Linsey
Simpson Gallagher to Join Wine Institute as
Director of International Marketing
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.