WI meeting confirms Koch

Wines & Vines, August, 2003

* As expected, Wine Institute announced the promotion of Robert Koch to president and chief executive officer at its 69th annual membership meeting in June. Koch joined Wine Institute in 1992 as vice president of federal government relations and became senior vice president in 1996. The board of directors also announced that Wine Institute has retained John De Luca in the newly created position of executive vice chairman. De Luca served as president and CEO for the last 27 years and will continue as an advisor to Koch and a liaison for the Wine Institute to a number of organizations.

The board also elected Bertram E. Silk, director of industry affairs for New York-based Constellation Brands, Inc., as board chairman for the 2003-2004 fiscal year beginning July 1. Constellation has 12 wine production facilities in California. Institute members also elected other officers: James H. Niven of Edna Valley Vineyard, headquartered in San Francisco, first vice chairman; Eric P. Wente of Wente Vineyards in Livermore, second vice chairman; Paul Dolan of Fetzer Vineyards in Hopland, treasurer; and Tom Shelton of Joseph Phelps Vineyards in St. Helena, secretary.

In accepting his chairmanship, Silk said that his emphasis would be to work to safeguard wineries against punitive taxes being introduced across the country by state governments as well as assisting in a smooth transition to the new president of Wine Institute. He also supports continued implementation of sustainable winegrowing practices throughout California.

Silk's career in the wine industry began in 1958, when he left the University of Massachusetts to begin working with his father at the Yosemite Wine Company in Madera, Calif. From 1960 to 1965, he worked for United Vintners at Escalon and Asti, Calif. and Port Newark, N.J. Since 1965, Silk has worked in various positions with what is now Constellation Brands, including senior vice president, production; president, Canandaigua Concentrates; and member of the board of directors.