Starting this spring, the new Wine Business Management Certificate will be delivered by industry leaders and top scholars to help industry personnel develop the core competencies needed to take a forward-thinking approach to managing of wine-related businesses.

“This is a space that’s not occupied today in terms of professional development for the wine industry,” said Goodman Dean Andrew Gaudes.

“We’ve been successful in this region developing winemakers, and we now have an abundance of winemakers ready to lead, manage, market and strategically place their wineries.”

Goodman officials worked with Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) to establish the program. CCOVI, an internationally recognized research base, has for decades been providing professional development courses for the industry as well as continuing education opportunities for wine enthusiasts.

“We have seen an interest for this type of programming from the grape and wine industry and are thrilled to see it developed and launched this summer through Goodman Group,” said CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis. “We look forward to continuing to work together with Goodman to support the growth of our industry across Canada.”

LCBO President and CEO George Soleas said that, from an industry standpoint, the Wine Business Management Certificate program will help develop a fundamental understanding of wine business management.

“Having worked closely with Brock University’s academics and wine business leaders for many years, I know this program will give participants the confidence and expertise to propel their career in the wine sector forward,” he said.

Facilitated by Goodman Group, this new program will be instructed by leading business scholars from Goodman as well as other recognized Canadian and global institutions. This

academic knowledge will be paired with the expertise of such industry leaders as Ontario wine industry pioneer Donald Ziraldo, and Greg Berti, Vice-President Global Markets and Industry Relations at Andrew Peller Limited.

Topics include an overview of wines and Canadian vineyards; understanding wine markets and legislation; international wine logistics and operations; financial analysis for the wine industry; wine marketing and brand building; wine and spirits supply change management; direct-to- consumer sales and retail management; and turning a wine business concept into reality.

The program will run Fridays for five weeks from May 24 to June 21, with group and early-bird pricing available. The sessions will take place at Brock’s main campus and at wineries located in the Niagara region.

For more information or to register, visit the Goodman website.

As Niagara’s business school, Goodman is looking to continue to grow its connection with the local grape and wine industry. Additional programming will be announced in the coming months.