Geerlings & Wade - Cutting Through the Vines (2,787 words)

These special legal considerations, says Pearce, "drive our extraordinarily complex operations." More to the point, adds Gregg Kober, vice president of operations at the company, "None of the 1933 laws contemplated direct-to-consumer business."

Both Pearce and Kober have a solid understanding of cataloging, each having spent years at direct marketing companies before joining Geerlings & Wade in 1996. They are assisted by the company's liquor counsel, whose expertise keeps the company compliant with the myriad laws. "Fewer than 10 national law firms specialize in alcoholic-beverage law; we use two of them in addition to our corporate counsel," Pearce says.