Events

Sonoma County’s wine growing and winery industries have been facing multiple challenges in recent years of changing consumer markets, changing climate conditions and changing internal business relationships and leadership. At our meeting on Sept. 4 we will benefit from an informed first-person perspective on what these multiple challenges may mean to the future of our world premium ag-related industry and local economy.

Alex Kanzler, winemaker at his family’s Kanzler Vineyards of Sebastopol, will share his many years of experience beginning with his local young years as an Analy High School and SRJC student, through his international travels to other premium wine regions of the world, including his tenures as an intern and student in New Zealand and Europe.

Alex also has worked with the owners of Kosta-Browne, Jemrose and VML wineries in Sonoma County before assuming the lead winemaker role at his family’s Kanzler Vineyards. Alex currently serves on the board of the Sonoma County Winegrowers and is a past member of the boards of the Sonoma County Harvest Fair and in other industry leadership roles.

Kanzler Vineyards is known as a grower of premium pinot noir grapes that have been sold to Kosta-Browne, VML, Lymar Estates, Flowers, Landmark, Rivers-Marie and others. The winery was founded in 1996 by Alex’s parents, Steve and Lynda. Today, Alex is also joined by his wife Breanna who leads the winery’s sales and hospitality programs.

Randy Strong - artist and designer in hot glass for over 50 years, has worked continuously throughout his career producing innovative designs in glass that continually influence the ever changing and growing community of studio glass artists.

Randy is one of the handful of the pioneering American Glass Artists who has helped define the American Studio Glass Movement.  Before discovering glass for himself as his media of choice, he began his education in the arts by working in, and collecting photography.  In the late 60's he was working as an events photographer for the Oakland Tribune, and for a brief period, was privileged to work with and learn from photographer Ansel Adams.  His first taste of working in glass came in 1969 at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, Calif. There he began by studying ceramics and was fortunate to have as his mentor, the renowned ceramicist, Peter Voulkos.  Upon graduation in 1970 he received one of the first scholarships to the University of Art in Osaka, Japan as one of the first exchange students between the Universities of Calif., Calif. College of Arts and Crafts, and Osaka, Japan.  That grounding in ceramics led him into the largely unknown (at that time) frontier of studio art glass.  In 1972, he was with Dale Chihuly when Dale and the Haubergs selected the location for the now renowned Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle, Washington.  The journey into that frontier was then well underway.

Many of today’s successful, working glass artists are either former students, or have worked with or for him at one time.  His work, ranging from his distinctive crystal and gold goblets and his ground-breaking work with dichroic glass, to his imposing cast sculptures, and now his seemingly gravity defying, color saturated, multi-piece sculptures, have been acquired by collectors internationally and are a part of collections ranging from The Corning Museum in New York, to the Louvre in Paris. 

Randy’s work through the last 4 decades has been characterized by the use of difficult, defining techniques, materials, colors and forms. His newest sculptural work again breaks new ground by challenging the concept of solid form in glass by further expressing its personality in lightness and movement.

In 1972, he built and established his own studio and gallery in Berkeley, California, which continued as his working studio-gallery until 2014.  After 50 years of making distinctive work in glass, he continues to make a limited number of large glass sculptures, in Northern California.

Ed Troxell is a Strategic Business Advisor who helps local small business owners simplify their marketing, clearly communicate what makes them different, and make better decisions about where to focus their time and money. Based in Santa Rosa, Ed brings experience from Apple, the Small Business Development Center, and more than a decade of running his own business to help owners turn scattered ideas into practical strategies they can actually implement. Connect with Ed & download his business card at EdTroxell.com/card.

My name is Joel Radke.  I am a Co-owner of Sportago.  I have been working at Sportago for 19 years now.  It started as a part-time job while I was in college and I transitioned into management within a few years and have been an owner now for about 5 years.

I love being in nature, and protecting it is deeply important to me. Whether I'm picking up trash around town or hosting a fundraiser at Sportago, nature will always be a primary focus for me.

In my spare time I love to spend time with my wife, trail run, garden and take care of my dogs, horses, chickens and Koi.

I enjoy being part of a community, we have built up an amazing following in our St. Helena store and our goal is to do the same here in Sebastopol.

My name is Ahren Trumble.  I came to Sportago after working in the bike industry during high school and then in an outdoor store in college.  I have now worked in this industry for almost 30 years… time flies! 

The original owner of Sportago, Chris, was very forward thinking and knew that she wanted to develop a succession plan for her business which opened in St. Helena in 1983.  So, when I started in 2000, and we quickly new we were a good match, she opened the door for me becoming a partner.  After a few years, I was a 25% owner and then several years later 50%.  She officially stepped aside and retired in 2021, and it was only natural to bring Joel in as a partner after his many amazing years as our manager.  I can’t imagine what it would be like (especially after just opening another location) to not have a partner to run things by and share the load.  It is vital to our business.   

I currently live in Santa Rosa with my wife Skyler who works for Ceres Community Project as the head of culinary, and our Aussie Shephard, Podrick, and our 19 year old cat Dharma.  I have passed the running baton to Joel, but I still get out on the trail whenever I can for a hike or backpacking trip.  I love to cook, play bocce ball, fly fish and take my nieces and nephews on outdoor adventures. 

I also believe in giving back to the community you belong to, so for the last 10 years I have been on the board of the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce and up until recently, the Napa Valley State Parks Association. 

Both Joel and I are very happy to be a part of the community here in Sebastopol and we have much more to give.  We look forward to becoming a go to spot here downtown through building community and friendships and, of course, Great Outdoor Clothing. 

Note: Picture is of Joel Radke (clubrunner only allows one pic attachment)

David Gill has been the administrative coordinator of the Sebastopol Area Time Bank (www.sebastopoltimebank.org) for five years.  He gets paid in time bank currency – hours! – and has accumulated more than he could spend in a few lifetimes!  He has been a downtown Sebastopol homeowner for over 13 years and, in addition to the time bank, serves on the coordinating council of Sebastopol Village and in the leadership of the Sebastopol Area Nonprofit Collaborative.  He has spent his professional career in healthcare administration and currently specializes in licensing the possession and use of radioactive materials in medicine.  He promises not to make them part of his Rotary presentation.  He is pleased to present the time bank to Sebastopol Rotary, another great local organization of neighbors helping their neighbors.