Winemaker and Winery Management Expert to Teach Online Foundation-Level Course Beginning January 13
Rohnert Park, California – The Wine Business Institute (WBI) at Sonoma State University (SSU) today announced the addition of Patrick Baker to its roster of industry experts teaching the innovative online Certificate in Wine Business Management beginning January 13, 2016. He currently serves as North American Sales Director for Vintrace, formerly VINx2, a cloud-based software company that helps companies track developments in production, inventory, quality, sales, compliance, and reporting. The Certificate in Wine Business Management is made up of three course levels with training in wine commerce and trade, marketing and sales, finance and accounting, eCommerce, business issues associated with viticulture and winemaking, and regulatory issues.
“Patrick is a wine industry veteran with more than 10 years of experience as a grower, winemaker, and winery General Manager. His expertise on the technology side of production, in particular, provides important perspective for anyone seeking a basic understanding of the industry and marketplace, and the importance of harnessing data as standards and procedures continue to evolve,” Ray Johnson, Director of the Wine Business Institute said.
In addition to his role with Vintrace, Patrick Baker has served as Winegrape Grower and Winemaker at 3 B’s Vineyard; General Manager at California Winery Properties LLC; General Manager for Carneros Vintners; and Vintner and Proprietor at Fortunatus LLP. Prior to his career in the wine industry, he had a successful career in commercial insurance. He has experience in all aspects of winery general management, production operations, process improvement, supply chain management, and regulatory compliance.
“I think it’s imperative for new entrants to the wine industry and current wine industry members get a full breadth of exposure to topics they’ll deal with daily and potentially in the future. It’s generally the ‘business of wine’ not the ‘wine business’ that can actually take up a majority of time. For those who are prepared and exposed to those business elements, the reward is regaining a focus on your passion while maintaining the daily business successfully,” Patrick Baker, Vintrace Sales Director and WBI Instructor, said.
Other instructors of the Certificate in Wine Business Management include Ronald Scharman, Chief Operating Officer of Chatterbox Wine Marketing Services & VinoVisit.com; Dr. Tom Atkin, Associate Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management at SSU; and Tim Hanni, MW. Participants who complete all three online course levels and a cumulative exam will earn the certificate. The two-year industry requirement is waived for certificate earners seeking admission to the MBA in Wine Business program.
For more information regarding Patrick Baker and the online Certificate in Wine Business Management, other professional seminars, certificate programs, and advanced degree programs of the Wine Business Institute and School of Business and Economics, please contact (707) 664-3235 or winebiz@sonoma.edu.
