Midwest Wine And Grape Summit

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EXPANDED EDUCATIONAL TRACKS

Covering viticulture, enology, marketing, and business management, tailored for both newcomers and seasoned professionals. Sign up for Summit 1-on-1 opportunities below!

Schedule

INDUSTRY TOUR & NETWORKING RECEPTION

Depart 11:15 AM | Meet at Best Western Conference Hotel
11:45 AM – 1:05 PM | Triple 3 Vineyard
1:35 PM – 2:55 PM | Noboleis Vineyards
3:15 PM – 4:35 PM | Defiance Ridge Vineyards
4:45 PM | Miss Augusta River Cruise
Depart 4:15 PM | Meet at Best Western Conference Hotel for Miss Augusta River Cruise
7:45 AM | Bus Departs Best Western Plus Conference Hotel
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM | Welcoming Remarks
GENERAL SESSION
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM | Beyond Trails and AVAs: Building Statewide Wine Networks

Jill Smedley, Co-CEO & Founder, Director of Marketing | Wine Fringe

Jake Blodinger. Co-Owner, Director of Winemaking | Wine Fringe

10:15 AM – 10:45 AM | Break
CONCURRENT SESSIONS | CHOOSE ONE
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Sensory Exploration: Riedel Tasting

Susan Durbrow, U.S. Wineries National Sales Manager | Riedel Crystal of America

10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
Grape Pest Forensics

Dr. Dean Volenburg, State Extension Viticulture Lead | University of Missouri

Using Emotion to Engage & Build a Connection with Your Customers

Kathy Kelley, Professor of Horticultural Marketing and Business Management | Penn State

12:00 PM – 1:15 PM | Lunch and Trade Show
CONCURRENT SESSIONS | CHOOSE ONE
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Leaf Lessons: Diagnosing Grapevine Symptoms

Fritz Westover, Viticulturist | Virtual Viticulture Academy & Westover Advising

Progressive Winemaking: Crafting Balanced and Expressive Wines

Jason Moulton, Director of Winemaking & Viticulture | Whitehall Lane Winery

Creating Visual Identity: Canva 101

Anndrea Harris, Creative Director & Owner | Whooann Creative

2:15 PM – 2:45 PM | Break and Trade Show
GENERAL SESSION
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM | Missouri & Illinois State Meetings
3:45 PM – 5:00 PM | Break and Trade Show
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM | Reception and Optional Cellar Tour
6:30 PM | Dinner
8:00 PM | Bus Departs Mount Pleasant Estates
 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM | Registration and Continental Breakfast
CONCURRENT SESSIONS | CHOOSE ONE
8:45 AM – 9:45 AM
Canopy Mastery: Vineyard Management Essentials

Fritz Westover, Viticulturist | Virtual Viticulture Academy & Westover Advising

Best Practices for Enzyme Use in Winemaking

Katie Cook, Field Sales Representative – Northeast & Upper Midwest | Scott Laboratories

Navigating AI: A Practical How-To

Sandy Waggett, Owner | MSW Interactive Designs

9:45 AM – 10:15 AM | Break and Trade Show
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM | From Prestige to People: Adapting to Cultural Shifts and Consumer Trends

Amy Gross, National President | Women For WineSense & Founder & CEO | Vine Sleuth & Wine4.Me

11:15 AM – 12:30 PM | Lunch and Trade Show
CONCURRENT SESSIONS | CHOOSE ONE
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Chemical Trespassing Panel

Megan Troesser, Enforcement Program Coordinator | Missouri Department of Agriculture

Bob Walters, CEO | Fieldwatch

Brad Beaver, Bureau Chief, Environmental Programs | Illinois Department of Agriculture

The Real Natural Wine Revolution: Unfiltered, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Jason Moulton, Director of Winemaking & Viticulture | Whitehall Lane Winery

Creating a Beverage Tourism Destination

Kathy Kelley, Professor of Horticultural Marketing and Business Management | Penn State

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Break and Trade Show
GENERAL SESSION
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM | Future-Proofing: Succession Planning/ADA/Music Licensing

David Marrison, Field specialist – Farm Management | Ohio State University

Sandy Waggett, Owner | MSW Interactive Designs

Tara Good, Director | Trellis Collaborative

3:30 PM – 3:45 PM | Closing Remarks
4:00 PM | Pruning Demo with Fritz Westover

Sessions

MONDAY FEBRUARY 23
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM | Beyond Trails and AVAs: Building Statewide Wine Networks

