About
Grace Regulatory Consultants is based in Kelso, Washington - right in the heart of the craft beer, cider, wine and spirits industry. Unlike other consultants who come from either the government or have a background working in the industry, GRC brings the best of both worlds. We are also one of the few consultants with expertise in the growing cider industry.
The Founder
Janene Grace has worked in alcohol regulatory compliance for over 12 years, including over 6 years at a large craft brewery and cidery, and over 4 years enforcing alcohol regulations for the federal government. Her knowledge of federal alcohol regulations is extensive and she has a very good working knowledge of state liquor regulations, especially in Oregon, Washington and California.
From 2004 to 2008 she worked as a Field Investigator for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). In addition to conducting investigations, she advised permittees in compliance matters and presented at a number of brewery and winery seminars, focusing on label approvals, record keeping, reports and taxes. Foreseeing the growth of the cider and fruit wine industries, Janene resurrected no longer published regulatory reference materials, taught this information to the local field office staff, and became one of the few people at TTB with a thorough understanding of the unique regulatory requirements of non-grape wines.
Janene left TTB in 2008 to join a major craft brewer which at last count operated 6 breweries, 4 pubs, 2 wineries, 4 licensed warehouses, and distributes in all 50 states and numerous other countries. While there she was responsible for all aspects of alcohol law compliance, including licensing, record keeping, label and formula approval, taxes and reporting, trade practices, government affairs, etc. Special projects that Janene oversaw include alternating proprietorships and alternating premises; contract brewing; new state licencing; exports; the launch of a line of ciders; testifying in legislative and rule-making committees; and most recently assisted a small, start-up brewery and cidery, handling regulatory matters that are extremely common with new entrants into the alcohol industry, such as licensing issues, label and formula approvals, distribution and expansion matters, reporting, and similar projects.
It was this experience helping a start-up succeed in this complicated regulatory world that led Janene to establish Grace Regulatory Consultants so she could bring her regulatory expertise to a broader market. The excitement and passion that she uncovered while working with a start-up partner has shown her that working with start-up, small or mid-sized breweries, cideries, wineries and distilleries is the right direction for her professional life.
Janene enjoys the challenge of facing a new and unusual situations and strives to find the optimal solution. Her network of connections includes various state and federal regulators, numerous industry members, liquor lawyers and consultants. She has a firm grasp of what liquor regulators are looking for in industry compliance, while at the same time knowing how to find ways for industry members to creatively succeed within the confines of the regulations.
When not being a regulatory geek, Janene enjoys finding creative ways to keep the Chief Feline Officer off the laptop, taking the Vice President of Canine Resources for walks, knits, weaves and generally enjoys life in the Pacific Northwest.
From 2004 to 2008 she worked as a Field Investigator for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). In addition to conducting investigations, she advised permittees in compliance matters and presented at a number of brewery and winery seminars, focusing on label approvals, record keeping, reports and taxes. Foreseeing the growth of the cider and fruit wine industries, Janene resurrected no longer published regulatory reference materials, taught this information to the local field office staff, and became one of the few people at TTB with a thorough understanding of the unique regulatory requirements of non-grape wines.
Janene left TTB in 2008 to join a major craft brewer which at last count operated 6 breweries, 4 pubs, 2 wineries, 4 licensed warehouses, and distributes in all 50 states and numerous other countries. While there she was responsible for all aspects of alcohol law compliance, including licensing, record keeping, label and formula approval, taxes and reporting, trade practices, government affairs, etc. Special projects that Janene oversaw include alternating proprietorships and alternating premises; contract brewing; new state licencing; exports; the launch of a line of ciders; testifying in legislative and rule-making committees; and most recently assisted a small, start-up brewery and cidery, handling regulatory matters that are extremely common with new entrants into the alcohol industry, such as licensing issues, label and formula approvals, distribution and expansion matters, reporting, and similar projects.
It was this experience helping a start-up succeed in this complicated regulatory world that led Janene to establish Grace Regulatory Consultants so she could bring her regulatory expertise to a broader market. The excitement and passion that she uncovered while working with a start-up partner has shown her that working with start-up, small or mid-sized breweries, cideries, wineries and distilleries is the right direction for her professional life.
Janene enjoys the challenge of facing a new and unusual situations and strives to find the optimal solution. Her network of connections includes various state and federal regulators, numerous industry members, liquor lawyers and consultants. She has a firm grasp of what liquor regulators are looking for in industry compliance, while at the same time knowing how to find ways for industry members to creatively succeed within the confines of the regulations.
When not being a regulatory geek, Janene enjoys finding creative ways to keep the Chief Feline Officer off the laptop, taking the Vice President of Canine Resources for walks, knits, weaves and generally enjoys life in the Pacific Northwest.