Former Executive Director of Sonoma County Vintners Brings Influence, Expertise to Wine Business Education and Activities
Rohnert Park, California – The Wine Business Institute (WBI) at Sonoma State University (SSU) today announced the appointment of Honore Comfort as Wine Business Executive in Residence, leading efforts to create strategic programs and engagement opportunities for wine business students, alumni, and industry leaders. She joins WBI following nine years as the chief executive at Sonoma County Vintners, an advocacy group for 250 of the region’s wineries.
“Honore’s record as a champion for Sonoma County wine to a global audience is a natural fit with our efforts to create the most vibrant, connected learning community for wine business in the world,” Ray Johnson, Executive Director of the Wine Business Institute said. “Her strong experience in building strategic partnerships and shaping public policy is outstanding. As WBI extends its reach and global presence, we expect Honore’s background and expertise to inform top-tier activities and events in the new Wine Spectator Learning Center.”
“The Wine Business Institute is uniquely positioned to shape the future of the global wine industry. There is tremendous opportunity to leverage faculty research and thought leadership to drive innovation, inform policy, and address industry challenges worldwide,” Honore Comfort, Wine Business Executive in Residence said. “The new Wine Spectator Learning Center offers state-of-the-art resources and extraordinary opportunities for students, alumni, and industry leaders. It’s an exciting place and time and I look forward to being part of this powerful mission.”
Honore Comfort has over 17 years of leadership experience in the wine industry, most recently serving as President of Brack Mountain Wine Company, an innovative winery concept in Sebastopol. Prior to that, she spent nine years as Executive Director for Sonoma County Vintners, where she led efforts to promote Sonoma County’s prominence as a leading producer of world-class wines, and she has held international marketing roles with global brands including Penfolds, Rosemount Estate, and Wynns Coonawara Estate.
For more information regarding the appointment of Honore Comfort as Wine Business Executive in Residence, or for information regarding professional programs and degrees with WBI and the School of Business and Economics, please contact (707) 664-3501, or visit www.sonoma.edu/winebiz.
About the Wine Business Institute
The Wine Business Institute (WBI) is an education and research institute of the School of Business and Economics (SBE) at Sonoma State University (SSU). SSU is the first U.S. institution of higher learning to offer programs and degrees specializing in the business of wine. It is the first school of business in the world to offer an executive-level wine business degree. In 2018, WBI will open the Wine Spectator Learning Center, a 15,000-square-foot education complex dedicated to training the next generation of leaders for a changing global wine industry. With its unique location, expert faculty, and deep relationships in the world of wine, WBI attracts current and future professionals from California and around the world to experience the expertise and wealth of connections among students, alumni, and industry leaders.
