Leticia Chacón-Rodriguez now heads the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) after being confirmed by the board as president. As of July 1, she leads the 12-member board to build on the success of Past President Sara Spayd of North Carolina State University.

“It is a privilege to be able to serve as president of the ASEV board of directors and follow in the footsteps of past presidents like Dr. Sara Spayd,” said Chacón-Rodriguez. “The board has a great responsibility to continue the strong tradition of moving the industry and membership forward through the exchange of information and the support of research and education. I’m excited to say we have an intelligent, hard-working group of people at the forefront whose shared research is vital to new developments in enology and viticulture.”

A member of ASEV since 1998, Chacón-Rodriguez was an ASEV scholarship recipient in 1998-1999 and elected to the Board in 2008. She has been a winemaker at Treasury Wine Estates in Napa since 2007 and is currently senior winemaker for their Napa Bottling Center. She was previously employed by E&J Gallo Winery, Golden State Vintners, and Allied Domecq in her home country of Mexico. Chacón-Rodriguez is also a member of the California Enological Research Association and the Technical Review Committee with the American Vineyard Foundation.

James Kennedy of California State University, Fresno, was confirmed as first vice president, and Lise Asimont of Francis Ford Coppola Presents was elected as second vice president. Jim Harbertson of Washington State University continues as secretary-treasurer, Linda Bisson, University of California, Davis, as AJEV science editor and Andrew Walker, University of California, Davis, as technical program director. Newly elected directors include Mark Greenspan of Advance Viticulture Inc, Nichola Hall of Scott Laboratories and Hildegarde Heymann of the University of California, Davis.
Click here for the full list of the 2012-2013 board members.

ASEV is a nonprofit professional society dedicated to the interests of enologists, viticulturists and others in the fields of wine and grape research and production throughout the world. Membership includes professionals from wineries, vineyards, academic institutions and regional organizations. More information on the ASEV, its programs and annual meeting can be found online at www.asev.org.