SACRAMENTO, CA, June 9, 2016 – Lise Asimont, director of Grower Relations for Francis Ford Coppola Presents, has been named as the chair of the 2017 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium Program Development Committee. The selection was made by the Unified Symposium’s LLC Managing Committee, representing the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) and the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG), who have co-hosted the Unified Symposium for over 20 years.
“Lise brings proven leadership skills and a wealth of knowledge to the job of Program Development Committee Chair,” said ASEV Executive Director Dan Howard. “She is highly respected within the industry, and Lise has been personally involved in many of the issues and trends facing both wineries and growers.”
Assisting Asimont in developing the 2017 program for the Unified Symposium will be nearly 30 other leaders from the wine and grape industry, who will all work from now and throughout the summer to combine topics and speakers for the Unified Symposium program sessions.
Asimont heads a team of viticulturists who work with over 150 growers throughout the state of California to source grapes for the Francis Ford Coppola and Virginia Dare wineries. Her team is responsible for the 60 acres of estate vineyards and oversees these acres through the Fish Friendly Farming, Bee Friendly Farming and Sustainable Certification processes. Some of her other activities include: past president of ASEV and currently on the ASEV Board and member of the Santa Rosa Junior College Shone Farm Viticulture Advisory Board since 2008.
“The Unified Wine and Grape Symposium is the wine industry’s greatest platform to discuss the pertinent issues that face us today,” said Asimont. “Being a part of the team that develops this important information is an honor; it’s a chance to make a positive impact on our great wine industry.”
Asimont chaired the first meeting of the group on June 3. “The Unified program development committee is comprised of the greatest and most enterprising minds in the business,” said Asimont. “Witnessing their collaboration during our first meeting was magnificent, and it’s exciting to see this spectacular program come to life.”
For 2017 the Unified Symposium will again take place at the Sacramento Convention Center, located in downtown Sacramento, January 24-26.
Built with the joint input of growers, vintners and allied industry members, the Unified Symposium serves as a clearinghouse of information important to wine and grape industry professionals. The Unified Symposium also hosts the industry’s largest trade show of its kind, with over 650 vendors displaying their products and services. For additional information, go to the internet at www.unifiedsymposium.org.
