Anna-Marie is the Director of Local Government Affairs for the California Restaurant Association (CRA) and is responsible for overseeing CRA’s objectives at the local level.  Anna-Marie works on issues ranging from environment to employment. Her main objective is to ensure elected officials make public policy decisions with full understanding of the impacts their decisions have on the restaurant industry.  Currently, Anna-Marie is working throughout localities in Northern California to defeat local minimum wage increases; letter grading proposals; and challenge fee increases. 
 
Anna-Marie is a graduate of UC Davis School of Law with a strong background in legal research and local land use law.  She has worked in the Capitol as a Legislative Aide, with an emphasis on local government issues, and has lobbying experience with the law firm of Nossaman, Guthner and Elliot.

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Burke Owens is Associate Curator of Wine at COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts in Napa, California, where he enhances visitors’ experience of fine food and wine using his passion, considerable expertise and rich, resonant voice. He is responsible for COPIA’S many and varied wine programs; including wine education, seasonal and themed special seminars and events, as well as industry and consumer outreach.

Owens’ lifelong passion for fine food and wine has fueled his career. As sommelier at the legendary Masa’s in San Francisco, his dedication to providing a wide ranging, yet selective cellar, combined with informed, gracious service resulted in his winning, 3 years in a row, the S.F. Chronicle’s Best Wine program in the Bay Area, San Francisco Focus Magazine Reader's Poll Best Wine Service in Northern California as well as a James Beard Foundation Award nomination for Best Wine Service in the United States. There, and previously at Manka’s Inverness Lodge on Tomales Bay and Oliveto’s in Oakland, his educational approach to wine service resulted in a dramatic increase in customer satisfaction and a doubling of the average wine sale per customer.

Over a two decade wine industry career his enthusiasm and business acumen earned him positions as Director of Fine and Rare Wines for Butterfields Auctioneers in Los Angeles; General Manager and Director of Operations for fine wine importer and distributor USA Wine West; and Marketing and Public Relations Manager for Kendall-Jackson/Artisans & Estates. He was also the final Wine Merchant left standing at nationwide wine e-tailer Wine.com.

Throughout, Owens’ enthusiasm for education and communication has shown through all his professional endeavors. From developing wine programs, internet sites and trade videos to serving as West Coast Wine Critic and Editor for Wine & Spirits Magazine, Owens strove, and still strives, to increase his audiences’ sensual awareness of the wonders of the vine, and the way it seamlessly pairs with a multitude of dishes, settings and lifestyles. “My passion is to facilitate people’s understanding and appreciation of wine, food & the arts through education and the training of the senses.”

Raised in New England, Owens appears to be maturing nicely, while developing a unique bouquet with his wife and two teenage children in Napa Valley.

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Medical Practice

Clinical Medical Director/Staff Physician, WorkHealth Occupational Medical Clinic
2001-Present

Partner, Napa Valley Emergency Medical Group, Queen of the Valley Hospital
1000 Trancas Street, Napa, CA 94558
1991-Present

Professional and Administrative Activities

Managing Partner, Napa Valley Emergency Medical Group 2003

Medical Director, Emergency Department, Queen of the Valley Hospital, 1996-2002

President, Napa County Medical Society, 1997

Board of Directors, Napa County Medical Society, 1995-Present

Board Certification and Fellowship

American Board of Emergency Medicine, 1987, Recertification, 1998

Fellow, American College of Emergency Physicians

Education

New York Medical College, M.D. 1983

UCLA School of Public Health, M. P. H. Epidemiology 1978

San Diego State University, B.S. 1975

Professional Affiliations

American College of Emergency Physicians

California Medical Association

Napa County Medical Society

American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Western Occupational and Environmental Medical Association

Email: none

Deborah Coffee is owner and innkeeper of the Inn on Randolph, a popular bed and breakfast in Napa's downtown historic district. Coffee purchased the City Landmark property, consisting of a large l860 Victorian house and 3 smaller 1930's cottages, in l990.  After extensive renovation, the inn opened in l994 with 5 guest rooms and has expanded to include 10 guest accommodations.

Coffee holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
She began her business career with Diebold, Incorporated in Tampa, Florida. After relocating with the company to San Francisco, Coffee managed the start-up programs for automated teller machines at several of California's largest financial institutions, including Bank of America.  After a 17 year career at Diebold, Coffee was recruited by Silicon Valley computer company Tandem Computers, where she was Marketing Manager for worldwide professional services.

