WORK EXPERIENCE

American Sommelier, Inc New York, New York

Founder ~ President Sep. 1998–Present

oCreated and taught curriculum from 2000 – Present

o16-week Advanced Blind Tasting Course commencing in 2001

o10-week lecture series Sal: es, Service and Buying

o24-week Viticulture ~ Vinification

o 8-week Consumer course

Published curriculum textbook: co-author, editor and co-publisher commencing with 1st edition in 2012.

Produced Best Sommelier in America Competition triennially from 1998 to 2011.

Established sponsor relationships for academic scholarships and Best Sommelier Competition.

Developed Destination Riesling Seminar Series for Deutche Wein Institute 2008.

Created and produced Best Sommelier of South Africa Competition in New York 2010 for WOSA.

Partnered with Sud de France (La Maison de la Region de L’Occitanie) New York for Best Sommelier of Sud de France 2010-2019.

Created and produced Best Sommelier Rhone Valley Wines for Inter-Rhone 2014 & 2015.

Created restaurant consultancy focused on raising employee wine and service level to increase standards

Wine Symphony, Inc. New York, New York Owner Jul. 1996 – May 2022

Ran all shipping logistics, monthly price postings, budgeting & sales forecasting, inventory management, SLA compliance, A/R & A/P, collections, and foreign exchange risk-management.

Developed sales tools and incentives to drive market share of new and existing products.

Managed sales team for New York State covering retailers, chef-driven restaurants, Michelin star restaurants.

Created event-based, in-market visits with suppliers year-round.

Consultant for foreign wineries (outside of portfolio), guiding winemakers looking to further penetrate US market with trending styles or new consumer segments.

Beverage Media (Sevenfifty.com) New York, New York

Columnist Apr. 2012–Apr. 2021

Monthly column covering beverage trends, procedures, and shortcuts for operating a profitable program.

New York University New York, New York

Instructor ~ School of Hospitality Sep. 2016–May 2017

Guest lecturer on wine and service in hospitality for both restaurant and hotel management undergraduate students

Restaurant Guy Savoy 3* Michelin Paris, France

Sommelier Sep. 1994–Jul. 1996

First American Sommelier at two-star Michelin restaurant in 1994.

Responsible for floor sales, inventory, training, purchasing and list additions.

Increased sales by 50% annually.

Charcuterie de Seine Wine Retail store Paris, France

Managing Director Feb. 1994–Sep. 1994

Created a standalone market street front wine shop. I took a charcuterie which sold wine into a 400-reference wine store, doubling sales monthly.

EDUCATION

University of South Florida

Master’s in Science – MUMA College of Business – School of Hotel Management and Tourism - completion May 2024

San Fransisco State University

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology ~ Concentration: Developmental

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