Board of Directors

Wine Road - Northern Sonoma County
Board of Directors - April 2011
10 winery representatives, 3 lodging representatives

PRESIDENT

Bruce Thomas - Mill Creek Winery, Director of Hospitality
Bruce Thomas joined the wine industry over 20 years ago when he turned his hobby into a career, leaving banking for wine. He has spent the last 16 years as tasting room manager for Mill Creek Vineyards, and the last 2 years as a Wine Road board member. He brings first-hand knowledge of family wineries; management, retail and promotion experience; an understanding of finance; and an agri-business degree to the table.
Email: bruce@millcreekwinery.com

VICE-PRESIDENT

Renae Perry - Papapietro Perry Winery, CEO/Owner
CEO/Owner of Papapietro Perry Winery for 11 years. Previously Renae was Product Marketing Director for several software/internet companies.
Email: renae@papapietro-perry.com

SECRETARY

This position is currently open

TREASURER

Dee Ahlin - Wilson Winery, Tasting Room Manager
Dee is currently the tasting room manager at Wilson WInery. She has been in the wine business for 12 years, and has been in a management position for 10 of those years, at two different wineries. During this time, she has served for the past two years on the Board of Directors, four years on the RoadRunner committee for the Wine Road and volunteered with the Wine Road office staff prior at various events.
Email: dee@wilsonwinery.com

EXECUTIVE BOARD LODGING REPRESENTATIVE

Erin McCauley - Hampton Inn Suites ~ Windsor ~ Sonoma Wine Country, Director of Sales
Erin began her career in the lodging industry 5 years ago at the Holiday Inn Express Windsor, where she successfully ran the day to day operations of Windsor’s’ 1st hotel. Taking a position with the Hampton Inn & Suites a year ago Erin continues to enjoy the hospitality industry by supporting tourism and Sonoma County.
Email: emccauley@rimhospitality.com

Winery Representatives:

Kathleen Inman - Inman Family Wines, Owner
Kathleen is the owner of Inman Family Wines where she has been the winemaker, viticulturalist, tasting room manager, and forklift driver for over 10 years. A native of the Napa Valley, Kathleen moved in 1983 to England to complete a degree in Art History.  From 1984 until her return to California in 1998, she worked in England for Price Waterhouse, Coopers & Lybrand, and later executive search firm GKR Group. She earned her MBA from the University of Bradford Management Center specializing in corporate finance and strategic marketing. Kathleen and her family resettled in California in 1998 to engage in grape growing and winemaking.

Debra Mathy - Dutcher Crossing Winery, Proprietor
A Wisconsin native, who left a 13 year education position at Colorado State University Nutrition Department, is fulfilling a lifelong dream. Debra entered the wine industry in 2007, leading the growth of Dutcher Crossing Winery from 4000 case production to 8000 cases while maintaining the 98+% Direct to Consumer Philosophy. Staying true to Sonoma County, Dutcher Crossing has grown it's Vineyard Designate Program through sourcing fruit from Alexander, Russian River and Dry Creek Valleys.
Email: debra@dutchercrossingwinery.com

Michael Monahan - Draxton Wines-Vintners Signatures, Tasting Room Manager
Michael began his career in the wine industry in 1980 where he worked for both Sterling Vineyards and Winery and Mumm Napa Valley. He spent 6 years at Arrowood Vineyards and Winery as well as almost 3 years with Alderbrook Winery in Healdsburg. In between he was the Director of Operations for almost nine years with the Sonoma County Vintners, a non-profit organization who mission is to promote Sonoma County and its wineries.
Email: michael@vintnerssignatures.com

Raymond Rolander - Bella Vineyards & Wine Caves, Tasting Room Manager
A Healdsburg local and Sonoma County native. Raymond has been in the industry for almost 8 years and is now managing the tasting room at Bella Vineyards. Before that Raymond worked for 6 years in hospitality at Arrowood Vineyards & Winery.
Email: raymond@bellawinery.com

Darek Trowbridge - Old World Winery, Winemaker/Proprietor
Darek studied winemaking with his grandfather, Lino Martinelli. He went on to get a Bachelors Degree in Viticulture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and a Masters Degree in Enology from Fresno State. During this phase of his education he worked for his uncle, Lee Martinelli.  Old World knowledge is truly enhanced when put together with a contemporary education. As winemaker & proprietor of Old World Winery, Darek combines and employs all the methods he learned about fine wine production, both old and new.

Nancy Woods - Balletto Vineyards & Winery, Direct to Consumer Sales Manager
Nancy has been active with the Wine Road since 2000 when she was the Chairman for A Wine & Food Affair. She then served as the Wine Road President from 2006-2010. She sat out her one year due to term-limits but remained very interested in again serving on the Board. Nancy has seen the organization grow and accomplish so many things in the past 10 years and she wants to continue to be involved and contribute.
Email: nancy@ballettovineyards.com

Lodging Representatives:

Aaron Krug - Best Western Dry Creek Inn, Owner
The Best Western, Dry Creek Inn has a great relationship with Wine Road and many of its members. Aaron wanted to take a more active role, by building those relationships further. He served on the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce Board for more than 10 years before being termed out. Aaron has worked and lived in the community for over 25 years, and being the largest lodging facility in the area feels that he have a lot to offer to the organization by being on the Board of Directors.
Email: aaron@drycreekinn.com

Ron Moore - Rio Villa Beach Resort, Owner
Ron and his partner have owned and operated the Rio Villa Beach Resort located on the Russian River for seven years. Prior to becoming an innkeeper, he was a managerial financial consultant for a large accounting software company. Before that, Ron managed several accounting offices around the country for a major grocery wholesaler.
Email: innkeepers@riovilla.com

There are currently two vacant winery seats on the Board of Directors - as of July 18th, 2011.

Administrative Staff

Executive Director - Beth Costa
Member & Guest Concierge - Tracy Logan
Office Manager - Lynn Thomas