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Adapted by Keswick Life

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced the 29th Annual October Virginia Wine Month, offering visitors a chance to discover why Virginia is a wine destination unlike any other. The month long celebration includes special events at wineries, restaurants, hotels, and wine bars, as well as dozens of wine festivals across the commonwealth. This year’s wine month theme is ‘Discover Your Local Crush.’“The Virginia wine industry has grown tremendously since 1988 when October was first proclaimed Virginia Wine Month,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Wine sales reached a new record level last fiscal year, at over 587,500 cases. The continued growth of the commonwealth’s wine industry, one of Virginia’s fastest growing agricultural sectors, is a priority for my administration as we work to build a new Virginia economy. I’m proud that these vineyards are bringing jobs and tourism to many rural localities across our beautiful commonwealth.” With wine sales at a new all-time high, and more people visiting the state’s wineries than ever before, Virginia is now a premiere East Coast destination for wine and wine tourism.

In addition to critically acclaimed wines, Virginia boasts lavish scenery, breathtaking views, quaint small towns, and celebrated historic sites from just over 3,800 acres of winery and vineyard locations, seven American Viticultural Areas, and more than two dozen wine trails.
“Virginia’s 420 vineyards growing 3,800 acres of wine grapes are dotted across the commonwealth and are becoming an increasingly important part of Virginia’s diverse agricultural economy,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Basil Gooden. “We are proud of the caliber of wines our growers and winemakers are producing. October is a perfect time to get out and explore the vineyards and see the grapes being picked and taste the wines.” “Tourism is an instant revenue generator for Virginia, generating $24 billion in economic impact, supporting 130,000 jobs and contributing $1.7 billion in state and local taxes,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore. “Virginia’s wine industry is an important part of our tourism economy, and serves as a major competitive differentiator for the Commonwealth, making us an ideal destination for travelers who are seeking authentic, experiential culinary attractions. With our 15 million acres of beautiful fall foliage, breathtaking vistas, and a large variety of events and festivals taking place across the Commonwealth, October is truly the perfect time to discover why Virginia is for Wine Lovers.”
October Virginia Wine Month is the oldest wine month in the country. It began in 1988 as a way to support the state’s young wine business – with just 40 wineries at the time – and promote travel to Virginia wine country. Today, Virginia ranks fifth in the number of wineries in the nation with more than 280 wineries and over 410 vineyards. Sales of Virginia wine have shown solid growth in recent years, with a 5.6% in increase from last fiscal year. In addition, more than 2.2 million tourists visited Virginia wineries in 2015, according the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Virginia’s wine industry generates $1.37 billion in economic impact to the Commonwealth. October in Virginia is for many reasons. The state’s 15 million acres of fall foliage are bursting with color at the same time the wineries are celebrating the harvest. From the coastal serenity of the Eastern Shore vineyards to the majestic splendor of the Blue Ridge Mountains, each wine region provides travelers with one-of-a-kind wine experiences. Virginia wines have been featured recently in Forbes, The New York Times, Food & Wine, Wine Spectator, Decanter Magazine, Wine Enthusiast, Bon Appétit, CNN, Financial Times, Bloomberg News, Conde Nast Traveler, Washington Post, and Washingtonian Magazine.

To find more information on wine travel in Virginia including travel packages and deals, visit www.Virginia.org/wine

Adapted by Keswick Life

The University of Virginia Board of Visitors on Friday unanimously voted to name James E. Ryan as the University’s next president. A widely respected and accomplished educator and legal scholar, Ryan earned his law degree from UVA and previously served on the School of Law faculty. Since 2013, he has served as dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Charles William Eliot Professor of Education.

“Jim Ryan brings an exceptional blend of talent, experience, energy and vision to the University of Virginia at a time when the institution stands ready to chart a course for continued excellence into our third century,” said Frank M. “Rusty” Conner III, rector of the Board of Visitors and co-chair of the special committee leading the presidential search. Ryan’s transition will begin in summer 2018, with his official term as president beginning on Oct. 1, 2018.

“The University of Virginia has occupied a special place in my heart since the day I first stepped on Grounds,” Ryan said. “Returning here to continue playing a role in the extraordinary work of this University community is deeply humbling, and an opportunity that I will strive every day to honor.”

He will succeed Teresa A. Sullivan, who in 2010 became the University’s first woman president and guided UVA to new heights with the development and implementation of a new strategic plan, the completion of a $3 billion capital campaign and the continued strengthening of the University’s academic and research enterprises.

Sullivan announced in January her intention to retire as president, and requested the Board of Visitors at that time to begin the search process.

“The University warmly welcomes Jim Ryan back to Grounds,” Sullivan said. “The University of Virginia will be in good hands. I am grateful for the opportunity to have served the University, which holds such an important place in higher education, particularly among those with public missions.”

