KrugerHenry is growing! We're excited to welcome Amy and Mila to our team of alcohol licensing and compliance experts. Both bring years of industry experience and a shared passion for helping clients navigate complex regulatory processes. We sat down with each of them for a quick Q&A to learn about their backgrounds, what drew them to KrugerHenry, and a bit about life outside of work.
Meet Amy Fain
Paralegal, based outside Charleston, SC
Tell us a bit about your background. Before joining KrugerHenry, I worked for 15 years with Alcoholic Beverage Consulting Service, led by Mike Brewer and based in California. When my husband entered his second retirement after 20 years of civil service (following his retirement from the Marine Corps in 2005 after 25 years of service), we decided it was time for a change of pace and lifestyle. We relocated from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast and are enjoying getting settled into our new home.
What drew you to this field? Prior to joining Alcoholic Beverage Consulting Service, I worked in land development and homebuilder project management. That experience required many of the same skills involved in alcohol licensing and compliance, particularly coordinating complex projects and managing the many moving parts associated with new store and location openings. I found that I enjoyed the challenge of navigating processes, timelines, and regulatory requirements.
What made you interested in joining KrugerHenry? KrugerHenry offered the opportunity to continue using my experience and knowledge in the alcohol licensing and compliance industry while working remotely following our recent relocation to the Charleston, South Carolina area. I was excited to join a respected firm where I could contribute my expertise, continue learning, and support clients in a dynamic and growing industry.
What does your role at KH involve? My role involves using my knowledge and experience in the alcohol beverage industry to help clients navigate licensing, compliance, and regulatory matters. I work closely with businesses to ensure they understand and meet state and local requirements while supporting their operational goals. The role is similar to my previous positions in that it draws on my extensive experience with alcohol regulatory issues and client service. The biggest difference is the opportunity to expand my knowledge and work with regulations in other states, which has allowed me to broaden my expertise and gain new perspectives within the industry.
Outside of work: Amy's weekends are spent at the beach and riding e-bikes to discover new spots near Charleston. She loves the rich history, beautiful architecture, and genuine Southern hospitality that comes with the area. You'll often find Amy enjoying the quiet mornings and evenings on her back porch, listening to the birds and rustling leaves. Amy also enjoys having fun experimenting with new recipes and dishes in the kitchen.
Meet Mila Darling
Legal Assistant, based in Seattle, WA
Tell us a bit about your background. Before joining KH, I worked for Nordstrom. I started as a server in the restaurant of one of their Seattle-area stores and worked my way up through management into corporate. There, I was introduced to the world of restaurant licensing. For 8 years I handled the liquor license and operational license renewals for the company, officer changes, and special event/catering requests, covering 30+ states, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
What drew you to this field? I gravitated toward restaurant licensing because of my appreciation for our frontline teams – being able to assist them with administrative/legal tasks so they can stay focused on what they do best: being out on the floor giving great service to their customers. I love being able to use my expertise in niche areas to make their lives easier and benefit the company as a whole.
What made you interested in joining KrugerHenry? I met the KH team at the annual NALCP conferences prior to Nordstrom joining Evergreen. I already thought the people were great, but when we started working together on Nordstrom renewals, it quickly became clear that Kaitlynd and Tom’s leadership had fostered an amazing team of experts who love their job. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?!
What does your role at KH involve? My role at KH involves assisting Associate Attorney David McPeak in all projects including new store openings, ownership/officer changes, and tracking & following up on violations. I’ve started to get actions assigned to me in Evergreen, like renewals and manager changes, so that will be the next piece I fold into my role. The work is very similar to my previous role. The major difference is that I need to get used to supporting multiple clients who all have locations in the same jurisdictions as each other – and remembering the current status of each clients’ unique licensed premise!
Outside of work: Weekends start with sleeping in, followed by an oat milk latte, catching up on the news, and getting outside. Mila also loves cooking elaborate, often self-invented, dinners for her family. As a Pacific Northwest native, Mila loves the mild weather, proximity to nature, and the general laid-back west coast vibes of Seattle.