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Wines & Vines, Feb, 2002

Thomas Burr to chair plant pathology department at Geneva.

Burr has been appointed chairman of the department of plant pathology at Cornell University at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, N.Y. Burr received his Ph.D. in plant pathology from UC Berkeley in 1978. His research and extension deals with diseases of fruit crops with an emphasis on bacterial diseases. Major projects include the biology and control of grape crown gall, development of transgenic grapes for disease resistance and determining mechanisms of fungal-induced apple russet.

Noel Osborn is division VP at Canandaigua Wine.

He is division VP for the Southeast Sales Division. The division, which is the company's largest in sales volume, encompasses Alabama, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Previously, Osborn was with E. & J. Gallo.

Lockwood Vineyard appoints Stephen R. Lawerence.

He is VP, sales and marketing at the Monterey, Calif., winery. Previously, Lawrence was director of sales and marketing for Napa Valley's Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. Lawrence will work out of the new Lockwood offices located at 9777 Blue Larkspur Lane, Ste. 102, Monterey, Claif. 93940.

Golden State Vintners appoints western region sales manager.

He is Greg Dobie. Dobie will assume responsibility for sales of the company's proprietary wine brands and its private label products in California, Nevada, Arizona and Colorado. Most recently, Dobie was VP, western division for Stimson Lane Vineyards.

Wilson Daniels Ltd. has new marketing VP.

He is Gib Rockwood. Previously, Rockwood worked with Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company. Rockwood, who holds an MBA from UC Berkeley, is now in charge of marketing all 33 brands at Wilson Daniels Ltd.

Ann Vivian joins Russell Family Farms.

She is director of business development and consumer relations. Through her company, the Ellsworth Group, she has consulted to the hospitality and high tech sectors of the service industries. Russell Family Farms is parent company of Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery and Buzzards Bay Brewing in Massachusetts.

Grove Street Winery appoints executives.

Mike Gulyash is executive vice president and director of winery operations for the Healdsburg, Calif., winery. Previously, he worked for B.R. Cohn, Jordan and King Estate wineries. Larry Klein is senior vice president and national sales manager. Barbie Kuhn is VP, sales and marketing and heads the winery's public relations and marketing department. Mike Shawlee is VP, finance.

Kendall-Jackson hires hotel specialist.

Lynne Clarke has joined the National Accounts sales team of K-J Wine Estates as a hotel specialist. Previously, she was with The Regal Wine Company. Clarke holds a B.A. from Western Connecticut State University and attended the Sterling School of Service and Hospitality.

Scheid Vineyards has new president, CEO.

Scott D. Scheid succeeds his father, Alfred G. Scheid, in the position. Al Scheid continues as board chairman. Also, Kurt Gollnick will take over COO duties from Scott Scheid as the Monterey County vineyard operator and wine producer.

Steven Spurrier honored by Beaulieu Vineyard.

Spurrier, who organized the famous Paris tasting in 1976 in which two California wines bested their French counterparts, received the 2001 Maestro Award for his service to the American wine industry. He joined the English wine trade in 1964 and later operated a small wine shop in Paris. Spurrier also started L'Academie du Vin, France's first private wine school.

Show-Ross Int'l names two.

Rod Simmons fills a newly-created post as commercial operations director. Previously, he was with Paddington Corp. and Bacardi USA. The Miami-based importer also named Tony Shamoun as its new state manager for Michigan.

B.C. Wine Institute has new president.

The British Columbia Wine Institute, based in Summerland, named Len Bykowski its new president. He succeeds John Shantz. Bykowski's background is in the agrifood industry, and his first task is implementing a marketing program aimed at creating an identity for the province's wines.

Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards announces new appointments.

Barbara Smith is public relations director, David L. Greene is sales and marketing director and Kim Rodrigues is tasting room manager. Wild Horse is based in Templeton, Calif.

Southcorp rounds out Americas headquarters.

Southcorp Wines, Australia's largest winemaker and producers of premium wine brands, has appointed Liz O'Connell as director of trade and public relations, Honore Comfort as Rose-mount Estates' senior brand manager and Jon Kragh as senior brand manager. For more information, contact O'Connell at (707) 256-2664 or visit the Web site southcorp.com.

K-J appoints new global brand director.

Brook Williams comes to Kendall-Jackson from Southcorp, where he was vice president, brand marketing for several premium wine brands. Williams has a master's of business administration from California State University Stanislaus and a bachelor's of science from the University of Nevada. For more information, visit the K-J Web site, kj.com.