1/3/2011 - St Helena, CA--The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) non-profit trade association representing 400 wineries in America's premier wine region announced today that Kathleen Heitz Myers of the eponymous Heitz Wine Cellars has been elected to lead the 67-year-old organization as board president for 2011. The year marks another important milestone for the Heitz family as they celebrate the winery's 50th anniversary, founded by her parents Joe and Alice Heitz in 1961.
"I am proud to lead the Napa Valley Vintners and follow in my dad's footsteps as board president. He held the office back in 1971 when there were fewer than thirty wineries in the association. Times have changed since then; the NVV has 400 wineries and while still just 4% of California's wine grape harvest comes from the Napa Valley, the region accounts for 34% of the economic impact of all of California's wine industry on the U.S. economy," said Heitz Myers.
"In just a few decades, we have been recognized as not only the top of the American wine industry but also as the top of the global wine industry. The NVV's green initiatives Napa Green Land and Napa Green Winery are leading the way as the most comprehensive in the industry. The work on protecting the Napa name has earned us recognition with Geographic Indication Status in mature markets like the European Union as well as emerging markets like India. Our mission to promote, protect and enhance the appellation as the premier wine region is important to our success now more than ever and I am happy to keep working hard on all of our issues and promotions to keep the Napa Valley front and center in the world of fine wine."
Other board officers elected include Jeff McBride, General Manager of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars as vice president; Doug Shafer, president of Shafer Vineyards as secretary and Rick Jones, owner of Jones Family Vineyards re-elected as CFO. 2011 board directors in addition to officers are Bruce Cakebread of Cakebread Cellars; Stephen Corley of Monticello Vineyards; Pat Stotesbery of Ladera Vineyards; Bob Torres of Trinchero Napa Valley; Janet Viader of Viader Vineyard and Winery; and Russ Weis of Silverado Vineyards.
The NVV's annual fundraiser Auction Napa Valley is led by the NVV board along with board directors from the local community that include Auction Board Secretary Dave Meyers, retired from Dickenson, Peatman and Fogarty and directors Clay Gregory of the Napa Valley Destination Council; Ed Matovcik of Intervine; and Rachel Wyckoff of The Monticello Group.
About the NVV
The Napa Valley Vintners is the non-profit trade association responsible for promoting and protecting the Napa Valley appellation as the premier winegrowing region. From seven founding members in 1944, today the association represents 400 Napa Valley wineries and collectively is a leader in the world-wide wine industry. To learn more about our region and its legendary American wines, visit www.napavintners.com
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Contact: Terry Hall, Communications Director 707-968-4217 thall@napavintners.com
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