 It was in l990 that Coffee decided to replace corporate life in the Silicon Valley with hospitality in the Napa Valley.  Since opening the inn 10 years ago, she has served on the Board of Directors of the Bed and Breakfast Inns of Napa Valley and as the Community Representative for the Bed and Breakfast Inns of Napa.

Coffee is often spotted around town and the Valley in search of fun activities to delight her guests.  While guests are enjoying the pleasures of Napa, she can typically be found in one of the inn's gardens or planning her next decorating project

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Debra Blodgett has been in the wine industry for almost 14 years, most recently joining Winegrowers of Napa County as their Executive Director in July 2002.  She also has served on the staff of Assemblymember Pat Wiggins as Senior Consultant to the Assembly Select Committee on California Wine with responsibilities in policy development and implementation.  She worked for three years at Ravenswood Winery in Sonoma where she managed California sales.  While at Ravenswood, she also assisted the Executive Vice President with various projects, including helping Ravenswood prepare for their initial public offering in April of 1999.

Winegrowers of Napa County is a non-profit organization with members from the vintner and grape grower community dedicated to sustainable agriculture as the highest and best use of the natural resources of Napa County.  Winegrowers of Napa County is committed to actions that preserve and enhance the environment, maintain the economic viability of agriculture and present a mode for social responsibility. 

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Nationally acclaimed, and top talk show host Gene Burns joined the KGO NEWSTALK AM 810 team in March of 1995. In 1996, Gene became the host of the 2 – 4 pm slot on weekdays, Monday through Friday and in 1998 he moved to the 7 – 10 pm slot. Since May of 1995, Burns has hosted the number one rated, and ever popular food, wine and travel program, Dining Around with Gene Burns, on Saturdays from 10 am to 1 pm.

Talk radio and Gene Burns were made for each other. Gene started his career in 1962, as a news director and reporter at a radio station in upstate New York, followed by positions at stations in York, Pennsylvania, Baltimore, Maryland and Boston Massachusetts. He also served as a talk show host, news commentator and program director for WKIS in Orlando, Florida for 14 years.

Until December of 1994, Burns hosted a nationally syndicated afternoon-drive talk show that originated from WOR in New York and was carried on 162 stations. Gene began hosting his national show out of Boston via satellite in 1990, and moved to New York in 1992.

Burns has served on the Boards of dozens of community organizations including serving as a past president of the National Association of Radio Talk Show Hosts. During his career he has conducted live broadcasts from around the globe, including Israel, Russia, Japan and Canada. He is a sought-after speaker and often serves as a moderator at town hall meetings. During his career Burns has interviewed hundreds of prominent guests including Bill and Hillary Clinton, Janet Reno, Al D’Amato, Alan Simpson, Tom Campbell and Lamar Smith.

Burns attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He is an avid wine lover and collector and enjoys cooking and traveling. Gene resides in San Francisco.

Email: Not Available

George Leonard, Seafood Watch Science Manager, holds a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from Brown University and a MS in Marine Science from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories.  At Seafood Watch, he is responsible for overseeing the research and analysis of capture fisheries and aquaculture operations related to the development of sustainability recommendations for the public.  Before joining Seafood Watch in early 2003, George was the Program Manager for COMPASS (the Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea) where he helped communicate emerging marine conservation science to policymakers, NGOs and resource managers.  Prior to his work at Monterey Bay Aquarium, George was a postdoctoral associate at Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University from 1999-2000.  His primary ecological research has concerned the population and community ecology of subtidal and intertidal habitats on both coasts of the United States. Most of this work has been published in the peer-reviewed literature.  He has given numerous seminars at academic and research institutions.  George is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Ecological Society of America, the Society of Conservation Biology, Sigma Xi and the Western Society of Naturalists.

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Jill Techel is currently serving on the Napa City Council and she is running for Mayor in the March 2005 election. In addition to serving on the council she coordinates the Leadership Napa Valley Program. Last year Jill was awarded the Preceptor Award from the National Leadership Association for her work in creating new leaders for the Napa Community. Jill was recently elected chairman of the Napa Flood Control and Water Conservation District that oversees the Napa Flood Control Project.

