Washington Wine Institute has new director

The Washington Wine Commission and the Washington Wine Institute have hired a new executive director.

Robin Pollard will take over on July 11. She succeeds Jane Baxter Lynn, who resigned ‘for personal reasons’ in March after six months on the job.

At present working in the governor’s office, Pollard manages the 787 Dreamliner program, which involves Boeing’s latest jetliner. She has directed both the Economic Development Division at the state’s Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, and the Washington State Tourism Office.

The Seattle-based wine commission, with a US$1. 5m budget, is a lobbying organisation which promotes and helps develop the Washington wine industry, consisting of 350-plus wineries, 350 wine grape growers and 30,000 vineyard acres.

Washington is the country’s second wine-producing state, behind California, as gauged by acreage planted and annual grape tonnage.

In the arena of vintners’ trade associations Polland will carry clout second only to Robert P Koch, president and chief executive officer of the California Wine Institute and President George W Bush’s brother-in-law.

NB US$1.00 = €0.82

Written by Howard G Goldberg