Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/670021
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m M a y - J u n e 2 016 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 1 0 3 Western Square Welcomes Ron Colombo Western Square Industries in Stockton, Calif., has added Ron Colombo to its growing team. Colom- bo brings more than 25 years of sales experience with farm and ranch products to Western Square. His previous employment includes the role of district manager and sales manager, promoting sales in the horticultural and agricultural markets. COMPANY NEWS Constellation Appoints Executives Constellation Brands Inc., of Victor, N.Y., has named Bill Newlands president of the Wine & Spir- its Division. Ben Dollard, most recently president of Constellation's Canadian Business, has been named chief growth officer with responsibilities across both the Beer and Wine & Spirits Divisions. Jay Wright, former president of Wine & Spirits, was named presi- dent of Constellation's Canadian business. Chandler & Co. and AgroThermal to Partner Chandler & Company, based in Lodi, Calif., and AgroThermal Systems, of Walnut Creek, Calif., have announced a strategic partnership to bring Thermac- ulture to the Lodi/Delta agricultural community. Ther- maculture is a patented technology that uses heat on agricultural crops to improve fruit qualities, promote good fruit set, increase harvest yields, reduce pesti- cide use and control rain damage. Bank of the West Covers Beer and Spirits San Francisco, Calif.-based Bank of the West's Commercial Banking Group has announced the expansion of its Premium Wine Group to include beer and spirits. The group currently covers nearly 300 wine clients and has issued $1 billion in loans over the past decade. Adam Beak, head of the Pre- mium Wine Group, will lead the new Wine & Bever- age Group. WCC Becomes Its Own Brokerage Firm Wine Country Consultants (WCC), a brokerage specializing in the transfer of vineyards and winer- ies, has become its own real estate brokerage firm. Founder and managing broker Robyn Bentley has separated from Pacific Union International and taken her practice to WCC, a commercial real estate company focused on legacy vineyards. DrinkSpace Partners with Skip Rock Distillers DrinkSpace of Redmond, Wash., has signed an agreement with Skip Rock Distillers to provide sales and marketing direction. The agreement comes as the Snohomish, Wash.-based distillery plans to expand to new markets and distributors. Tapp Label Opens Sixth Location Headquartered in St. Helena, Calif., Tapp Label has opened its sixth North American location and its first greenfield site. The new location in Paso Robles, Calif., features state-of-the-art equipment, includ- ing the latest HP Indigo 6800 Digital press. The fully staffed manufacturing operation will focus on the needs of Central Coast wineries, craft breweries and distilleries. Name Change for American Tartic Products American Tartic Products in Windsor, Calif., has changed its name to ATP Group. The company, which provides tartaric acid products and its deriva- tives, as well as a host of other services to the North American market, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Winery Exchange Changes Its Name Effective March 1, Winery Exchange of Novato, Calif., became WX. The producer of national and exclusive brands of wine, beer and spirits is rebrand- ing itself to reflect how its business model has changed since it was founded in 1999. The company has evolved to become a full-service supplier of wine, beer and spirits from 17 countries on five continents. PASSAGES Remembering Vincent F. Cilurzo Wine industry pioneer Vincent F. Cilurzo of Cilur- zo Winery in California's Temecula Valley died on March 9 at the age of 91. A trailblazer in cultivating red wines in the region, Cilurzo opened his namesake winery in 1978. At the time, the region was known for white wines. While some of his Temecula neighbors focused on large-scale wine grape production, Cilurzo and his wife, Audrey, created a travel destination for those with a passion for wine and food. As the region matured, many more followed in Cilurzo's footsteps by producing a range of red and white wines, as well as offering food.