Jill Smedley, Co-CEO & Founder, Director of Marketing | Wine Fringe

Jake Blodinger. Co-Owner, Director of Winemaking | Wine Fringe

2:45 PM – 3:45 PM | Missouri & Illinois State Meetings
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 24
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM | From Prestige to People: Adapting to Cultural Shifts and Consumer Trends

Amy Gross

National President | Women For WineSense

Founder & CEO | Vine Sleuth & Wine4.Me

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM | Future-Proofing: Succession Planning/ADA/Music Licensing

David Marrison, Field specialist – Farm Management | Ohio State University

Sandy Waggett, Owner | MSW Interactive Designs

Tara Good, Director | Trellis Collaborative

MONDAY FEBRUARY 23
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Sensory Exploration: Riedel Tasting

Susan Durbrow, U.S. Wineries National Sales Manager | Riedel Crystal of America

1:15 PM – 2:15 PM | Progressive Winemaking: Crafting Balanced and Expressive Wines

Jason Moulton, Director of Winemaking & Viticulture | Whitehall Lane Winery

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 24
7:15 AM | Pruning Demo with Fritz Westover
8:45 AM – 9:45 AM | Best Practices for Enzyme Use in Winemaking

Katie Cook, Field Sales Representative – Northeast & Upper Midwest | Scott Laboratories

12:30 PM –  1:30 PM | The Real Natural Wine Revolution: Unfiltered, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Jason Moulton, Director of Winemaking & Viticulture | Whitehall Lane Winery

MONDAY FEBRUARY 23
10:45 AM – 11:45 AM | Using Emotion to Engage & Build a Connection with Your Customers

Kathy Kelley, Professor of Horticultural Marketing and Business Management | Penn State

1:15 PM – 2:15 PM | Creating Visual Identity: Canva 101

Anndrea Harris, Creative Director & Owner | Whooann Creative

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 24
8:45 AM – 9:45 AM | Navigating AI: A Practical How-To

Sandy Waggett, Owner | MSW Interactive Designs

12:30 PM –  1:30 PM | Creating a Beverage Tourism Destination

Kathy Kelley, Professor of Horticultural Marketing and Business Management | Penn State

MONDAY FEBRUARY 23
10:45 AM – 11:45 AM | Grape Pest Forensics

Dr. Dean Volenburg, State Extension Viticulture Lead | University of Missouri

1:15 PM – 2:15 PM | Leaf Lessons: Diagnosing Grapevine Symptoms

Fritz Westover, Viticulturist | Virtual Viticulture Academy & Westover Advising

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 24
8:45 AM – 9:45 AM | Canopy Mastery: Vineyard Management Essentials

Fritz Westover, Viticulturist | Virtual Viticulture Academy & Westover Advising

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM | Chemical Trespassing Panel

Megan Troesser, Enforcement Program Coordinator | Missouri Department of Agriculture

Bob Walters, CEO | Fieldwatch

Brad Beaver, Bureau Chief, Environmental Programs | Illinois Department of Agriculture

4:00 PM | Pruning Demo with Fritz Westover
FULL SCHEDULE
MONDAY SCHEDULE
TUESDAY SCHEDULE

SUMMIT 1-ON-1

Engage with industry experts in an exclusive 1-on-1 setting. Obtain valuable advice, insights or solutions tailored to your winery. Each 20-minute session will be held in the historic Appellation Café, offering a rare chance for personalized interaction. Secure your spot today before these coveted sessions fill up! There are no additional fees for these sessions.
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Rebecca Ritz

Branding & Wine Marketing | Bauerhaus Designs, Inc.

Anne Zwink

Competition Judge and Enology Professional

Anndrea Harris

Creative Director | Whooann Creative Studio

Nicole Elizabeth

Founder | Premier Wine Compliance

1. Brand & Design Critique at the Conference: Bring your bottle or pull up your website. I will identify key areas for improvement to increase your professionalism and conversion rates. I can answer specific questions about labels, branding, or user flow on your site.

2. Digital Marketing Audit at the Conference: For wineries feeling overwhelmed by technology, they can choose one key area of opportunity—whether it’s email marketing, social media, or AI search optimization–for me to offer improvements.

3. The Bauerhaus Launchpad is a focused strategic review session designed to give you clarity and direction—a snapshot of your brand’s performance.

