Joseph McCullough Named ABC Director: What the 2023 Appointment Meant for Licensees

In September 2023 the Governor named a veteran ABC enforcement agent to lead the department. Here is his verified background, how the director's role works, and why leadership news matters to California licensees and servers.

Updated November 8, 2026. Requirements and sources were reviewed as of this update. This article has been rewritten to rely only on official announcements from the Governor’s office and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. An earlier version included career details and a description of his predecessor’s departure that we could not verify, and those statements have been removed.

A new director for California’s alcohol regulator

On September 27, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of Joseph McCullough as Director of the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). The Governor’s appointment announcement said McCullough, of Wilton, had been Chief Deputy Director at ABC since 2020 and had served in several roles at the department since 2001, including Division Chief, Deputy Division Chief, District Administrator, Supervising Agent, and Agent.

The announcement noted that the position requires Senate confirmation, listed the compensation as $211,460, and said McCullough is a member of the California Peace Officers Association and the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from California State University, Sacramento.

A career that began as an agent

ABC’s own announcement of the appointment, published September 28, 2023, described McCullough as having begun his career as an agent in ABC’s San Francisco District Office. According to ABC, he managed the Stockton District Office and the Northern Division Special Operations Unit. He also served as deputy division chief at headquarters, where ABC said he was responsible for oversight of statewide training, development of policy and procedure, and awarding grants to allied law enforcement agencies. He later served as division chief in the Northern Division and as chief deputy director before his appointment.

An earlier ABC release, from December 2020, announced his appointment as Chief Deputy Director. That release said he had served as Northern Division Chief since 2019 and listed earlier roles including Deputy Division Chief for the Northern Division and for headquarters, and District Administrator for the Stockton District Office and the Special Operations Unit. It also noted that ABC is a department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.

How the director’s role works

The ABC director is appointed by the Governor, and as the 2023 announcement noted, the position requires confirmation by the state Senate. The director leads a department with headquarters in Sacramento and district offices across the state, from Eureka and Redding in the north to San Diego and Palm Desert in the south, as listed on ABC’s contact pages. District offices handle much of the day-to-day work licensees see: license applications and changes, investigations, and local enforcement operations.

Because ABC operates statewide, decisions made at headquarters, such as training standards for agents, enforcement priorities, and grant programs, reach businesses in every community. McCullough’s earlier assignment overseeing statewide training, policy and procedure, and grants to local law enforcement, as described by ABC, touched many of those same functions.

What ABC does

For anyone new to the industry, ABC is the state department that licenses and regulates the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages in California. Its work touches nearly every business that sells or serves alcohol, from neighborhood markets to stadiums. Among the programs most relevant to bars, restaurants, and stores:

Licensing for retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, and special events.
Enforcement, including investigations, Minor Decoy and Shoulder Tap operations, and the TRACE program for alcohol-related emergencies.
Education, including the free LEAD program for retail licensees and their employees.
Responsible Beverage Service (RBS), the state’s mandatory certification program for on-premises alcohol servers and their managers, described on ABC’s RBS page.
Grants to local law enforcement agencies, funded largely through the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Early priorities in the director’s own words

ABC announcements in the months after the appointment give a picture of the department’s focus, often in McCullough’s own words. Each quote below appears in the cited ABC release.

Checking IDs

On October 3, 2023, ABC announced a 45-day suspension of a Vista liquor store after a Target Responsibility for Alcohol-Connected Emergencies (TRACE) investigation found the store sold alcohol to a 20-year-old whose friends were later involved in a fatal crash. “Preventing underage drinking is a public safety priority,” McCullough said in ABC’s announcement. “It is important for licensees to check IDs to prevent tragedies like this from occurring.” We discuss the case in our Vista case study.

Teen driver safety

For National Teen Driver Safety Week in October 2023, ABC urged parents to talk with teens about impaired driving. “Underage drinking causes a disproportionate amount of drunk driving deaths every year,” McCullough said in that announcement. Our article on National Teen Driver Safety Week covers the data the agencies shared.

Grant-funded enforcement and education

In November 2023, ABC announced a $3.7 million grant from the Office of Traffic Safety. “The resources provided to us through this grant will help reduce youth access to alcohol and increase safety in communities throughout California,” McCullough said in ABC’s release. Our article on the 2023 grant explains the programs it funded.

Partnerships on impaired driving

In December 2023, ABC announced it had awarded a $729,900 grant from OTS to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to educate teens, young adults, and the public about impaired driving. “We all strive to make public roadways safer in California,” McCullough said in the announcement.

