Taking the lead on Lodi wines
Lodi Winegrape Commission names executive director
After 19 years with the Winegrape Commission, Stuart Spencer is now running the show. He was named the new executive director on Wednesday.
“I’m really excited. I think this is a great time for Lodi, and I’m excited to be a part of helping to guide and lead this community to new heights,” Spencer said.
Spencer worked under three previous executive directors before getting his shot to head up the commission. In the past, when executive directors decided to move on from the position, Spencer declined to pursue the job. However, he now feels he has more time to commit to the job and that he had the experience, contacts and relationships in the community and industry to move Lodi forward.
“Our board and constituents came together to realize what we needed, and that was in line with his expertise,” said Kendra Altnow, the commission’s executive board vice chair. “Stuart has the history. He has the talent and the experience and he knows who our community is, so that’s a good feeling. He brings a lot to the table because of what he knows. He
“Stuart has the history. He has the talent and the experience and he knows who our community is, so that’s a good feeling. He brings a lot to the table because of what he knows. He knows the industry well, and he knows the players. That’s really important. That’s what we need right now.”
KENDRA ALTNOW LODI WINEGRAPE COMMISSION EXECUTIVE BOARD VICE CHAIR
knows the industry well, and he knows the players. That’s really important. That’s what we need right now.”
Spencer is replacing Wendy Brannen, who resigned on Jan. 18 to pursue other opportunities after only 14 months with the commission. She replaced Camron King who served for four years.
As executive director, Spencer will oversee the commission’s marketing, public relations, strategic planning and regional branding efforts, as well as grower and vintner relations. In addition, Spencer will facilitate grower education, viticultural research and expand awareness of Lodi Rules for sustainable winegrowing.
According to Spencer, one of his first priorities is to work with board and leadership within the winegrape community on laying out the next five to 10 years for the commission’s marketing activities.
“My vision of Lodi is one where the finest restaurants and retailers are carrying Lodi wine and traveling all across the world to discover this wonderful community and we’re going to make that happen,” Spencer said.
Lodi has evolved considerably from where it was 20 years ago, expanding from a handful of wineries to over 85 today, Spencer said.
“I think we need to redouble our efforts back on bringing new wineries to the area so that we can create a diversified grape market here in Lodi and provide more opportunities for our growers,” Spencer said. “I think many in our winegrape growing community have been under a lot of pressure lately with increased farming costs and market conditions, and so we’re hoping to provide some outlets for them and relieve some of that pressure and lay the foundation for them to be much more successful and sustainable moving forward.”
Spencer has always had a vested interest in the wine and grape growing industry, and is passionate about seeing it flourish.
“My father was in the wine business. I got experience growing grapes and making wine, and my family owns St. Amant Winery here in Lodi,” Spencer said. “Through that, I’ve been a part of the wine and grape industry since I was a little kid, so I’ve experienced it first-hand from all angles, from trying to grow the grapes and sell the grapes to making the wine and sell the wine.”
One of the biggest challenges Spencer said he will have to face as the director is helping those in the winegrape community gain more control over their businesses despite the increasing costs and market conditions they are being hit with.
“We at the Winegrape Commission can’t control what the costs are or the regulatory environment in which our growers are operating, so we have to focus in on market conditions as well as grower education to give them the tools to be more efficient in their farming operations to deal with the challenges of today,” Spencer said.
As director, Spencer sees an opportunity to continue moving more growers into the premium sector of the wine business.
“The premium sector of our business has been growing rapidly,” Spencer said. “Lodi is a region that is untapped for the potential quality that we have, and so part of the task in front of me is to educate and bring others in the industry to Lodi to highlight the incredible quality of wines we could be producing here.”
Spencer began working for the commission in 1999. He played a key role in developing the Lodi Wine & Visitor Center, the Lodi Rules for Sustainable Wine growing and the LoCA advertising campaign.
“A better marriage couldn’t be arranged with someone who has been there 19 years,” said Mark Chandler, who hired Spencer during his stint as executive director of the commission from its inception in 1991 to 2011. “He knows the operation inside and out. Stuart is extremely capable. He knows the industry and he knows wine and that’s a fundamental advantage in that position.”
Spencer holds a bachelor’s degree in business economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He and his wife, Carrie, a school psychologist in Lodi Unified School District, have two teenage daughters, Madison and Sydney.
“I’m really excited to get my feet underneath me and move this region forward,” Spencer said.