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Owner of one of Napa Valley’s most popular Italian restaurants, Joe Salerno and his wife Cathy are now beginning their 8th year of operating Piccolino’s Italian Café.

Salerno holds an associate degree in computer processing and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and has completed course work for an MBA with the University of Phoenix.

His first major corporate job was Vice President/General Manager of Public Restaurants for Manning’s Food Company in San Francisco. He successfully turned around a floundering small chain and eventually opened 22 restaurants in Hawaii, Southern California, Northern California, Oregon and Washington.

Salerno then became Director of Marketing for a division of Carnation Company, now owned by Nestle Co., opening 40 retail centers throughout the Western United States.   When that division was sold, he became the Strategic Information Manager for the Market Research Department of Carnation Company, managing information systems for the sales and marketing departments

Since moving to Napa eight years ago, he has served as a board member of the Visitor’s and Convention Bureau, The Work Force Investment Board and is currently the President of the Downtown Association.  He is a founding member of the Napa Valley Restaurant Symposium.

He can usually be found at Piccolino’s talking to his customers or at one of the many Napa Valley events and charities serving up samples of his cooking skills.

Email: none

Kate King, ACE, is the President & CEO of the Napa Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of the United States Chamber’s Institute for Organizational Management at San Diego University and a graduate of the University of Arizona’s Economic Development Program. The 1997 recipient of the Western Association of Chamber Executive’s William E. Hammond Award for outstanding work in chamber management, and year 2000’s Executive of The Year, Kate now serves as Chair Elect for the Western Association of Chamber Executives. She was Chairman of the 2003 W.A.C.E. Annual Conference and is slated to become the Chairman of the Board of W.A.C.E. in February, 2005. She received her Accredited Chamber Executive (ACE) designation in February of 2001. She also serves in the following volunteer positions

• Chair, Local Chamber Advisory Board for the California Chamber of Commerce
  
• Member, Small Business Advisory Committee for the California Chamber of Commerce
  
• A founding member of the Alliance of North Bay Chambers
  
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Advisory Board of the Napa Valley College Small Business Development Center
  
• Vice President of the Board of Directors of Napa First Federal Credit Union
  

Kate is a graduate of Class XIV of Leadership Napa Valley, and was also recognized in October, 2000 by Napa County’s Commission on the Status of Women and Senator Wesley Chesbro for “making a difference” in the lives of women.

Prior to finding her calling in chamber management, Kate was a professional fundraiser for both the healthcare industry and for the theater arts. She is a frequent speaker and presenter at professional conferences, and conducts workshops on a variety of subjects including Networking for the College Student, Customer Service, Gender Issues in the Workplace, Ethics in the Workplace, and the Importance of Legislative Advocacy for Small Business Leaders.

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Mark Luce is currently a member of the Napa County Board of Supervisors.  He also maintains a part time position as a Staff Environmental Engineer at Chevron Energy Technology Company.  

Mark graduated from San Jose State University with Great Distinction with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering in 1978 and went on to the University of Wisconsin where he received with a Master of Science degree in 1980.

Mark and Kathy were married in 1977 and moved to Napa in 1980 where Mark began working at Chevron and Kathy went to work raising the first of their four children.  Their youngest, Adam, is now a freshman at Berkeley majoring in Engineering. Kathy currently works at the St. Helena Hospital as a Physical Therapist.

Mark was appointed to the Napa County Planning Commission in 1985 and served until 1989.   In 1990, Mark won a seat on the Napa City Council where he served his four-year term. Mark was subsequently elected to the Napa County Board of Supervisors in 1996. Mark ran un-opposed for re-election in 2000 and in 2004.

Mark is also the current President of the Redwood Empire Association, a regional tourism bureau covering the Northern California Coast.

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Mel was raised on the fifth-generation Coleman Ranches in Saguache, Colo., where his father, Mel Coleman, Sr. started the Coleman Natural Meat (CNM) business in 1979.

At Western State College in Gunnison, Colo., Mel majored in business and education, which added business and leadership skills to his firsthand ranching experience. In 1982, Mel began working in CNM’s sales division. His position grew to encompass a lobbying effort that urged the USDA to create special labeling standards for natural beef – an effort that was ultimately successful. Mel also aided in the development the Coleman Certified Rancher and Feedlot program to ensure a consistent, quality supply of cattle raised to the company’s natural standards.