What leadership changes mean for licensees

A new director does not change the law. California’s alcohol rules are set by the Legislature in the Business and Professions Code and by ABC regulations. Day to day, licensees should expect the same core obligations regardless of who leads the department:

Do not sell or furnish alcohol to anyone under 21.
Do not serve obviously intoxicated people.
Follow license conditions and hours.
Make sure on-premises servers and managers hold valid RBS certification.

Leadership can, however, shape priorities: which programs receive attention, how grants are directed, and how the department communicates with the industry. Licensees who follow ABC announcements and industry advisories will know about new initiatives early.

Restaurant owner on a phone call at a patio table with license paperwork.

Working with your local district office

For most licensees, the district office is the part of ABC they interact with most. Practical tips:

Know your office. Find your district office’s address, phone number, and email on ABC’s website and keep them with your license records.
Ask before you act. If you are unsure whether a promotion, event, or change to your operations is allowed, ask before you launch it.
Keep your license current. Report changes in ownership, officers, or premises as required.
Respond promptly. If ABC contacts you about a complaint or investigation, respond quickly and consult an attorney as needed.
Use free resources. ABC’s LEAD classes, model policies, and industry advisories are available at no cost.

Questions licensees often bring to ABC

New owners and managers frequently have the same questions. Which employees need RBS certification, and how quickly? What identification can we accept? Can we host a special event or offer a particular promotion? What are the hours when alcohol cannot be sold? ABC’s RBS frequently asked questions, industry advisories, and district offices are the best places to get answers. Asking early is far easier than correcting a problem after a violation.

Business owners should also keep in mind that ABC’s guidance can change over time. Advisories often carry a disclaimer that archived documents may not reflect the current state of the law, so always check the current statute or regulation, or ask ABC, before relying on an older advisory.

Staying informed

Practical ways to keep up with ABC:

Check ABC’s news releases and industry advisories regularly.
Contact your local ABC district office with questions about your license.
Review ABC’s disciplinary guidelines to understand how violations are typically handled.
Use ABC’s Model House Policies to build written procedures for staff.

A note on the years since

ABC releases in 2025, such as its April 2025 Alcohol Awareness Month update on TRACE, continued to quote McCullough as ABC Director. In that update, he described TRACE as “a crucial program in that it serves as an enforcement tool specifically aimed at combating youth access to alcohol, while also holding those who buy alcohol for minors accountable.” Readers should check ABC’s website for current leadership information.

Bar manager reading a printed notice to staff before a shift.

Why this matters for servers and bartenders

For frontline staff, news about department leadership can feel distant. Yet the director’s public statements often signal what ABC will emphasize in enforcement and education. In the months after the 2023 appointment, ABC’s messages repeatedly focused on checking IDs, preventing youth access to alcohol, and reducing impaired driving. Those are the same skills Responsible Beverage Service training builds. Servers and bartenders who check every ID that needs checking, slow service when guests show signs of intoxication, and refuse service when necessary are carrying out the priorities the department describes, whoever its leader is.

Managers can use ABC announcements as teaching tools. Sharing a real case or statement at a pre-shift meeting shows staff that the rules are actively enforced and explains why they matter.

Frequently asked questions

When was Joseph McCullough appointed ABC Director? The Governor’s office announced the appointment on September 27, 2023.

What was his previous role? According to the Governor’s office, he had been ABC’s Chief Deputy Director since 2020.

Does the appointment change any rules for bars and restaurants? No. Laws and regulations stay the same unless changed by the Legislature or through ABC’s rulemaking process.

Where can I read ABC’s official announcements? ABC publishes news releases and industry advisories on its website. The Governor’s office also posts appointment announcements. These official sources are the most reliable way to confirm who leads the department and what programs it is running.

Does ABC leadership decide individual disciplinary cases? Disciplinary cases follow established procedures and penalty guidelines. ABC’s published guidelines describe standard penalties as a starting point, with aggravating and mitigating factors considered in each case. Licensees facing discipline should consult an attorney about the process.

Can licensees share feedback with ABC? Yes. ABC lists contact information for its headquarters and district offices, and it invites public comment during rulemaking. Industry associations also communicate regularly with the department.

The bottom line

Joseph McCullough came to the director’s office after more than two decades at ABC, starting as an agent. His public statements since the appointment have emphasized checking IDs, reducing youth access to alcohol, and partnerships to prevent impaired driving, all priorities that align with responsible beverage service.

Keep up with California’s alcohol service rules

Whatever changes at ABC, on-premises servers and managers need valid RBS certification. ServeTrain’s RBS course helps you prepare for ABC’s exam. Before enrolling, register or log in to your RBS Portal account with ABC and confirm your chosen course appears in the portal’s training provider search.

Sources

This article is general information, not legal advice.