Courtney Foley often tells people how long she has been with Foley Family Wines (FFW) by stating her age: As the daughter of company founders Bill and Carol Foley, she’s a lifelong employee—though she admits that “when I was younger, I never thought I would work in the family business, and I studied environmental history and environmental law. Then I realized I could impact the company and my family’s history in farming and education, [which made for] a natural transition into wine. . . . Carrying on my family’s legacy of being stewards of the land is important to me.”
As her role in the company continues to expand, the second-generation vintner works closely with the rest of the executive team to build out and provide support for the assets in FFW’s growing wine and spirits portfolio, which includes iconic labels such as Chalk Hill Estate Vineyards & Winery and Chateau St. Jean as well as trending brands like Banshee, which has grown 52% in the past year, according to market research company Circana. In addition to leading the winemaking division, Courtney collaborates with her mother to ensure that the estates and tasting rooms they acquire deliver the level of hospitality that has become synonymous with Foley properties.
Of course, they’re just two of many women who keep FFW running smoothly. Paramount to the success of women’s advancement is support from top leadership, including, in this case, Bill Foley and president Shawn Schiffer, who advocate getting the right people in the right seats. In March, Mari Wells Coyle was promoted to VP of winemaking, overseeing all the U.S. winemaking efforts for the company’s growing roster of producers in not only California but also Oregon and Washington. “We work with legacy wineries and bring them forward to the modern wine consumer,” says Coyle. “Our goal is to make quality wines that reflect each winery’s heritage and unique style.” More than half of FFW’s team of winemakers are women; Silverado Vineyards winemaker Alison Rodriguez calls her position “a demanding, dirty, physical—but fun!—job that was historically associated with men,” adding, “We support each other as a team. . . . We all know how tough the work is and that we stand stronger as a team than as individuals.” By the same token, FFW’s Lighthouse Gin is crafted by New Zealand’s first female distiller, Rachel Hall. “The first few years I was a distiller, I found it challenging being a woman, as there weren’t any female distillers and it was difficult to find a work-life balance,” Hall recalls. “That is becoming easier, especially if you work for a good company. I’m married with two children, and my daughter works with me.”
Then there’s Lise Asimont, who was promoted in December to SVP of Foley Family Farms, Foley’s in-house vineyard management company. According to Asimont, growing its own grapes helps FFW control the quality and style of its wine programs as it makes continuous improvements with an eye toward greater sustainability. “We are the drivers of our own wine quality, and that is the key to making world-class wines,” she says.
The power of female leadership at FFW extends from the vineyards to the boardroom, where seven women sit on the executive committee as the leaders of key functions including legal, HR, communications, wine clubs, and hospitality. In her new role as vice president, on- and off-premise national accounts, Crystal Crump Crump oversees the national account business for both wine and spirits brands. “It is refreshing and empowering to see so many dynamic and inspiring women rise in rank across our industry,” Crump notes. “From customers, retailers, [and] on-premise operators [to] wholesale partners and suppliers, an increasing number of women are entering the segment and making an impact. I’m incredibly thankful to work for a company with distributor-partners that value and promote women to leadership positions.”
That includes Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, where Cindy Haas and Julie Milroy are vice president of communications and corporate social responsibility and vice president of supplier development and marketing, respectively. “I’ve worked in several male-dominated industries throughout my career but find the women in wine and spirits some of the most inspiring of all,” Haas says. “I think it’s because they pour the same passion they have for hospitality and people into advocating for progress, connecting with each other, and doing the hard work now so things are even better for the next generation.” Adds Milroy, “In a journey from male dominance to female empowerment, women in the wine and spirits industry have uniquely paved the way with dedication, leadership, and innovation across all segments. I’m honored to stand alongside these trailblazers, celebrating our collective achievements and partnerships like that with Foley Family Wines, who champion women’s leadership at every level.”
In the meantime, they’re also doing bang-up business: The efforts of Crump and the rest of the sales team are evidenced by the fact that FFW is outpacing growth in the total wine category by 4%. It now ranks among the top ten wine companies for wines over $15 in the U.S., making it the second-fastest-growing player in that category, according to Circana data. The continued growth these women are overseeing is proof that that aforementioned passion pays off at Foley Family Wines—where everyone is welcome at the table.