Mel has helped to establish CNM as a meat industry leader through his international work. He has also nurtured long-lasting relationships domestically through extensive involvement in the natural foods industry. He has served on the boards of the Organic Trade Association and the Organic Food Alliance.  He also currently serves on the Pew Initiative for Food and Biotechnology on the Livestock Advisory Panel.  Mel is a frequent guest speaker on the topics of natural beef marketing and natural and organic beef production across the United States and internationally.

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Michele O’Malley is currently the National Sales & Marketing Manager for the 4 star/4 Diamond Silverado Resort and Spa.  Michele has been with Silverado for 14 years originally marketing the Napa Valley to corporations headquartered in the Midwest and currently to corporations based in the Northwest.

Michele began her hotel career on Nob Hill as the manager of The Stanford Court’s VIP reservation program.  Reporting directly to the owner, Jim Nassikas, Michele’s training was greatly influenced by Jim Nassikas’ passion for food and wine and belief that great hotels should have great restaurants.  The Stanford Court’s restaurant “Fournou’s Ovens” frequently hosted Jim Beard, Craig Claibourn and Julia Child, as well as movie stars, political dignitaries and corporate executives who expected exceptional cuisine to be a part of their hotel experience.

After six years on Nob Hill, Michele accepted the position of Director of Sales and Marketing for the Campton Place Hotel on Union Square where she had the opportunity to work with Brad Ogden.  Once again, the philosophy was to market the hotel through an innovative chef who offered American “comfort” food competitive with the 5 star restaurants of San Francisco.

In 1989, Michele decided to depart San Francisco for the more rural life of the Napa Valley.  Still close enough to lure her clients to the Silverado Resort and Spa, Michele expanded her hotel experience by serving as a board member and then President of the Napa Valley Conference & Visitors Bureau.  Her mission with the CVB was to preserve the Napa Valley’s presence as the nation’s premier wine country destination.

Michele is a native Californian and graduate of Woodside High School and the College of Notre Dame.  She is continuing her education through extension courses offered by the Cornell School of Hotel Management.

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Paul Franson has written a weekly column about what’s new at Napa Valley restaurants, wineries and other businesses in the Napa Valley Register for more than eight years.

 He writes regularly for The Vine, Napa Valley Life, Wine Country.com, Solano Magazine and other magazines, and has written in the past for Wine Country Living, Inside Napa Valley, Wine Country This Week, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Reno Gazette-Journal and other publications. He also writes about wine for the Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, Wines & Vines, Wine Business Monthly and Senior Connection. 
 Franson formerly owned a large public relations agency in Silicon Valley. With Harvey Posert, he published Spinning the Bottle: Case Studies in Wine Public Relations.” 

 He has lived in Napa two years after six in St. Helena.
 Much of Franson’s writing about Napa Valley is can be found at  www.NapaLife.com, while his other writing is at www.TravelTastes.com.

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An Oahu, Hawaii native, Chef Pahk began his career as an apprentice in Waikiki.  After receiving training in French cuisine, he worked at local restaurants where he added gourmet seafood and Continental cuisine to his repertoire.

 His formal education took place at Syracuse University and at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York.  Upon graduating from the CIA, Chef Pahk embarked upon his career with the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company in 1984 as Executive Sous Chef.  While there, he established an impressive following for his Asian-influenced California cuisine.  Transferring his West Coast talents to Atlanta in 1994, he was also in charge of the Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta Culinary Arts School, which was held annually.

 In 1993, Chef Pahk was named “America’s 2000,” an award given to outstanding chefs in North America. In 1994, he was honored with an invitation to cook the New Year’s Eve Dinner for members of the James Beard Foundation in New York.

 In 1997, Chef Pahk joined the Silverado Resort in Napa Valley as the Executive Chef.  This is a four, diamond resort with two dining facilities plus the most sought out conference services and catering facility in Northern California.  It also hosts 1,200 private members on 1,200 acres of golf and tennis activities.

 Chef Pahk is a member of the American Culinary Federation, the James Beard Foundation, Chef’s Collaborative, the Resort Food Executive Committee founded by Herman Rusch (an elite membership of 35 nationwide independent resort Executive Chefs), and Board Member of the Mustard Festival, Napa Valley.

