CAPS Ontario Welcomes New Board Members

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TORONTO, March 12th, 2018 —  The Ontario chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS Ontario) has elected three new board members during an election conducted by the members in good standing during this year’s annual general meeting at George Brown College in Toronto. CAPS Ontario is pleased to announce that Lynn Abernethy, Alexandra Evans and Miho Yamamoto were voted in by the membership to replace three departing board members. The three new directors were welcomed to the board by the president of CAPS Ontario, Sara D’Amato: We enthusiastically welcome our new members who bring with them eagerness and fresh perspectives to help us create new opportunities for Ontario’s Sommelier Community. We deeply appreciate the years of volunteer service and dedication of our board members who are stepping down: Carol Ann Jessiman, Adam Hijazi and Anjana Viswanatha. They have been absolutely essential in allowing us to accomplish our wildly ambitious goals. “ – Sara D’ Amato, President, CAPS Ontario

Each of the new board members expressed their commitment to serving Ontario’s sommelier community with their own experience and expertise: Having been involved in now six competitions with CAPS (from 2004 to 2017), I feel that we keep getting better and better every year. With a great Technical Committee team beside me, like a great wine, we keep getting better with age!” – Alexandra Evans, new Board Member, CAPS Ontario

“I’m honoured and ready to continue the great work. CAPS and its Board are central to the community for Sommeliers in Ontario as a source of knowledge and leadership. I also wish to advocate for my home wine region of Prince Edward County.  - Lynn Abernethy, new Board Member, CAPS Ontario

I am passionate about wine education and very proud to be a CAPS member. I’d like to provide mentorship for sommelier students, increase visibility and awareness of CAPS in the hospitality community and restaurant industry” Miho Yamamoto, new Board Member, CAPS Ontario

The membership also voted to ratify the appointment of Elsa Macdonald, who returns to the board of directors after taking leave to focus on professional goals. The new board members join the CAPS Ontario team as it prepares for an ambitious agenda of exciting new educational projects, competitions, professional development opportunities and great wine events:  In addition, CAPS Ontario will also present the return of our popular summer sommelier social and Pinot Noir, master class, The Pinot Party. Also on the agenda is our first-ever, cooperative sommelier winemaking venture, Cuvee CAPS ™.  This new bottling of Ontario wine will be blended, bottled and sold by CAPS students, working closely with VQA winemaking partners in Niagara Peninsula and Prince Edward County regions. CAPS Ontario is also proud to be part of the team supporting our national CAPS and Quebec chapters in hosting the ASI & APAS Contest of the Best Sommelier of the Americas this May 21-24 in Montreal Quebec where Canada’s top two sommeliers will compete with those from across North, South and Central America.

Join Us

CAPS Ontario is a non-profit organization representing Ontario’s certified sommeliers.  CAPS Ontario also welcomes student and associate members with an active interest in supporting our community and participating in our events.  

Sara D’Amato, President, CAPS Ontario  

 

Media Contact: Kim Gertler kgertler@yahoo.com Director, Media and Communications, CAPS Ontario 647 767-9380

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