(Sonoma County) — Sonoma State University’s Wine Business Institute Research Summit returns for a second year on July 15, 2020, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The live virtual event is expected to draw attendance from wine business professionals throughout California, the U.S., and globally. Sponsored by Rabo AgriFinance, the three-hour Summit will feature 15-minute sessions exploring a range of macro and micro topics. Stephen Rannekleiv, global sector strategist beverages from Rabo AgriFinance, will look at macro trends in a session titled Rethinking the Route to Consumer. Samual Riewe, professional Economics faculty member at Sonoma State University, will drill down to the micro level of wine club data in a talk titled The Connoisseurs’ Guide to Collecting and Analyzing Fine Data. Attendee registration is now open for the wine community for $45 at https://wbiresearchsummit.sonoma.edu.
“We have lined-up thought-provoking sessions on the economic, political, social, and management issues affecting the wine industry, and resilience strategies in the wake of the pandemic’s impact,” said Ray Johnson, executive director of the Wine Business Institute in the School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University.
In addition to Rannekleiv and Riewe, confirmed speakers and topics include:
- Kat Stark, director of Wine.com Experiences, on Live Stream Tastings.
- Dr. Steven Cuellar, SSU professor of Economics, on Pricing in the Digital World.
- Dr. Armand Gilinsky, SSU Korbel Professor of Wine Business, on Sustaining the Wine Industry During and After the Pandemic: Go Local? Go Social?
- Pierre Costa, founder of Somm Digital and SSU professional wine business faculty member, on An Altered Landscape for Digital Marketing.
- Dr. Robert Eyler, SSU professor of Economics, on COVID-19, the Economy in 2020 and 2021: How Can the Economy Rebound?
- Terry Hill, partner in BPM's Advisory Practice, on Managing Cash Flow and Deciding to Sustain or Chart a New Course.
- Dr. David McCuan, SSU professor of Political Science, on 2020 Politics and Wine: Red, White, & the Unknown Amidst a Pandemic.
Full program details will be announced soon.
About the Wine Business Institute
The Wine Business Institute serves as an intellectual and industry hub for faculty, students, and the business community. Founded in 1996 as a partnership between the wine industry and the School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University, the WBI provides cutting-edge research that informs industry best practices and program curriculum. The WBI offers online and in-person wine-focused degree and industry certifications. For more information about our degree and certificate programs or our wine business research, please contact us at winebiz@sonoma.edu(link sends e-mail), or visit https://sbe.sonoma.edu/winebiz.