Here’s what you get:

• 30-Minute Discovery Call: A focused conversation to understand your goals before the conference and provide the below at the conference.

• Brand Position Review: A quick analysis of how you stand out from the competition.

• Website Review: An evaluation of your site’s effectiveness and visitor experience. • Online Health Check: A concise overview of your SEO, Social Media, or AI opportunities (your choice!).

• Actionable Next Steps: A clear recommendation on the best strategic route forward.

Bauerhaus Design: Be Unforgettable. Creating brands with strategy and heart. With over 25 years of experience, Rebecca Ritz acts as a strategic partner for wineries, helping them create unforgettable brands. She blends brand strategy with execution, offering services that range from packaging and website design to full-service monthly digital marketing retainers. Rebecca is also dedicated to education, helping hundreds of wineries increase their bottom line through her free “Sell More Wine” course. She just created a new hands-on “Digital Marketing for Midwest Wineries” 8-week workshop designed to help wineries increase their sales.
Anne will provide private sessions for tasting tank samples or bottled wines, with honest sensory and technical input geared toward competition readiness. Sessions can also be used to discuss production challenges, style refinement, or ideas to improve wine quality and consistency. Alternatively, if a wine has previously received negative or confusing competition feedback, this is an opportunity to review and discuss it in detail. All feedback is grounded in commercial winemaking experience and calibrated, competition-level evaluation standards.
Anne Zwink is a professional enologist with extensive experience in commercial winemaking, sensory evaluation, and wine competition judging. She serves as the Head Enologist for the Illinois State Fair Wine Competition, where she oversees technical accuracy, panel calibration, and evaluation standards across judging flights. With a background in commercial wine production, Anne brings a practical, science-based perspective to wine assessment rooted in real-world cellar decision-making. She is a frequent judge at wine competitions across the Midwest including Missouri, Ohio, and Minnesota, with particular expertise in cool-climate varieties and regional wine styles.
Whooann Creative Studio is a branding and digital strategy studio that helps entrepreneurs, organizations, and public-sector teams communicate clearly and consistently through intentional design. Services include brand strategy and visual identity development, Canva training and workshops, social media strategy, content design, and website support. The studio specializes in teaching clients how to use Canva as a strategic tool, not just for design, but for messaging, visibility, and brand alignment. Whooann Creative Studio also provides speaking engagements and customized trainings focused on branding, content creation, and digital confidence
 
 

Whooann (Anndrea Harris) is a nationally recognized brand strategist, Canva educator, and the creative force behind Whooann Creative Studio. Known as the “Canva Queen,” she helps entrepreneurs, organizations, and government entities turn their ideas into intentional, high-impact brands using strategy-first design. With a background in marketing, digital storytelling, and visual branding, Whooann specializes in teaching people how to actually use Canva the right way,not just to make things look cute, but to communicate clearly, consistently, and confidently. Her work blends creativity with structure, making branding approachable, scalable, and effective. Whooann is passionate about helping brands show up with clarity, purpose, and personality without overwhelm or overcomplication.

  • Consulting on State & Federal Licensing
  • Reporting
  • COLA’s
  • Formula’s
  • Label Registrations
  • Ongoing Compliance Support
 
Nicole Elizabeth, founder of Premier Wine Compliance, is a dedicated regulatory consultant who channels her deep industry passion into helping businesses navigate the complex landscape of alcohol beverage laws. Nicole has extensive experience managing the needs of wineries, distilleries, and ready-to-drink (RTD) companies of all sizes. She is known for building strong, strategic connections with regulatory agencies to streamline business registrations, licensing, product set-up, and reporting. As a specialist in both federal and state regulations, Nicole provides personalized, innovative solutions designed to ensure compliance at every stage.
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Dr. Dean Volenburg

State Extension Viticulture Lead | University of Missouri

David Marrison

Field Specialist- Farm Management | Ohio State University Extension

Tara Good

Director | Trellis Collaborative

Jason Moulton

Director of Winemaking & Viticulture | Whitehall Lane Winery
  • Vineyard consultation
  • Pest Management
 

Dr. Volenberg is the Extension Program Leader for viticulture and Director at the Grape and Wine Institute at the University of Missouri. Dean’s current research program is focused on applied and hypothesis driven discovery of pests that have economic implications for Eastern United States grape growers. Dr. Volenberg was first to confirm the presence of Grapevine Red Blotch virus in Missouri. His Extension program is multifaceted with attention focused on fungal and viral pests and their management. Dean is passionate about repatriating American grape cultivars lost to prohibition. He focuses on cultivars with Vitis aestivalis genetic backgrounds with the goal of moving the grape industry to improved sustainability.

