SAN FRANCISCO—Margie Healy, vice president at F. Korbel and Bros. in Guerneville, Sonoma County, has been elected Wine Institute Board Chairman for the 2016-17 fiscal year. The election was held at Wine Institute’s 82nd Annual Meeting of Members in Santa Barbara. Other board officers elected were Steve Lohr of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines in San Jose, first vice chairman; Chris Indelicato of Delicato Family Vineyards in Napa, second vice chairman; Hank Wetzel of Alexander Valley Vineyards in Healdsburg, treasurer; and John Sutton, The Wine Group, secretary. Robert P. (Bobby) Koch is president and CEO of Wine Institute.
“I am honored to support the vital work of the Wine Institute on state, federal and international public policy. We will continue to focus on halting tax and fee bills across the country, reforming the federal excise tax on wine, and expanding privileges in direct-to-consumer wine shipping. We will work to avert devastating tariffs and advocate for a level playing field in international trade agreements. Wine Institute will also highlight the positive trends in our industry with our sustainable winegrowing program and promotions such as California Wine Month,” said Healy.
Healy has more than 40 years’ experience in the wine industry. In 1996, she joined Korbel as communications director and worked closely with Korbel partners to establish the brand as the top premium California champagne in the U.S. Previously, she was director of member relations at Wine Institute in San Francisco where her responsibilities included planning and executing industry events such as the first U.S. conference of the Office of International Vine and Wine (OIV). Since moving to Korbel, she remained active in Wine Institute, serving on several committees, including Public Policy. Healy has received many awards throughout her career, most recently the North Bay Business Journal’s 2015 Women in Business award.
Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy group for nearly 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses, 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, 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.
Wine Institute’s membership also elected new district- and at-large directors and alternates. 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 | Tracey Hawkins Hawk and Horse Vineyards, Lower Lake |
Kaj Ahlmann Six Sigma Winery, Lower Lake |
Sonoma: | Carmen Castaldi Rodney Strong Wine Estates, Healdsburg Louis M. Foppiano Foppiano Wine Company, Healdsburg Steven MacRostie MacRostie Winery & Vineyards, Sonoma Julie Pedroncelli St. John J. Pedroncelli Winery, Geyserville |
Debra Mathy Dutcher Crossing, Healdsburg David Oliver Ram’s Gate Winery, Sonoma Harry Wetzel Alexander Valley Vineyards, Healdsburg Vacant |
Napa: | Robin Baggett Alpha Omega Winery, St. Helena Dennis Cakebread Cakebread Cellars, Rutherford Suzanne Groth Groth Vineyards & Winery, Oakville Alex Ryan Duckhorn Wine Company, St. Helena Delia Viader Viader Vineyards, Deerpark |
Marketta Fourmeaux Marketta Winery, Napa Michael Reynolds Hall Wines, St. Helena and Rutherford Paul Leary Blackbird Vineyards, Napa Erik Ackerman Jackson Family Wines, Santa Rosa |
San Francisco Bay: | William Cooper Cooper-Garrod Vineyards, Saratoga |
Earl Ault Cedar Mountain Winery, Livermore |
Monterey Bay: | Scott Scheid Scheid Vineyards, Salinas |
Vacant |
Central Coast: | Justin Baldwin Justin Vineyards & Winery, Paso Robles Gary Eberle Eberle Winery, Paso Robles Frank Ostini Hitching Post Wines, Buellton Gretchen Roddick Hope Family Wines, Paso Robles |
Laura Booras Riverbench Winery, Santa Maria Tara Gomez Kita Wines, Lompoc Nicholas Miller The Thornhill Companies, Santa Barbara Stephen Miller The Thornhill Companies, Santa Barbara |
Southern: | Alexander McGeary Shadow Mountain Vineyards & Winery, Warner Springs |
Vacant |
Sierra: | Steven Millier Milliaire Winery, Murphys |
Vacant |
Northern Interior: | David Phillips Michael-David Winery, Lodi |
Randall Lange LangeTwins Family Winery & Vineyards, Lodi |
Southern Interior: | Michael Blaylock Quady Winery, Madera |
Bill Nakata ASV Wines, Inc., Delano |
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 Fetzer Vineyards, Hopland |
Holly Killion Fetzer Vineyards, Hopland |
Virginia Clark Constellation Brands, Victor |
To be appointed |
James Coleman E. & J. Gallo Winery, Modesto |
To be appointed |
Cindy DeVries Fetzer Vineyards, Hopland |
Jorge Lyng Fetzer Vineyards, Hopland |
Michael Drobnick O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, Parlier |
Matthew Towers O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, Parlier |
John Franzia, Jr. Bronco Wine Company, Ceres |
Daniel Leonard Bronco Wine Company, Ceres |
Joseph Franzia Bronco Wine Company, Ceres |
Fredrick Irwin, Jr. Bronco Wine Company, Ceres |
Matthew Gallo Gallo Family Vineyards, Healdsburg |
Stephanie Gallo E. & J. Gallo Winery, Modesto |
Tobin Ginter Rodney Strong Vineyards, Healdsburg |
Mark Mathewson Rodney Strong Vineyards, Healdsburg |
Margie Healy F. Korbel and Bros., Guerneville |
Daniel Baker F. Korbel and Bros., Guerneville |
Chris Indelicato Delicato Family Vineyards, Napa |
Jolene Yee Delicato Family Vineyards, Napa |
Steven Lohr J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, San Jose |
Thomas Selfridge J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, San Jose |
James O’Malley Brown-Forman Corporation, Louisville |
Donald McClellan, Jr. Brown-Forman Corporation, Louisville |
John Sutton The Wine Group, Livermore |
Keith Bauman The Wine Group, Livermore |
Rick Tigner Jackson Family Wines, St. Helena |
Jeff Wesselkamper Jackson Family Wines, St. Helena |
Robert Torkelson Trinchero Family Estates, St. Helena |
Anthony Torres Trinchero Family Estates, St. Helena |
Roger Trinchero Trinchero Family Estates, St. Helena |
Peter Larson Trinchero Family Estates, St. Helena |
Brian Vos The Wine Group, Ripon |
Jeff Dubiel The Wine Group, Ripon |
Michael Walker Constellation Brands, San Francisco |
Tiffanie De Liberty Constellation Brands, San Francisco |
Christine Wente Wente Family Estates, Livermore |
Amy Hoopes Wente Family Estates, Livermore |
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