Wine Institute of California announces Robert P. Koch as President and Chief Executive Officer

San Francisco, June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wine Institute of California announced the promotion of Robert P. "Bobby" Koch to President and Chief Executive Officer at its Board of Directors meeting and 69th Annual Membership meeting held June 10, 2003, in Carmel, California. Effective July 1, Koch will be responsible for fulfilling the mission of Wine Institute, which is to initiate and advocate state, federal and international public policy to enhance the environment for the responsible consumption and enjoyment of wine. Koch will report directly to the Board of Directors, and has sole authority for the management and administration of Wine Institute and all personnel report to him.

Koch joined Wine Institute in 1992 as Vice President of Federal Government Relations and became Senior Vice President in 1996. He previously spent nine years on Capitol Hill working for former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt and former Majority Whip Tony Coelho. Koch is a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade (APAC), and a board member of the National Commission Against Drunk Driving, the Council on American Politics of the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management, and the California State Society. He also is active in raising funds to find a cure for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Koch received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland. He is married to Doro Bush Koch and they have four children.

The Board of Directors also announced that Wine Institute has retained John De Luca in the newly created position of Executive Vice Chairman. De Luca served as President and CEO for the last 27 years and will continue as an advisor to Koch and a liaison for the Wine Institute to a number of organisations.

Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy group representing 637 California wineries and affiliated businesses responsible for more than 80 percent of the nation's wine production and 90 percent of U.S. wine exports.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photo of Robert P. "Bobby" Koch available for downloading at http://www.wineinstitute.org/

SOURCE The Wine Institute of California