Former Fair Haven Mayor Michael Halfacre has a new job; and, there’s nothing controversial about the fact that he resigned from an appointed, high profile state position before signing on to the private sector post, he told Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect a couple of weeks ago at Fair Haven Day.

Halfacre announced he would be bowing out as director of the NJ Division of Acoholic Beverage Control (ABC) in the state Attorney General’s Office not too long  before making the announcement that he had joined Genova Burns LLC law firm as a member of its Commercial Real Estate & Redevelopment and Business Law & Commercial Transactions Practice Groups effective today, July 1, a release from Genova Burns said. He will also be available for consultation to the firm’s Craft Beer, Spirits & Alcohol Law Practice Group, a new branch of the firm, it added.

The Gov. Chris Christie administration-appointed public sector job with the ABC, the lifelong Fair Havenite added, was an opportunity to serve the public that he was honored to have had. He just made a decision to move on, he said, nothing more. “It’s all good,” Halfacre said casually on the subject, before revealing his next career move.

Of his new job, he said in a released statement that he was “honored to join this prestigious law firm. I was basically a small-town attorney before joining the Attorney General’s Office (under which the ABC is run) as head of the ABC, and I am thrilled to join a firm with the prestige and regional presence of Genova Burns.”

Halfacre stepped as mayor of Fair Haven in his second term to accept the ABC appointment. He had been mayor since 2006. Prior to the ABC position, he worked ion the private sector as a commercial real estate attorney specializing in transactions, including sales and refinance of commercial real estate and transfers of ABC licenses, the release said.

“Michael’s experience running the ABC these past three years makes him an excellent choice to offer counsel to the firm’s newly formed Craft Beer, Spirits & Alcohol Law practice group,” said Managing Partner Brian W. Kronick. “Genova Burns occupies a niche at the nexus of business, law and government. Michael’s background, experience and knowledge of top business people around the state is a perfect fit.”