Ceremony will be held during Sonoma County Wine Celebration on September 21
SANTA ROSA, Calif. (September 5, 2024) – Sonoma County Vintners (SCV) and The Wine Business Institute (WBI) at Sonoma State University (SSU) are pleased to announce that Nate Weis, Vice President of Winegrowing at Silver Oak and Twomey, is this year’s Wine Business Leadership Award recipient. The award recognizes an individual every year who demonstrates great wine business leadership, vision, innovation, inspiration and impactful service to the Sonoma County community. The award will be presented during the final day of Sonoma County Wine Celebration (SCWC) events featuring the charitable live auction on September 21 at Chateau St. Jean. Event proceeds will benefit Sonoma County nonprofits through SCVF Community Grants and Emergency Relief Fund. Learn more and purchase tickets for the Sonoma County Wine Celebration happening September 19-21 at SoCoWineCelebration.com.
“The Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University is proud to partner with Sonoma County Vintners again in celebrating our community’s outstanding wine leaders,” said Gary B. Heck, Wine Business Institute Chairman of the Board. “The Sonoma County Wine Business Leadership Award showcases our commitment to honoring those who advance innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable practices in the wine industry. This award is a testament to the incredible potential realized when vision and passion come together in Sonoma County’s esteemed wine tradition.”
To be eligible for the award, nominees may demonstrate innovative marketing techniques, successful capital projects related to viticulture, collaborating on policy measures related to the wine community, fostering sustainability, inspirational management, or promoting diversity and inclusivity. The award is open to all but nominees must be currently employed by one of the 250 SCV member wineries and have ties as an alumnus of either SSU or WBI. The nomination and selection proceedings are managed by board members from both SCV and WBI.
“Sonoma County Vintners is honored to collaborate with our great partners at The Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University to once again present this fantastic award to another extraordinary and generous wine business leader,” said Michael Haney, Executive Director of Sonoma County Vintners and Sonoma County Vintners Foundation. “SCV feels it is vital that we recognize members of our winemaking community who are making such a positive difference in our region, so that others may be inspired by their actions to learn from and collaborate with them.”
2024 Wine Business Leadership Award Recipient Nate Weis
Nate Weis, whose father is also a winemaker, grew up locally and joined the Silver Oak team in 2014. He brought with him a wealth of experience from working at wineries in California and New Zealand.
He is especially proud of helping the Duncan family, who co-founded the winery in 1972 with Justin Meyer and are now the sole owners, build upon the culture they’ve established. This includes being a leader in sustainability by building their LEED Platinum and Living Building certified winery in Alexander Valley and winning the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance Green Medal for Leadership in 2019. He helped found the winery’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee and subsequent apprenticeship program in partnership with The Veraison Project for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals interested in wine careers, establishing paid time off for volunteerism as a company benefit, and instituting a formal internal mentorship program and leadership development for high-potential employees.
Nate has been an adjunct faculty at Napa Valley College since 2018, teaching courses in enology and wine education. He has been a board member of the Wine Business Institute since 2022, a former board member of the Northwest Chapter of the American Red Cross, and a member of the Unified Grape & Wine Symposium Program Development Committee since 2018. He was a North Bay Business Journal “40 under 40” recipient in 2014 and a Wine Business Institute Outstanding Alumnus award winner in 2021. However, Nate maintains that his real claim to fame is being the father of triplets (two boys and a girl) and their little brother, as well as recently celebrating a 20th wedding anniversary with his wife, Sally.
Gathering to Give Back at SCWC
The proceeds from SCWC will continue to support Sonoma County nonprofits focused on the areas of literacy, education, health & human services, the environment and arts & culture. In addition, a key focus for this year’s Fund-A-Need paddle raise will benefit the critically impactful K-3 Proficiency Project from the nonprofit K-3 Innovation, which has seen tremendous results in increasing literacy in Sonoma County school children.
Full programming and ticket details for the new Sonoma County Wine Celebration are available at SoCoWineCelebration.com. Proxy bidding will be available for the live auction on September 21. Contact foundation@sonomawine.com or 707.522.5829 for details. To learn more about SCVF Community Grants, the Emergency Relief Fund, recent beneficiaries, or to make a donation to this year’s Fund-A-Need paddle raise for the K-3 Proficiency Project, visit sonomawine.com/foundation.
About Sonoma County Vintners Foundation
Sonoma County Vintners Foundation provides support to the local community through philanthropy and charitable giving. Sonoma County Vintners Foundation (SCVF) is an accredited 501c(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1988. Its purpose is to consistently support local nonprofit organizations that address issues within the Sonoma County community. SCVF cultivates a vibrant and diverse Sonoma County by elevating lives through charitable events and philanthropic giving. Fundraising efforts have a direct impact in the areas of education & literacy, health & human services, the environment and arts & culture. With SCVF’s many initiatives including the Emergency Relief Fund, the organization is able to impact all needs, ranging from the immediate to the long term. Learn more at sonomawine.com/foundation.
About The Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University
The Wine Business Institute (WBI) serves as an intellectual and industry center for faculty, students, and the business community. Founded in 1996 as a partnership between the wine industry leaders and the School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University, the WBI provides cutting-edge research that informs industry best practices and program curriculum. For more information about degree and certificate programs or wine business research, please visit sbe.sonoma.edu/winebiz.
About Sonoma County Wine Celebration
Sonoma County Wine Celebration brings the region’s renowned winemakers and growers together with distinguished collectors and generous bidders for an opportunity to acquire some of Sonoma County’s top wines and bid on incredible travel experiences. Named one of the nation’s top charitable auctions by Wine Spectator, the proceeds raised benefit local Sonoma County charitable organizations. Since its inception, the auction has raised millions of dollars to help fund charitable organizations focusing on literacy, education, health & human services, the environment, arts & culture, and has supported more nonprofits than any other fundraising event in Sonoma County. Learn more at SoCoWineCelebration.com.