Ryan, 50, earned his bachelor’s degree in American studies summa cum laude from Yale University in 1988. He was a first-generation college student, and earned his J.D. from the UVA School of Law in 1992, attending on a full scholarship and graduating first in his class.

In 1998, Ryan joined the School of Law faculty after finishing a fellowship and clerking for the chief judge of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and for then-United States Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. During his time at the Law School, Ryan served as the Matheson and Morgenthau Distinguished Professor of Law and as the academic associate dean. In 2009, he founded the Program in Law and Public Service, which gives law students training and mentoring for public service careers.

Ryan’s courses at UVA proved immensely popular and, in 2010, he was named recipient of an All-University Teaching Award. That year, Ryan also argued before the U.S. Supreme Court for a client of the School of Law’s Supreme Court Litigation Clinic in a case dealing with federal firearms laws. He also has written about Supreme Court litigation, education law and policy, and constitutional law.

In 2011, Ryan was the recipient of an Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Previously, he received the McFarland Prize for Outstanding Scholarship and the Black Law Students Association’s Outstanding Service Award.

Ryan’s writing often focuses on the intersection of education and law, including topics such as school finance, school choice, desegregation and education standards. He is author of the acclaimed “Five Miles Away, A World Apart,” which examines the modern history of how law has shaped educational opportunities, using two Richmond-area schools to illustrate the story.

Ryan’s career has been distinguished by service-oriented assignments and volunteerism. The U.S. Secretary of Education appointed him in 2011 to the Department of Education Equity and Excellence Commission. He previously served on the board of The Tapestry Project in New York, the Maya Angelou Public Charter School in Washington and the Legal Aid Justice Society in Charlottesville. Ryan also has volunteered with the Special Olympics and as a youth sports coach.
At Harvard, Ryan has continued to explore the connection between law and quality education. He has emphasized the importance of research – and reasoned debate of its findings and evidence – as an effective path toward influencing and improving education policy. Ryan said his guiding principles as dean have been to better understand how students learn, to determine how to help more students succeed and to expand educational opportunities.

William Goodwin, former UVA rector and co-chair of the presidential search committee, said Ryan deeply impressed committee members with a depth of experience, insight and clear commitment to the mission of higher education in service to the commonwealth, nation and world.

“Jim Ryan is a person of great integrity who embodies the values at the core of the University,” Goodwin said. “I’m delighted that he will be representing UVA and leading this great university to even bigger and better things for the future.”

Goodwin also praised Sullivan for her leadership and contributions to the University. “No one worked harder than Terry Sullivan to advance this great university,” Goodwin said. “I know I speak on behalf of the entire Board of Visitors in thanking her for her service and for representing the University of Virginia with such grace and professionalism.”

Pamela Sutton-Wallace, CEO of the UVA Medical Center and a member of the search committee, said, “Jim Ryan impressed the search committee with his fierce intellect and a proven ability to establish rapport with a variety of stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff and the broader community. On a personal level, he is able to quickly make connections with others in an approach that projects genuine humility, warmth and an engaging sense of humor.”

Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust said UVA was fortunate to have Ryan rejoining its community, this time as a leader for the third century.

“Jim Ryan elevated the Harvard Graduate School of Education with an effective combination of academic passion and organizational expertise. He excels at developing institutional vision, aligning strategies with their resources and, most importantly, inspiring others to join together to make it happen,” Faust said. “He will be greatly missed at Harvard, but we look forward to following his successes at UVA.”

Friday’s vote was the culmination of an extended search process launched in January with the formation of the Special Committee on the Nomination of a President. The 22-member committee – which included Board of Visitors members, students, faculty and staff members, and alumni – conducted nearly 50 outreach sessions throughout the nomination and review process and gathered comment through an online survey as well.

Ryan will begin his tenure at a pivotal moment for the University of Virginia, which is consistently recognized for its academic quality and value. UVA continues to commemorate its bicentennial by celebrating and exploring its history, while charting a course for its third century that sustains academic, research and health care excellence while positioning the University to play a leading role in global higher education.

“As it has for 200 years, the University of Virginia will pursue ever-higher ambitions,” Ryan said. “UVA’s third century should be marked by its continued rise as a model of higher education for the world. It is a public institution in its truest sense, educating citizen leaders in service to our democracy, and improving the lives of people everywhere. I’m thrilled to be a part of it again.”

Ryan is married to Katie Homer Ryan, a staff attorney for the Education Law Clinic and Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative at Harvard Law School, and an adjunct lecturer in education. Katie Ryan is a 1987 graduate of Dartmouth College and, like Jim, earned a J.D. from the UVA School of Law in 1992. The Ryans have four children: Will, age 20; Sam, 18; Ben, 16; and Phebe, 11.

Jim and Katie Ryan are accomplished runners, each having completed the Boston Marathon for the last seven years. Jim’s other interests include skiing, mountain biking, fly-fishing, surfing and cooking.

