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September 25, 2008, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Doubletree Hotel, Rohnert Park

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2008 Wine Conference focuses on the M&A market

NORTH BAY, March 18, 2008 – At the NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL's 2008 Wine Conference, wine industry experts will discuss the state of the mergers and acquisitions market and best practices for building a strong business model whether you want to position your winery to sell or build a successful independent winery.

The event will be held April 9 at the Vintner's Inn in Santa Rosa. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., and the program runs from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $45 per person and include continental breakfast. Tables of 10, including company signage, are $470. To register, contact Linda Perkins at 707-579-2900 ext. 211 or events@busjrnl.com by April 4, or register online at www.NorthBayBusinessJournal.com.

The Keynote Speaker will be William Price III, no stranger to the ins and outs of the M&A world. He is co-founder of the private-equity investment firm Texas Pacific Group, now TPG Capital LP, which purchased Beringer from Nestle in 1995, took it public in 2000 then sold it to Foster's for a reported $1.5 billion. He is also owner of Durell Vineyard in the Carneros and Sonoma Valley appellations, and he founded Sonoma-based label Three Sticks Winery in 2002. Earlier this year he purchased a minority stake in Kistler Vineyards.

The panel following Mr. Price's speech will share their experiences on both business models – wineries that have positioned themselves to sell and what actions and traits they fostered to attract a buyer as well as what needs to be done for a winery to remain independently owned and successful. Panelists include Sam Bronfman, president of Bacchus Capital; Daniel Duckhorn, chairman and founder of Duckhorn Wine Co.; Peter Seghesio, CEO and winegrower of Seghesio Family Vineyards; and Violet Grgich, proprietor and vice president of Grgich Hills Estate.

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