SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 18, 2024 – Building out a program for the largest wine and grape show of its kind in the Americas is an undertaking the Program Development Committee for the 2025 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium is embracing with enthusiasm and care. Led by two co-chairs, Devin Parr, founder and managing partner of wine consulting firm Devin Parr & Associates and Susan Owen, Senior Director of Sales at G3 Enterprises, the committee held its first meeting in early June to discuss, develop, and collaborate on what will be the 2025 Unified Symposium sessions in winemaking, grapegrowing, PR and marketing, business and operations, and a Spanish-language program.
The Program Development Committee consists of 40-plus professionals in the wine and grape industry who have been selected for their expertise, intimate knowledge of the wine industry and fresh perspectives on the latest innovations and trends.
Devin Parr is a leading personality in the wine industry. Her firm, Devin Parr & Associates, is a PR, marketing and content agency for the beverage, travel, and tourism industry. She holds a Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) diploma as well as a certificate in wine expertise from the Apicus International School of Hospitality in Florence, Italy. She received her bachelor’s in political science and economics from the University of California, San Diego. In 2017, she was named one of Wine Enthusiast’s Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers.
Parr is a frequent industry speaker and regular contributor to wine and lifestyle publications, including VinePair, WineCountry.com, NapaValley.com, Sonoma.com, and Chowhound. She is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of wine platform “The Vintner Project,” and co-founder of Grapeloop, an online community for wine professionals.
Susan Owen fell in love with wine 15 years ago while living in Valparaiso, Chile, near Casablanca Valley. It was there that her passion for combining travel and all things wine began. Today, Susan is the Senior Director of Sales at G3 Enterprises leading a team of wine packaging experts across North America. Prior to joining G3 she was the general manager of Juclas USA, the California-based subsidiary of the Vason Group headquartered in Italy, specializing in enological ingredients and membrane technology equipment. When not out exploring new wine brands and regions, Susan can be found spending time with her horses, dogs, chickens, and cats. Apart from being an avid animal lover, she is also an active long-time member of Rotary International attempting to embody their slogan of “Service Above Self.”
“The caliber of industry leaders who participate – past and present – in developing sessions presented at Unified is both exciting and humbling,” said Natalie Collins, member of the LLC Management Committee and president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers. “We’re thrilled to have two industry veterans, Devin and Susan, lead the program development committee this year. Their leadership will help move conversations forward in a comprehensive, compelling, and honest manner, which has become a hallmark of the Unified Symposium.”
The Unified Symposium will host its conference and trade show January 28-30, 2025, at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento, California. Registration and housing are scheduled to open in October.
Co-sponsored by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) and the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG), the Unified Symposium is built with the collaborative input of growers, vintners, and allied industry members. The Unified Symposium has served as a clearinghouse of information important to wine and grape industry professionals for 30 years and hosts the industry’s largest trade show of its kind, with over 875 booths displaying their products and services. For more information about the 2025 show, visit www.unifiedsymposium.org.
