Emilie Eliason
Chief Executive Officer

Ms. Eliason has worked in the premium wine and spirits business for fifteen years. Prior to joining Truett Hurst as CEO, she launched and served as General Manager at Geodesy Wine, a social enterprise brand supporting young women’s leadership programs. During her tenure at Geodesy, she opened the wholesale business and significantly grew the DTC business. Ms. Eliason started her wine career at Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines in 2008 and moved to Treasury Wine Estates in 2010, where she launched a successful portfolio platform as the Imports Brand Manager and was quickly promoted to Senior Direct Marketing Manager. She joined J Vineyards and Winery in 2013 as Vice President of Marketing and DTC Sales and helped transition the brand into E&J Gallo’s business in 2015 when it was acquired. In 2016 Ms. Eliason was hired by the Crimson Wine Group and served as Vice President of Marketing and then Vice President of DTC Sales and Innovation where she launched Malene Wines and spearheaded digital initiatives to grow the ecommerce business by 50%. Throughout her career, Ms. Eliason has built brands with a strong focus on consumer engagement and innovative leadership. She has a BA from Amherst College and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

 
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Karen Weaver
Chief Financial Officer

Ms. Weaver has served as Vice President, Corporate Controller of the Company since December 18, 2017. She was previously employed by Amyris, Inc. (“Amyris”), a publicly-traded biotechnology company as Vice President and Corporate Controller from 2012 until 2014 and Vice President, Finance from 2014 until 2017. In August 2013, she was appointed Principal Accounting Officer of Amyris. From 2009 until 2011, Ms. Weaver served as Vice President and Corporate Controller of Sonic Solutions, a publicly-traded global digital media software and entertainment solutions provider, where Ms. Weaver oversaw a global finance team. Ms. Weaver has approximately 30 years of management, leadership and industry experience leading finance functions for early stage to public companies, with domestic and foreign operations in the technology, biotechnology, manufacturing and financial services industries.

 
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Ross Reedy
Director of Winemaking

Mr. Reedy has served as Director of Winemaking of the Company since January 11, 2019. He was previously an Assistant Winemaker for the Company since 2011. He is responsible for all winemaking of the Truett Hurst and VML brands located in Healdsburg, CA and production at Sugarloaf Crush facility located in Santa Rosa, CA. Reedy and his team will be producing ultra-premium Zinfandel from the Dry Creek Valley and ultra-premium Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley and Green Valley, along with other varietals that round out the Truett Hurst and VML portfolios of wine. Reedy studied Wine and Viticulture at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, while simultaneously gaining real-world experience at a boutique winery in Paso Robles. After graduation in 2005, he traveled the world- chasing the perfect grape harvest. Stints in cellars, vineyards, and winemaking labs across Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and Napa Valley eventually led him back to Sonoma County, where he accepted a permanent position with Truett Hurst and VML as cellar assistant in 2012.

Board of Directors

DANIEL A. CARROLL
Chairman

Mr. Carroll served as a partner/managing director of TPG Capital L.P. from 1995 to 2010. He has served on the board of directors of Shenzhen Development Bank (China) (2005-2010), Myer Department Stores, Ltd (Australia) (2006-2009), Bank Thai, Ltd (Thailand) (2007-2009) and Healthscope Australia (2010-2011). He received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University in 1982 and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 1986. Dan has served as a managing member of the LLC and a Director of Truett-Hurst, Inc. since 2012. Mr. Carroll was selected to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive experience in executive management oversight, private equity, capital markets and transactional matters. Mr. Carroll also serves on our audit committee and as chair of the nominating governance committee.

Bill Best
Director

Mr. Best is a seasoned business executive with 40-year plus years of experience in a variety of roles and sectors. Mr. Best is currently the COO and Partner of the Regal Holdings and the Managing Principal of Vine Street Shoppes, LLC. He also operates his own advisory and consulting company, Garrett Lanes Advisors and is a member of the Virtual Advisory Board, an international network of highly skilled and seasoned business advisors. He has served as the CEO of one of Canada's premier wealth management firms, twice being recognized as one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Private Companies. He was the COO of Assante Advisory Services and a member of Assante Corporation’s Board of Directors during Assante’s consolidation of the independent financial advisory channel in Canada. Bill received his Bachelor of Arts from Victoria College at the University of Toronto in 1982 and his CA (now CPA, CA) designation in 1985 while at Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC). Mr. Best was granted the ESG Board Member GCB.D designation from Competent Boards. He is an active member of the Young President’s Organization now as a member of the YPO Gold Chicago Chapter.

