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18 WINES&VINES June 2018 QST offers its clients……. Professionally fabricated stainless tanks 35 years of tank fabrication experience Performance & reliability guarantees Custom designs & modern features Quick & competitive tank project pricing On site tank repairs & modifications Special application tanks of all sizes "In stock tanks" from 500 to 10,000 gallons 510 Caletti Ave. Windsor, Ca. 95492 Phone 707-837-2721 or Toll-Free 877-598-0672 www.qualitystainless.com Company Website winetanks@aol.com email contact/sales info Custom Fabricated Tanks for the perfect size & fit… or Ready to Ship "Stock Tanks" Either way QST is ready to assist our clients! Call QST today for information or pricing! QUALITY STAINLESS TANKS WINE INDUSTRY NEWS N apa, Calif.—A prominent banking and agriculture investor, Gaylon M. Lawrence Jr., has purchased Heitz Cellars in Napa Valley. In a statement released April 18, Kathleen Heitz Myers, former president and CEO of Heitz Cellars said: "Our family founded Heitz Wine Cellars in 1961, and we have treasured our role in helping to shape the history of Napa Valley winemaking for three generations. We feel this is the right time for us to pass this rich legacy to another family. "When we met with Gaylon, it seemed a perfect match. Fundamentally, in the wine business we are all farmers and with the Law- rence family's history in agriculture we feel Heitz Cellars will be in good hands." Lawrence is the principal investor in his family's agricultural company, Lawrence Group, which owns farmland in Illinois, Mis- souri, Arkansas, Mississippi and Florida where it is reported to be one of the state's largest citrus growers. The Lawrences also own part of one of the nation's largest, privately held HVAC distributorships, and seven community banks with branches in Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee. Gaylon M. Lawrence Jr. was most recently reported to be based in Nashville, Tenn., where he has been an active investor in the city's banking industry. Heitz Myers and her brother David Heitz were among the second generation of the Heitz family to manage the winery. The deal was reported to be worth as much as $180 million although Heitz Myers would not confirm that amount. "I've enjoyed coming to the Napa Valley for some time and have long admired the wine industry from afar," Lawrence said in the press release announcing the deal. "Our family was fortunate to have an extraordinary opportunity to acquire such a remarkable family business with Heitz Cellars. We're very excited about the winery's bright future." Lawrence has appointed wine industry vet- eran Robert Boyd as the new president and CEO of Heitz Cellars. "When I was approached about the role, the chance to help with the transition from one family to another was in- triguing to me," Boyd said. "I look forward to working with Gaylon and his family and to safeguarding the Heitz family legacy and all that goes with it." In February, Boyd had been promoted to the position of president of another of Napa Valley's oldest, family owned wineries, Joseph Phelps Vineyards where he had been an execu- tive since 2011. Founders Joe and Alice Heitz acquired their first 8-acre property near St. Helena in 1961 and then purchased a 160-acre property in Spring Valley in 1964. Since then, the Heitz estate has expanded to 1,100 acres with 425 acres planted. Annual case production was around 40,000 cases. The winery's most famous wine is the Mar- tha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon produced from a 34-acre vineyard near Oakville. Tom and Martha May have owned the vineyard since 1963 and the second generation of their family, Richard May and Laura May Everett, remain active in farming the vineyard. — Stacy Briscoe Heitz Cellars Sold to Banking, Ag Investor " With the Lawrence family's history in agriculture, we feel Heitz Cellars will be in good hands." —Kathleen Heitz Myers