, live in St. Clair.
Holden replaces outgoing NABCA chairman Gregg Mineo, director of the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations in Maine. The NABCA chairman is chosen by his peers and serves a one-year term.
Headquartered in Arlington, Va.,
NABCA’s vision is to be a global leader with resources and expertise in alcohol policy, regulatory practices, market information, and analytics. The association strives to have a talented, dedicated, and diverse workforce, which uses state-of-the-art technology to achieve its mission. NABCA actively recruits new members, customers, and partners to strengthen its influence and sustainability.
The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits – totaling nearly $18.7 billion since the agency’s inception – are returned to Pennsylvania’s General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania’s schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit
lcb.pa.gov.
MEDIA CONTACT: Shawn M. Kelly, 717.303.8522
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