TRENTON, N.J. — Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced the nomination of Paul Thomas Urbish to serve as director of the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control as the agency prepares for increased activity tied to upcoming World Cup events.
Urbish currently serves as director of the Office of Compliance and Investigations for the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission. If confirmed by the state Senate, he would oversee the agency responsible for regulating the production and sale of alcoholic beverages and enforcing New Jersey liquor laws.
Officials said Urbish has spent approximately a decade in public service, including previous roles with the Department of Community Affairs and the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. He previously served as a deputy attorney general for the ABC from 2018 through 2021 before joining the Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
“With his background in licensing, investigations, and regulating the products of New Jersey’s burgeoning legal cannabis industry, and his experience with alcoholic beverage permitting and appeals, Paul understands the important balance between enabling businesses to thrive and ensuring compliance with guardrails and consumer safety,” Sherrill said. “His history of regulating and fostering a fledging industry will be an asset to the ABC, which similarly oversees a sector that is constantly undergoing transformation and forms a vital part of New Jersey’s economy.”
Attorney General Davenport also praised the nomination and thanked Interim ABC Director Kirstin Krueger, who has served in the role since April 1, 2024.
“As ABC continues to streamline processes and build an alcohol regulation system based in integrity, safety, and economic opportunity, we welcome Paul Urbish’s exceptional leadership to balance the needs of industry while protecting residents. I look forward to him joining our leadership team at the Department of Law and Public Safety,” Davenport said. “I also want to express my deep gratitude to Kirstin Krueger for her service as Interim ABC Director. Kirstin came into the role after major legislative changes were enacted and, among other accomplishments, has ensured an effective framework for the variety of events associated with the World Cup.”
Urbish said he looks forward to returning to the agency.
“I’m grateful to Governor Sherrill for the opportunity to rejoin ABC and I’m excited to work with Attorney General Davenport and the ABC team,” Urbish said. “I look forward to working diligently to protect residents, ensure that local businesses are operated lawfully and responsibly, and that our businesses have the necessary flexibility to accommodate an unprecedented wave of tourism this summer.”
In his current role with the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, Urbish oversees investigations and regulatory compliance involving cultivators, manufacturers, distributors, testing laboratories and dispensaries.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from The College of New Jersey and a law degree from Temple University’s James E. Beasley School of Law.
The Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control regulates the manufacture, distribution, sale and transportation of alcoholic beverages throughout New Jersey.
