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24 WINES&VINES May 2016 WINE INDUSTRY NEWS RIVERCAP USA 5301 Industrial Way, Benicia, CA 94510, USA www.rivercap.com PRODUCED BY RIVERCAP USA Neal named president of McMinnville AVA Scott Neal, winemaker and owner of Coeur de Terre Vineyard in Mc- Minnville, Ore., was reappointed as the president of the McMinnville AVA Winegrowers Association. Neal is focused on bolstering the group's marketing efforts with a new web- site and joint marketing efforts with groups such as Visit McMinnville. Education program draws interest in Washington For the first time since launching its Latino Ag Education Program in 2007, the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers reported more than half of the students in the 2015 class were women. The 2015-16 program, offered through Wenatchee Valley College and Yakima Valley Community College, included a class designed for women work- ing in viticulture. "LAEP classes are the most meaningful benefit I can provide to my employees," WAWGG board member Julia Kock said in a statement. "Vineyard work is skilled labor. Educated employees under- stand why their job is important and are focused on high-quality results." CENTRAL Grand Traverse releases wines to support state parks Chateau Grand Traverse in Traverse City, Mich., released a new line of wines to support Michigan state parks. The winery is donating 50% of net profits from its three new wines to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The lineup includes Waters, a sweet white wine; Woods, a sweet red, and Picnic, a semi-dry white wine. Pryor Design in Ann Arbor, Mich., donated the label, packaging and promotional design for the new wines. The winery and state park agency are also letting consumers vote online at cgtwines. com/mioutdoors to decide how the proceeds are spent. Chankaska Creek names Minnesota sales manager Nick Paterson is the new Minne- sota distribution sales manager for Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery in Kasota, Minn. Paterson will be managing other account executives and forming overall sales strategy for the winery as it seeks to expand distribution across the state. EAST L.I. Merlot Alliance elects president The Long Island Merlot Alliance in Southold, N.Y., elected Juan Micieli- Martinez as its new president. Micieli-Martinee is the winemaker and general manager of Martha Clara Vineyards and has nearly 20 years of experience working in the Long Island wine industry. Freitag named Virginia Grower of Year The Virginia Vineyards Association named Bill Freitag, owner of Toll Gate Farm vineyard in Flint Hill, Va., as its 2016 Grower of the Year. Freitag is chairman of the Sustain- ability Workbook Committee and helped oversee the development of the Virginia Sustainable Winegrow- ers Self-Assessment Guide. After serving in the U.S. Army for more than 20 years, Freitag purchased land for his vineyard in 2000 and planted it two years later. Frietag now grows four varieties of vinifera on his 6-acre vineyard and sells grapes to six Virginia wineries. Juan Micieli-Martinez