St. Helena, Calif.— The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) announced that Michael Honig, president of Honig Vineyard & Winery, will serve as chair of the trade association’s board of directors for 2017. Outgoing chair Emma Swain, CEO of St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery, passed the ceremonial gavel — an antique wine barrel bung hammer — to Honig at the NVV’s annual membership meeting attended by more than 300 people last Friday.

According to a press release by NVV, Honig noted the association’s strategic goals he is most eager to oversee in the coming year are strengthening the wine community’s goodwill with local residents and advancing the organization’s global marketing strategies. "The wine community needs to continue being a good neighbor by taking care of the Napa Valley that we all treasure," he said. "I’ve lived here all my life and I’m raising my family here, so this is personally important to me."