Officers, Board Directors and New Members Elected
SAN FRANCISCO – David B. Kent, CEO of The Wine Group LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, became Wine Institute Chairman for the 2011-2012 fiscal year at Wine Institute’s 77th Annual Meeting of Members held at the Sonoma Mission Inn. Also elected were Kathleen Heitz Myers of Heitz Wine Cellars in St. Helena, first vice chairman; Chris Fehrnstrom of Constellation Wines U.S. in San Francisco, second vice chairman; Carolyn Wente of Wente Family Estates in Livermore, treasurer; and Greg Coleman of E. & J. Gallo Winery in Modesto, secretary. Robert P. (Bobby) Koch is President and CEO of Wine Institute.
Kent has been chief executive officer of The Wine Group, which operates a dozen wineries in California, New York, Australia and Argentina, since 2001. Prior to joining The Wine Group as chief marketing officer in 2000, Kent spent 20 years with E. & J. Gallo Winery and Procter & Gamble. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder, a steward for the Vintner’s Hall of Fame and past chairman of the Livermore Chamber of Commerce. Kent and his wife, Darcie, a noted artist and winegrower, reside in the Livermore Valley.
As Wine Institute Chairman, Kent will strive to increase the global competiveness of California wine and continue the emphasis on defeating punitive tax increases and fees. He supports Wine Institute’s work to promote expanded trade and eliminate trade barriers both here and abroad, including opposing H.R. 1161, the wholesaler monopoly protection bill formerly known as H.R. 5034. Kent, whose passion for sustainability helped The Wine Group become a global leader in carbon efficiency, low waste/light weight packaging and solar power, is committed to Wine Institute’s work to increase adoption of California’s sustainablewinegrowing and winemaking practices.
The Wine Institute membership also elected new district- and at-large directors and alternates and 14 new winery and associate members, bringing the total membership to 1,011. District directors and their alternates were elected on a one-member-one-vote basis in each district, following nominations by regional winery associations. They are:
DISTRICT |
DIRECTOR |
ALTERNATE |
|---|---|---|
Northern: |
Kaj Ahlmann |
Fred Weibel, Jr. |
Sonoma:
Sonoma |
Louis M. Foppiano |
Corey Beck vacant |
Napa:
|
Kathleen Heitz Myers |
Robin Baggett |
San Francisco Bay: |
Earl Ault |
James Ryan |
Monterey Bay: |
Scott Scheid |
Cheryl Indelicato |
Central Coast: |
Gary Eberle |
Brook Williams |
Southern: |
Claudio Ponte |
Alexander McGeary |
Sierra: |
Pamela Miller |
vacant |
Northern Interior: |
David Lucas, |
David Phillips |
Southern Interior: |
Michael Blaylock |
William Nakata |
All members elected 20 at-large directors who had been nominated by the Institute’s Finance and Administration Committee. Alternates were chosen by at-large directors.
AT-LARGE DIRECTOR |
ALTERNATE |
|---|---|
Giancarlo Bianchetti |
Sebastian Lopez |
Stephen Brauer |
Michael Holden |
James Coleman, |
Gregory Coleman |
Cindy DeVries |
Jorge Lyng |
Debra Dommen |
Francesca Schuler |
Chris Fehrnstrom |
James Finkle |
John Franzia, Jr. |
Daniel Leonard |
Joseph Franzia |
Fredrick Irwin, Jr. |
Matthew Gallo |
Stephanie Gallo |
Tobin Ginter |
Carmen Castaldi |
Margie Healy, |
Daniel Baker |
Chris Indelicato |
Frank Indelicato |
David Kent |
Laurie Jones |
Steven Lohr |
Thomas Selfridge |
James O’Malley |
Donald McClellan |
Robert Torkelson |
Ronald Larson |
Roger Trinchero |
Michael Maher |
Brian Vos |
John Sutton |
Carolyn Wente |
Christine Wente |
Jay Wright |
Michael Walker |
The new winery members are: Agajanian Vineyards, St Helena; En Garde Winery, Livermore; Marketta Winery, Napa; Middle Ridge Winery, Temecula; New Vineland Winery, Lompoc; Rosati Family Winery, Hopland; Sea Smoke Cellars, Lompoc; St. Helena Winery, St. Helena; Sunce Winery, Santa Rosa; Tasting Room, Inc., Santa Rosa; and Transcend Wines, Buellton. New associate members are: Conestoga-Rovers & Associates, an environmental consulting firm in Fresno; Ellison, Schneider & Harris, LLP, a Sacramento law firm specializing in energy, water, land use and environmental matters; and EVCO Insurance Services, Inc., a Walnut Creek company offering insurance for employee benefits.
The Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy group for California wineries and affiliated businesses with its members accounting for 95 percent of California wine production and 85 percent of U.S. wine production. Based in San Francisco, with offices in Sacramento, Washington, D.C., six regions across the U.S. and 15 foreign countries, the Wine Institute is guided by 80 vintners who are members and alternates of an active board of directors. The board elects the chairman and officers on an annual basis.
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