As I begin my term as your new president, I am thankful for the many OCWS leaders who have come before me and I am humbled by the dedication and determination of so many who have helped maintain the OCWS as a viable and active organization.

In my first President’s Message, I would like to outline my goals for this next year. They are an extension of my marketing work with the organization and serving as vice president this past year.

First, I would like to continue the vision of my predecessor, Fran Gitsham, for a cohesive and kind organization focused on wine as a shared interest. With so much negativity and divisiveness in the world, I believe it is more important than ever to focus on what we have in common, and for the OCWS, it is the enthusiasm for wine and sharing our knowledge and appreciation that brings us together.

My second goal is to continue to keep the organization financially successful. I am very proud of how our organization pulled together and weathered a period that other organizations found so challenging. We have come out of it stronger and more resilient.

Next, I would like to increase our member involvement and engagement with more volunteers to share the work that we do and higher event attendance. I would also like to see our new members become more involved during their first year. We have already started to engage new members and you will see several new names on the List of Responsibilities this year. You also will see more opportunities to provide us with feedback in the months to come.

As someone who joined the OCWS in my 20s, I know the importance of attracting younger members to keep the organization vibrant and resilient. You will see some new ideas added to our existing offerings to help attract a new generation of wine enthusiasts. We will continue to participate in community events and bring in new members throughout the year, in addition to our annual recruitment during the OC Fair.

Another focus for me this year will be highlighting the Winemakers’ Group. You probably have already heard that our organization began with the home winemakers in the 1970s and they have grown with the organization over our 45+ year history. It is my hope that all OCWS members will be exposed to the incredible wines that our Winemakers’ Group members are making and that the group will find new students to mentor within the organization at large.

As marketing chair, I have been working to communicate with wineries about our amazing wine competition. Over the next year, you will see a concerted effort from the marketing committee to develop a comprehensive package of benefits for wineries entering the competition including added exposure to our members and the Southern California wine market.

Finally, as we near the 50^th anniversary of the OCWS and the 50^th Commercial Wine Competition, my goal this year is to begin plans for these celebrations with anniversary events and souvenir items.

In addition to my goals, I would also like to share exciting news about the 2023-24 OCWS Board of Directors. Last month, the Board announced a one-year appointment opportunity. After carefully considering the qualifications of seven amazing candidates who applied, the board chose Sue England to fill the open vacancy. We are all thrilled to welcome Sue to the board and I hope you will join us in congratulating her on her new role within the organization. She brings many years of experience in nonprofit management and has worked on several committees and in many volunteer positions with the OCWS.

I am so enthusiastic about the upcoming year and hope that you will join me in promoting the OCWS to prospective members and wineries. This year’s List of Responsibilities has been posted on our website and I invite you to review the list and contact the committee chairs if you are interested in participating. I am grateful to be able to share my vision and lead this organization that has been part of my life for over 37 years. I welcome your input and feedback and hope you will renew your commitment to this amazing all-volunteer organization that brings us all together in the name of wine and wine education.

Cheers to you all!

Carolyn Christian