PAUL DOLAN III
Co-Founder

Mr. Dolan has been involved in the wine business since 1975 and is considered the founding father of organics and biodynamics in the California wine industry. He is proud to say he is a fourth-generation winemaker but even prouder to say his children have joined him. He started his winemaking career with what was then a small winery in Mendocino, Fetzer Vineyards, in 1977 and then helped the Fetzer family grow to one of the premier California wineries, selling over three million cases. Mr. Dolan managed the company as President for the new owners, the Brown-Forman Corporation, from 1992 to 2002. He has served as Chairman of the Wine Institute (1990-2012) and became the first Chairman of the Sustainable Winegrowers Alliance (2002-2003). He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from the University of Santa Clara and a Master of Science in Enology from the University of California-Fresno. He is also author of True to Your Roots: Fermenting a Business Revolution. He has served as a managing member of the LLC since 2010 and a Director of Truett-Hurst, Inc. since 2012. Mr. Dolan was selected to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive knowledge of our business, which he gained as one of our founders, as well as his experience in building wine companies and leadership in developing and promoting sustainable farming techniques. Mr. Dolan has served as a managing member of the LLC since 2007 and as a Director of Truett-Hurst, Inc. since 2012. Mr. Dolan was selected to serve as Chief Executive Officer due to his extensive knowledge of our operations, competitive challenges and opportunities gained through his position as our Director, as well as his extensive experience and education in winemaking.

BARRIE GRAHAM
Director

Mr. Graham has over 20 years of experience in commercial banking, having served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Exchange Bank (1995-2008), and as a Senior Manager at Wells Fargo (1985-1995). At Wells Fargo, Barrie was the Senior Vice President responsible for Business Development for the Commercial Banking Group. He is a former Director and past-Chairman of the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington- Seattle (1998-2011, Chairman 2009-2010) and a former Director of the California Bankers Association (2004-2008). Prior to joining WR Hambrecht + Co (2011-Present), Mr. Graham was President and Chief Executive Officer of hybridCore Homes (2009-2011). Mr. Graham is a Director of Empire Law School (2004-Present) and numerous nonprofits. He has a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Clarkson University, a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Golden Gate University and is a graduate of the Executive Management Program at Harvard and the Pacific Coast Banking School. He is a former Marine Infantry Officer and has served as a managing member of the LLC since 2011 and a Director of Truett-Hurst, Inc. since 2012. Mr. Graham was selected to serve on our board of directors due to his experience in executive management oversight, accounting and financial transactions. Mr. Graham also serves on our compensation committee as chair and on our nominating governance committee.

PHILLIP L. HURST
Director

With a winemaking degree from University of California-Davis, Mr. Hurst began his career in the wine industry in 1985 at Fetzer Vineyards when he was hired by Paul Dolan to help make premium wines and build the brand. Fetzer Vineyards was sold to the Brown-Forman Corporation in 1992, and he left in 1998 to run International Sales and Marketing for Golden State Vintners, Inc. which needed to bolster the senior management team for the launch of its initial public offering. During his time at Golden State Vintners, Inc. (1998-1999), Mr. Hurst met his future partners in what was to become one of the world’s largest private label beer, wine and spirits companies, Winery Exchange Inc. As co-founder and Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing from 1999 to 2007, he helped grow the company to over $100 million in sales in less than 10 years. Mr. Hurst sold his stake in the company to partner with his longtime friend and mentor, Paul Dolan, to follow their dream of buying and building Super-premium wineries and vineyards in California’s premier appellations.  Mr. Hurst has served as a managing member of the LLC since 2007 and as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Truett-Hurst, Inc. from 2012 to 2018. Mr. Hurst was selected to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive knowledge of our operations, competitive challenges and opportunities gained through his position as our President and Chief Executive Officer as well as his extensive experience and education in winemaking.