Become a member 
The CAPS Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be conducted virtually on March 23rd 2021 via Zoom. All CAPS Ontario members in good standing will receive an email with details on how to attend.
Each year the CAPS board puts out a call for nominations for members to join the board to replace outgoing members who have served their term. This year four CAPS members have put their name forward for the two positions on the CAPS Ontario board.
The nominees are listed alphabetically by last name. Each nominee was asked to prepare a short bio for voting members to assist them in making an informed decision when voting.
As in the past years, the election will be conducted using electionrunner.com . This year you are also being asked to approve the new bylaws. CAPS – in progress v6 Please review and approve on the ballot the changes in red. The green ink indicates changes that the Board has already approved.
CAPS Ontario Accredited members who are eligible to vote will receive an email several days before March 23rd with a secure link to cast their vote.
Sincerely,
Gary Killops
CAPS Vice President – Chair of the Election Committee
The Nominees are:
Manuel Gonzalez
Dear CAPS members,
My name is Manuel Gonzalez and I was born in Guadalajara, Mexico. My journey with wine began in 2015 when I decided that this was going to be my area of study. I graduated as a CAPS certified sommelier the following year.
In 2018, I successfully completed the CMS exam finishing with the highest grade overall and was thus awarded the Walter Clore Scholarship.
My experience includes a rewarding stage position at one of Ontario’s notable restaurants, Quatrefoil, under the supervision of Jose Luis Fernandez, 2019 winner of Best Ontario Sommelier presented by CAPS.
I currently hold the Head Sommelier position at Treadwell Cuisine in Niagara-on-the-Lake where owner, restauranteur and fellow sommelier, James Treadwell and I manage the Two Glass- Best of Award of Excellence beverage program.
I would like to become a member of the CAPS Board of Directors to aid in making significant contributions to our local wine industry. As an active working sommelier, I am a firsthand witness to areas in need of development. I am interested in expanding the CAPS program in such a way that it is viewed by other wine professionals as a program with world-class standards.
Ashley Martin
Ashley Martin is a CAPS certified sommelier with more than a decade of experience working in the beverage alcohol industry.
In her current role she develops and facilitates consumer-facing wine tasting workshops, training seminars for industry professionals, and writes a monthly wine review newsletter called Somm Wine Picks.
She wants to die with a glass of Krug in one hand and a fried chicken drumstick in the other and, if she could, she’d bottle Riesling as a perfume.
Along with her deep knowledge and passion for wine and spirits, Ashley brings curiosity and interest to all facets of the business of beverage-alcohol.
In the midst of building her career in the industry, Ashley is deeply invested in the future of wine both in Canada and abroad. And, as a believer in lifelong learning, the value of mentorship, and the art of good old-fashioned hospitality, Ashley hopes to be at your service as the next CAPS board member!
James Russell Peden
James Peden is the wine director for the Liberty Entertainment Group in Toronto and is responsible for the wine and beverage programs at all 7 properties including BlueBlood Steakhouse in Casa Loma, and three Cibo Wine Bars.
Prior to this James worked as the Head Sommelier at Treadwell Farm-to-Table in Niagara-on-the-Lake. During this time, James curated a list with over 150 VQA wines and developed strong relationships with wineries and winemakers in the Niagara Peninsula. This strong attachment to Niagara is why he decided to run for the CAPS board as an ambassador for the region.
After passing the Advanced Sommelier exam on his first attempt in 2019, James is now preparing to challenge the Master Sommelier exam in 2021. James plans to design and host masterclasses and webinars to allow CAPS members to continue their education. He lives in Grimsby with his wife Kim.
Colleen Petrick
Resides: Niagara on the Lake, On
Since 1995, I have been involved in the hospitality industry, starting with Canoe (O & B), then my own restaurant (Biondo Pazzo) and catering company, and then various consulting contracts with Oliver & Bonacini, Baton Rouge and other small restaurants. During this time, I had tremendous opportunities to create menus and wine lists, and taste many wines which certainly gave me the “wine bug”.
I always wanted to become a Sommelier. It was not until later in my career with Vintage Hotels that I decided to take that next step and enroll in CAPS at Niagara College. After successfully graduating as a Certified Sommelier from that program in 2018, I enrolled in CMS to further my wine education. I graduated as a Certified Sommelier through CMS in 2019 with hopes of pursuing the Advanced Program (delayed due to Covid.)
I originally joined the CAPS Ontario Board in 2018 and was involved in many important events such as Best Sommelier of Ontario and Niagara College CAPS Information Nights. As a Sommelier, I was fortunate to win the Niagara on the Lake Ice Wine Cocktail competition in 2019
I feel fortunate to live in Canada’s Napa of the North and I take full advantage of it. I have established excellent relationships with many wineries and winemakers in the region and hope to establish a Niagara wine tour business with a focus on wine education to industry professionals and wine loving tourists.