  • Business Succession Planning and Mediation

David Marrison, has served as a Field Specialist in Farm Management and as the Interim Director for the Farm Financial Management and Policy Institute (FFMPI) for Ohio State Extension since November 1, 2022. Mr. Marrison has worked for Ohio State University Extension since 1997, is a Professor in the Department of Extension, and served as an Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension Educator in Ashtabula, Trumbull, and Coshocton Counties from 1997 to 2022. David serves as a farm mediator for the Ohio Farm Resolution Services (OFRS) and is on the Board of Directors for the International Farm Transition Network and is a Certified Farm Succession Coordinator. David is nationally known for his teaching in farm succession planning. He has a unique ability to intertwine humor into speaking about the difficulties of passing the farm on to the next generation. He has authored numerous publications in succession and estate planning. David was born and raised on a small dairy farm in northeast Ohio. Today, David and his family raise Boer meat goats and hay on a small farm in east central Ohio.

Tara is available to provide guidance on problems wineries may be experiencing related to music licensing. She will identify what a winery needs to pay to legally offer music and assist in responding to performance rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, GMR) requests for payment.

Tara Good, founder and president of Trellis Collaborative, is an organization that connects mission-focused wine professionals to share information, identify industry blind spots, and collaborate on problem-solving. At WineAmeria, the national association of American wineries, Tara served as the Vice President of Development for 13 years. She managed the organization’s 500+ membership, developing programs and conferences, and partnering with the government affairs team to lobby on Capitol Hill. Tara has worked on agricultural, tax, and trade issues, but is best known for her work in music licensing. Prior to WineAmerica, Tara worked for the Distilled Spirits Council. She received her B.A. from Fordham University and M.A. from NYU, and is a two-time recipient of the U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship, having studied Arabic in Jordan and Oman.

  • Winemaking
  • Viticulture
  • Operations
  • Packaging
  • Sales/marketing
  • Leadership
  • Management
 
Jason Moulton is the Director of Winemaking and Viticulture for Whitehall Lane Winery in Saint Helena, California. Prior to settling into Napa Valley, he started working with wine in 2002 while attending Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He had the opportunity to work in Southern Illinois, the Okanagan Valley, the Russian River, South Africa, New Zealand, and Bordeaux. While here in the Napa Valley, he gained a wealth of knowledge from a diverse set of wine brands and winemaking icons. He graduated from the Lincoln University Viticulture and Enology program in New Zealand and recently graduated with a Global Wine Executive MBA from Sonoma State University.
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Sandy Waggett

Owner | MSW Interactive Designs

John Ellis

Director-Business Enterprise Services | CBIZ

Fritz Westover

Viticulturist | Virtual Viticulture Academy & Westover Advising
  • AI Strategy
  • ADA website compliance
  • Marketing Systems and Automation

Sandy Waggett is a nationally recognized, award-winning speaker, certified high-performance coach, and founder of a multi seven-figure marketing agency with over 27 years of success helping businesses scale smart. As the visionary behind MSW Interactive Designs, she equips entrepreneurs to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving world—teaching them how to harness the power of AI for growth and ensure ADA compliance for broader reach and legal protection. Known for blending big-picture strategy with real-world application, Sandy delivers engaging, high-impact sessions that challenge conventional thinking and drive action. Her mission? To help business owners work smarter, market with confidence, and build brands that lead.

  • Accounting
  • Tax Services
  • All things business

John Ellis is a director in CBIZ’s Business Enterprise Services division and an active leader in the Central Region’s Food & Beverage Industry. He has more than 25 years of experience providing accounting, consulting, planning, and compliance services, including tax and business planning, as well as attest and non-attest services for small to mid-sized companies in public accounting and in-house. John serves clients in a variety of industries, including food and beverage, dental and medical practice, manufacturing and distribution, and consumer business. John is active in CYC St. Louis youth sports, where he enjoys coaching and developing youth lacrosse and basketball players.

  • Vineyard Advising

Fritz Westover, founder of Westover Vineyard Advising and Virtual Viticulture Academy, brings 20+ years of industry experience to vineyard consulting. His practice spans 2,000+ acres across six states, while his virtual education platform reaches growers in 33 states and eight countries.