Officers, Board Directors and New Members Elected
SAN FRANCISCO – Tom Klein of Rodney Strong Vineyards in Healdsburg was elected Wine Institute Chairman for the 2010-2011 fiscal year at Wine Institute’s 76th Annual Meeting of Members held at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. Also elected were David Kent of the Wine Group, headquartered in Livermore, first vice chairman; Kathleen Heitz Myers of Heitz Wine Cellars in St. Helena, second vice chairman; Chris Fehrnstrom of Constellation Wines U.S. in San Francisco, treasurer; and Carolyn Wente of Wente Family Estates in Livermore, secretary.
Klein is proprietor of Rodney Strong Vineyards and a third-generation California farmer. Born and raised in Stockton, Klein grew up working on the family ranches in all aspects of the farming business. He earned a political science degree from Stanford University and graduated from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. While working as a management consultant, he had an assignment with Rodney Strong Vineyards, which eventually led to Klein and his family purchasing Rodney Strong Vineyards in 1989. Klein and his wife Kate Kelly, a former CBS-TV news anchor, are active community philanthropists. He is a member of the World Presidents Organization, a board member of the California Travel & Tourism Commission (CTTC), a Trustee Emeritus of the California Academy of Sciences and received an honorary Doctor of Oenology Degree from Johnson & Wales University in 2006.
As Wine Institute Chairman, Klein will continue the emphasis on preventing punitive taxes from being imposed on wine and advocating against proposals that restrict fair trade, such as H.R. 5034, the wholesaler monopoly protection bill. Klein was an initial supporter of Wine Institute’s California First communications campaign to convey the cultural and economic value of the state’s wines. Because of his work on the CTTC board, he helped establish the partnership between CTTC and Wine Institute to promote California’s wine and food offerings that attract the state’s 20 million visitors to its wine regions. Klein, an early adopter of solar power, sustainable farming, Fish Friendly Farming and whose winery became carbon neutral in 2009, will also support Wine Institute’s work on the adoption of sustainable winegrowing practices and its outreach to expand trade both in the U.S. and internationally.
The Wine Institute membership also elected new district- and at-large directors and alternates and 13 new winery and associate members, bringing the total membership to 1,024. 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: | Kaj Ahlmann Six Sigma Winery, Lower Lake | Fred Weibel, Jr. Weibel Family Vineyards & Winery, Hopland |
| Sonoma: |
Louis M. Foppiano Foppiano Wine Company, Healdsburg Thomas Klein Rodney Strong Vineyards, Healdsburg Julie Pedroncelli St. John J. Pedroncelli Winery, Geyserville Jeff Kunde Kunde Estate Winery & Vineyards, Kenwood |
Hank Wetzel Alexander Valley Vineyards, Healdsburg Walter Schug Schug Carneros Estate, Sonoma Greg Wilcox Lambert Bridge Winery, Healdsburg Corey Beck Francis Ford Coppola Presents, Geyserville |
| Napa: |
Kathleen Heitz Myers Heitz Wine Cellars, St. Helena Dennis Cakebread Cakebread Cellars Suzanne Groth Groth Vineyards & Winery, Oakville Paula Kornell Oakville Ranch, Napa |
Pat Stotesbery Ladera Vineyards, Angwin Michael Honig, Honig Vineyard & Winery, Rutherford Stephen Corley Monticello Vineyards, Napa Robin Baggett Alpha Omega Winery, Rutherford |
| San Francisco Bay: |
William Cooper Cooper-Garrod Vineyards, Saratoga Earl Ault Cedar Mountain Winery, Livermore |
James Ryan Concannon Vineyard, Livermore Bill Murphy Clos La Chance Wines, San Martin |
| Monterey Bay: |
Cheryl Indelicato Delicato Family Vineyards |
Scott Scheid Scheid Vineyards, Salinas |
| Central Coast: |
Gretchen Roddick Hope Family Wines, Paso Robles Gary Eberle Eberle Winery, Paso Robles Justin Baldwin Justin Vineyards & Winery, Paso Robles Stephen Miller Central Coast Wine Services, Santa Barbara |
James Flood Rancho Sisquoc Winery, Santa Maria Laura Mohseni Riverbench, Santa Maria Michael Hartmann Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards, Solvang David Bantly Dierberg Vineyard, Santa Ynez |
| Southern: |
Les Linkogle Briar Rose Winery, Temecula |
Alexander McGeary Shadow Mountain Vineyards & Winery, Warner Springs |
| Sierra: | Jane O’Riordan Terre Rouge/Easton Wines, Plymouth | Pamela Miller Single Leaf Vineyards & Winery, Fairplay |
| Northern Interior: | David Lucas The Lucas Winery, Lodi | Christopher Indelicato Delicato Family Vineyards |
| Southern Interior: | Michael Blaylock Quady Winery, Madera | William Nakata ASV Wines, 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 |
|---|---|
| Stephen Brauer Foster’s Wine Estates Americas, Napa | Douglas Roberts Foster’s Wine Estates Americas, Napa |
| Charles Broll, Jr. Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, Napa | Lisa Hageman Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, Napa |
| Gary Bulger The Hess Collection, Napa | Brian Dunn The Hess Collection, Napa |
| James Coleman, E. & J. Gallo Winery, Modesto | Gregory Coleman E. & J. Gallo Winery, Modesto |
| Cindy DeVries Brown-Forman Corporation, Hopland | Timothy Nall Brown-Forman Corporation, Hopland |
| Chris Fehrnstrom Constellation Wines U.S., San Francisco | James Finkle Constellation Brands, Victor |
| 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 |
| Margie Healy Korbel Champagne Cellars, Guerneville | Daniel Baker Korbel Champagne Cellars, Guerneville |
| David Kent The Wine Group, Livermore | Laurie Jones The Wine Group, Livermore |
| Steve Lohr J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, San Jose | Thomas Selfridge J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, San Jose |
| Edward Matovcik Foster’s Wine Estates Americas, Napa | Vacant |
| James O’Malley Brown-Forman Corporation, Louisville | Lee Tatum Brown-Forman Corporation, Louisville |
| Jonathan Pageler Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, Napa | Stephenie Shah Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, Napa |
| Robert Torkelson Trinchero Family Estates, St. Helena | Ronald Larson Trinchero Family Estates, St. Helena |
| Roger Trinchero Trinchero Family Estates, St. Helena | Michael Maher Trinchero Family Estates, St. Helena |
| Brian Vos The Wine Group, Ripon | John Sutton The Wine Group, Ripon |
| Carolyn Wente Wente Family Estates, Livermore | Karl Wente Wente Family Estates, Livermore |
| Jay Wright Constellation Wines North America, Canandaigua | Michael Walker Constellation Brands, San Francisco |
The new winery members are: Calluna Vineyards, Santa Rosa; Caraccioli Cellars, Carmel Valley; Danza Del Sol Winery, Temecula; Fontes & Phillips Wines, Buellton; Hearst Ranch Winery, Paso Robles; Naumann Vineyards, Cupertino; Newsome Harlow Wines, Murphys; Rideau Vineyard, Solvang; Shadow Ranch Vineyard and Winery, Somerset; St. Barthelemy Cellars, Napa; Tyler Winery, Santa Maria; Valdez Family Winery, Santa Rosa. The Port of Oakland is the new associate member.
The Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy group for California wineries and affiliated businesses with its members 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 16 foreign countries, the 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. Robert P. (Bobby) Koch is President and CEO of Wine Institute.
Journalists requiring further information can contact communications@wineinstitute.org
