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CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Five candidates vying for the position of director of the Oregon Wine Research Institute (OWRI) at Oregon State University will be interviewed beginning Wednesday, April 7, search organizers say.

Each candidate will participate in an identical three-day interview schedule that includes several locations in Oregon. Robert McGorrin, head of the OSU Dept. of Food Science and Technology and chair of the search committee, said grape growers and wine makers throughout Oregon are welcome and invited to take part in the interviews.  

Candidates for this key leadership role and interview dates for each are:

• Gregory V. Jones, professor, Department of Environmental Studies, Southern Oregon University, Ashland - April 7-9.
• James A. Kennedy, research manager for chemistry, Australian Wine Research Institute, Glen Osmond, South Australia - April 14-16.
• Edward Hellman, professor of viticulture and Extension specialist, Texas AgriLife Extension and Texas Tech University, Lubbock - April 19-21.
• Neil F. Shay, professor and department head, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Florida, Gainesville - April 28-30.
• John L. Havlin, professor, Department of Soil Science, and coordinator of Distance Education, North Carolina State University, Raleigh - early May (dates for professor Havlin's interviews will be announced soon).

The interview schedule for each candidate is as follows:

• Day 1 - Northwest Viticulture Center in Salem: 10 a.m. to noon, meets with industry, presents a seminar on a potential director's vision for the Institute.
• Day 2 - OSU Corvallis, Kidder Hall, Room 278, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., presents a seminar on research and describes a vision for the Institute (these presentations may be seen by videoconference at branch experiment stations around the state upon request).
  • South Stage Cellars, Jacksonville, Ore., 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., meets with industry, presents a seminar on a potential director's vision for the Institute (different location for Neil Shay interview, location to be announced.)
• Day 3 - Meets with industry representatives in north Willamette Valley, arrangements to be made by David Adelsheim, chair of the OWRI Policy Board. If you would like to take part in these interviews, please contact David Adelsheim for details about times and locations.

Besides McGorrin, members of the search committee include:

• David Adelsheim, owner, Adelsheim Vineyard, Newberg;
• Syndi Beavers, vice president, marketing, Henry Estate Winery, Umpqua;
• Robert Buchanan, general manager, North Slope Management, Milton-Freewater;
• Marcus Buchanan, OSU viticulture Extension agent, Jackson County;
• Keven Malkewitz, assistant professor, OSU College of Business;
• Patty Skinkis, OSU assistant professor of Horticulture; Viticulture Extension.

If you have questions about how to take part in the process, you may contact Linda Hoyser or Patty Skinkis, Dept. of Food Science and Technology, OSU, at 541-737-6487, or [email protected].