SUMMARY:

• extensive marketing experience in domestic and imported wine industry
• skilled and creative communicator
• imaginative problem-solver
• expertise as publicity strategist and tactician with significant experience in image development, product launches and line extensions
• long-term relationships with national media
• consensus-building management style

EXPERIENCE:

1997 - Present

Publicity & Marketing Clients

Currently include Zinfandel Advocates & Producers, V. Sattui Winery, Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery, Rodney Strong Vineyards, Wilson-Daniels Ltd., Piña Cellars, Match Vineyards, Judd’s Hill/Napa Valley Custom MicroCrush, Bonny Doon Vineyard, Wine Garage.

Current pro bono clients: The Cameo Cinema, Sunrise Horse Rescue, Nimbus Arts, Community Health Clinic Ole, Pacific Union College

Past clients include: Oakville Grocery, ROTO, Fantesca Estate, White Oak Winery, Duckhorn Vineyards, Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi, Stony Hill Vineyard, Sawyer Cellars, Society of Wine Educators, St. Helena Hospital, Sea Star Sea Salt, Napa Valley Vintners, Farmers For Napa Valley, GardenHome, Frantoio, St. Helena Rotary Association, Katz & Company, The Vintners Club, Lail Vineyards, Musica, Rutherford Grove Winery, Tudal Winery, Sparrow Lane Vinegars, Storage Pro.

1995 - Freelance Writer and Journalist, with work published in The New York Times, Town & Country, The Wine Enthusiast, The Wine News, Quarterly Review of Wine, American Journalism Review, Editor & Publisher, Appellation among others; also Editor, The Napa Valley Wine Library Report [Revitalized and expanded format and contents of quarterly magazine published by The Napa Valley Wine Library Association based at The St. Helena Public Library; effectively raised organization's profile, attracting new members]

1996 - 1997 Director of Public Relations, Trefethen Vineyards, Napa Valley Re-positioned and re-launched communications for 100,000-case family winery, created programs to drive traffic to winery; co-wrote Gov. Wilson's eulogy for Eugene Trefethen; efforts increased winery's profile [exemplified by one week in northern California, with Trefethen wines recommended in 2/9/97 San Francisco Examiner and 2/12/97 San Francisco Chronicle]

1988 - 1995 Marketing and Public Relations Executive Management , The Seagram Classics Wine Company: San Mateo, Rutherford, Calistoga, California

1991-1995 Director of Public Relations, CA Wineries & Corporate Affairs Directed programming with $1,000,000-budgets for Sterling Vineyards, Mumm Napa Valley and President's Office-related projects, including 1994 WITS keynote speech; created highest-bid-to-date lot for 1994 Napa Valley Wine Auction ($50,000 on behalf of Mumm Napa Valley); directed $150,000 merchandising-direct mail co-promotion with Windham Hill Records and National Parks & Conservation Association (including 8-city concert tour and proprietary CD); introduced Mumm Cuvee Napa's prestige cuvee

1990-1991 Public Relations Director, Imports
1989-1990 Product Manager, Imports & Public Relations Manager, California Wineries Re-issued archival Champagne Mumm posters; introduced prestige cuvee in 1991-2; devised and implemented national launch tour linking Thomas Jefferson and Barton & Guestier's Fondation 1725; devised and implemented all marketing programming for introduction of Castello d'Albola and super- Tuscan Acciaiolo; created award-winning programs for The Monterey Vineyard and Bandiera Winery

1986 - 1988 Imported Wines Marketing Manager, Renfield Importers, NYC Directed all marketing programming for Mommessin, Marquis de Goulaine, Henkell, Peter Mertes

1982 - 1986 Director of Public Relations, Frederick Wildman & Sons, NYC Created this position, professionalizing communications programs and strategies for this fine-wine importer and NYC distributor

1979 - 1982 Director, Wine Department; Administrator, Coin Department, Sotheby Parke Bernet, NYC Organized Sotheby's first U.S. wine auction, responsible for national advertising campaign, selection of venue, industry liaison, cataloguing, logistics

AWARDS:

Best Public Relations Campaign, 1994 Beverage Marketing Magazine (for Sterling Vineyards); Silver Mercury Award, 1988 (for Bandiera Winery's Cooking with Flowers); 1988 Guinness Book of World Records (for The Monterey Vineyard's Largest Wind Sock in the Shape of a Wine Bottle)

EDUCATION:

1978, B.A., Art History and Communications, Stanford University, including course work at Stanford Law School and Stanford-in-Florence, Italy 1978 - 1981 New York University, Institute of Fine Arts, Graduate Work, Art History

LANGUAGES:

Fluent Italian; conversational French and German

OTHER: Wine judge for 1996 San Francisco Bay Wine Competition, 1997 Stanford University Alumni Wine Program; judge for 1994 & 1995 San Francisco Friends of the Urban Forest's Lowell Award [urban landscape beautification]