SAN FRANCISCO – Wine Institute President and CEO Robert P. Koch announced today the appointment of Linsey Simpson Gallagher to the new position of Director of International Marketing. He also announced that Joseph Rollo, Director of Wine Institute’s International Department for the past 20 years, will continue with the organization in the new role of Director of International Trade Policy.
“California wine exports have grown to nearly $1 billion in annual sales and our international program has increased in complexity and importance to require two separate roles – marketing and trade policy,” said Koch. “Bringing on a professional of Linsey’s caliber to manage international marketing and retaining Joe’s expertise in trade policy will take the program to the next level.”
Gallagher, an MBA graduate of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, brings a diverse marketing and management background to the role. Most recently Vice President of her family’s East Coast real estate firm, she gained wine industry experience as Marketing Manager for E. & J. Gallo Winery responsible for marketing strategy and execution for Gallo Family Vineyards as well as Australian (Black Swan) and Italian (Bella Sera) imports. Prior to this, Gallagher was Manager of Finance for the NBC Today Show and a Financial Analyst for General Electric Capital Services. In her new position, she will be responsible for overseeing the organization’s marketing programs in more than 20 countries, directly supervising five international regional directors and ensuring continued state and federal support for Wine Institute’s export programs. She joins Wine Institute on November 10.
As Director of International Trade Policy, Rollo will continue to work with USTR and other federal agencies in support of the World Wine Trade Group, on-going wine talks with the European Commission, initiatives with FIVS, and industry coordination and response to on-going foreign trade barriers.
Wine Institute is the public policy association of 1,100 California wineries and affiliated businesses that initiates and advocates state, federal and international public policy to enhance the environment for the responsible production, consumption and enjoyment of wine. The organization works to enhance the economic and environmental health of California through its leadership in sustainable winegrowing and winemaking practices and through California First, a program that communicates the value of the state’s wine industry and encourages tourism. Since 1985, the Wine Institute has served as the administrator of the Market Access Program, an export promotion program managed by the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service in which 125 California wineries currently participate. U.S. wine exports, 95 percent from California, reached a record high $951 million in 2007. For more information visit: www.wineinstitute.org.
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