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State wine commission picks new exec

By Kristina Shevory
Seattle Times Eastside business reporter

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Steve Burns, the commission's former director for the past eight years, retired from the position June 1, but has stayed on while the group searched for a new director. The commission is expected to announce Baxter Lynn's appointment today.

"This is a very exciting and logical next step for me professionally. I had fabulous experience with the Long Island Wine Council and now I'm ready to take it to Washington," said Baxter Lynn. She starts Aug. 26 — in time for the Auction of Washington Wines, the commission's annual gala.

Baxter Lynn, 48, served as the executive director of the Long Island Wine Council for four years. Baxter Lynn, who becomes the commission's third director, previously held corporate communications positions with World Travel & Tourism Council and Cendant, a worldwide hotel and real-estate services provider, among others.

While at the Long Island Wine Council, Baxter Lynn launched a wine-ambassador program to help promote the island's wines,. She increased the size of the group's annual wine tasting, launched an annual dinner series at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York, and started the Long Island Wine Classic, a dinner and auction teamed with the Hampton Classic horse show.

"Jane came in when the wine council was quite disorganized. She got everyone to talk to each other again and get everyone working together," said Christian Baiz, a director of the Long Island Wine Council and owner of The Old Field Vineyards in Southold, N.Y.

Formed in 1989, the Long Island Wine Council represents the island's wine grape growers and wineries. Long Island's first winery opened in 1975, and there are now 33 wine producers and 60 vineyards. The wineries attract around 500,000 visitors every year and generate $65 million in sales.

Baxter Lynn's experience developing Long Island's wine industry was one of the chief reasons why she was selected by the commission, said Ted Baseler, who chairs the commission and is president and chief executive of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates in Woodinville.

During Burns' eight-year watch, the Washington wine industry became the second-largest wine producer in the country — right behind California. There were 240 wineries in the state last year and wine production has more than doubled over the past eight years to 17 million gallons. About half of American wine drinkers know about Washington wine, up from 20 percent in 1996.

The commission is starting a national marketing and public-relations campaign to promote Washington wine among consumers, and this week selected Edelman, a public-relations company, to put it together.

"Between Edelman and Jane, we're going to take the visibility of Washington wine to the next level," said Baseler. "The quality is there, we now just need to raise the awareness of consumers."

Kristina Shevory: 206-464-2039 or kshevory@seattletimes.com

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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