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Rick Hendrie, LINK Inc.’s President & Chief Experience Officer has played many roles. In his 29-year career, he has provided marketing guidance to chains as diverse as Fuddruckers, Hearth n’ Kettle, Champps’ Restaurant & Bar, Arby’s, La Salsa, Marie Callender’s Pie Shops, Beefsteak Charlie’s, The Cattleman and Charlie Brown’s Steak Houses.  His planning prowess and practical strategies increased their sales and strengthened their guest’s loyalty.

Marketing helps a client create, brand and market more memorable and profitable guest dining experiences. Hendrie created Method Marketing, a comprehensive approach, which combines the mechanics and art of marketing communication, the theatrics of creating a dynamic dining experience and the realities of running a profitable restaurant. He studied with theater greats, Stella Adler & Harold Clurman and worked with advertising legends like George Lois and Joseph O’Donnell.  He learned how to craft ‘out of this world’ dining experiences from Michela Larson, Christopher Myers, Jim Dodge, as well as, James Beard Award winners Jody Adams, and Chris Schlesinger. He has provided expert guidance to dozens of restaurants from the single operator to nationwide, multi-unit chains that span quick service to fine dining.

His restaurant marketing E-Newsletter “It’s ShowTime Baby…and You’re the Show!” goes out every three weeks to restaurant professionals around the world, concentrating on The 5 Golden Principles of Method Marketing and The Ten GEMS tm of Guest Experience Marketing. He has presented seminars and workshops to such organizations as The National Restaurant Association, The International Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Show, The Hospitality Institute of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, Northeast Foodservice Exposition, WESTEX and the Bowling Proprietor’s Association of America. Further details of his experience and background may be found on his website

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A graduate of Santa Clara University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration with a Masters’ Degree. Born and raised in San Jose, California before heading to the East Coast for Graduate Studies and to begin his hospitality career. Sam has worked for both independent, as well as, branded hotel properties from full service boutique to large meeting hotels. Sam has worked in many great destination resort locations including; Up State New York at Lake George, South Florida, Palm Beach, Florida Keys, Key Largo, San Juan Islands, Orcas Island, Jersey Shore, Long Branch and Napa Valley, Napa. In each of these locations, Sam has worked closely with the local Chambers of Commerce, Convention and Visitor Bureaus and Tourism Councils to further expand business opportunities and tourism marketing.
 
Sam has been in Napa since fall of 2003 to open the newly constructed luxury boutique hotel, River Terrace Inn, with 106 guest rooms and suites.

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Tim Hanni is the President and founder of WINEQUEST SOLUTIONS, a strategic marketing and technology company creating innovative, industry-leading solutions for managing, promoting and selling wine. WINEQUEST is incorporating new ways to understand and innovatively market to wine consumers and have quickly become the world’s leading wine program management supplier to multi-unit hotel and restaurant companies. WineQuest Program Management curriculum is now an integral part of the hospitality business curriculum at Michigan State and Johnson and Wales Universities.

Tim has been professionally involved with food and wine for over thirty-five years.  In 1990 he successfully completed the Master of Wine examination in London, England becoming one of the first of two resident Americans ever to achieve what is regarded as the highest accolade in the international wine industry.  He trained and worked as a professional chef, and has also worked in the retail, importing, brokering and production end of fine wines. He was granted a Lifetime Membership in the National Registry of Who’s Who in America and is on the national board of the American Institute of Wine and Food.
  
Hanni has a unique perspective on classical food and wine relationships combined with modern and innovative approaches to the subject. His philosophies for creating easy to use wine lists and retail wine programs, combined with techniques for balancing food to be delicious with wine, are employed by hundreds of restaurants and hotels from Beijing to Zurich.  The marketing, sensory and food science aspects of developed by WINEQUEST form the core of the training and educational curriculums for wine producers, retailers, promotional organizations and distributors, as well as hotels and restaurants, cruise lines and educational institutions.

Tim combines a sense of humor with his thorough, intimate knowledge of wines and international cuisines, making the enjoyment of both more accessible.  He also plays guitar in the rhythm and blues band, Kate Hanni and the Toasted Heads (aka Kate Moon on her newly-released CD and video “Dreams are Forever”).

Email: not available