By Keswick Life

The Roanoke Shenandoah Valley Horse Show returned to the Virginia Horse Center on Wednesday, June 21, for the second year in a row. Exhibitors took to the Coliseum ring to compete for top honors, with championship pinning taking place throughout the weekend.During this year’s competition, Ceil Wheeler and her own Callaway’s Brioni took home the tricolor in the ASB Ladies Five Gaited Championship. The reserve champion was presented to Phyllis Brookshire aboard Man on the Move for the class. Suzanne Wright and Fort Chiswell’s Wild Kiss earned the ASB Five Gaited Show Pleasure Adult championship, with the reserve championship going to Jennie Garlington riding Kalarama’s New Moon.

The horse show welcomed exhibitors and spectators to this year’s event with “A Grand Celebration,” an inaugural evening filled with cocktails and delectable hors d’oeuvres. Guests had the opportunity to mingle with community business leaders and influential government officials on the concourse of the Waldron arena. Held during the second night of the show, guests enjoyed an open bar while watching USEF Saddlebred, Roadster, and Hackney action. They also had the chance to hone their skills in the judge’s box with “Be the Judge,” a special opportunity to rate competitors and present historic trophies to the winners at center ring. The night concluded with great music at the lively after party.

Emma Jolly of Keswick, VA, and Mischief Managed rode to victory in the $10,000 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby, the highlight of the first annual USHJA Foundation Pony Spectacular at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). Jolly and Mischief Managed secured a two round score of 335 to capture the win. Leigh Ashby of Lincolnton, NC, and Onyxford’s Blue Magic finished in second place with a two round score of 326, while Erica Felder of Lenoir, NC, and Elegance secured third place with a final score of 320.Jolly and Mischief Managed, owned by Rhiana Hughes, performed brilliantly together throughout the two rounds, earning a 167 in the first round, before taking the win with a 168 in the handy. Emma is fifteen-years-old and trains with Brooke Kemper of Culpepper, VA, “This was such a fun experience. I think it really got the ponies and the riders ready for the finals later this summer. The big ring let you get them out in front of you, but then bring them back in,” said Jolly. “It was a great atmosphere to relax and just have a blast.”

Making just her fourth start and first attempt at the stakes level, Unchained Melody the daughter of Smart Strike was in control at every point of call in the $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes (G2), as she turned back six challengers in gate-to-wire fashion at Belmont Park July 1.Bred by Hare Forest Farm, which owns her in partnership with Hidden Brook Farm, Unchained Melody came into the Mother Goose off  a two-length win a 1 1/16-mile allowance test at Belmont June 1.  She broke her maiden first time out at Gulfstream Park March 19 and came in second going six furlongs at Keeneland in April.”The (grade 1) Alabama (Aug. 19) would be the next step, I think,” Lynch said. “We’ll give her some time and set her for that. I think she’s certainly stamped her card in that direction today.”

Hunt Tosh of Milton, Georgia, and Flamingo-K, owned by Ceil Wheeler, finished as the winning pair in the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Tryon International Equestrian Center .The duo were tied for second place after the first round with a combined score of 177 and turned in another strong performance in the handy round, earning a score of 200, for a total score of 377. “He is very new to us,” Tosh explained. “The Wheeler’s bought him for me at Devon this year because they have been looking for that special derby horse. I showed him in one other derby before this, so I am really just getting to know him.”Flamingo-K only started competing in the hunter discipline this year, originally coming from the jumpers, and his transition to the hunter derby ring has been flawless.

The $50,000 Grand Prix of Michigan CSI2* highlighted Week Two of competition at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF) on Sunday. Twenty-four international athletes went head-to-head in the Grand Prix Ring, but it was Sloane Coles who took home the first win for the United States during the first week of FEI competition at GLEF with Esprit, owned by The Springledge Group. Course designer Manuel Esparza of Mexico challenged horses and riders over a 13-fence serpentine in the first round, but only seven were invited back to jump-off after going clear. Twenty-one-year-old Kaely Tomeu (USA) and Gentille, owned by Siboney Ranch, produced the first double-clear round of the jump-off, stopping the timers in 40.930 seconds as second to go in the order.It looked as though Tomeu would take the win as the only exhibitor to go clear in the tie-breaking round, as faults were collected throughout the next four rounds, until Coles and the 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding entered the ring as the final combination to jump-off. The pair galloped around the shortened track, adding no faults to their name, and crossed the finish line in 40.450 seconds to clinch the blue ribbon.In addition to her winning title and prize money, Coles took home a bottle of wine, courtesy of Black Star Farms, and a gift certificate for a free custom portrait from Kristi’s Canvas. Coles was also presented with one of Bloomfield Open Hunts’ historic trophies, the Wayne State University Grand Prix Trophy from the historic Motor City Horse Show, by Dean and Wendly Groulx

In winnning the Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on July 30th,  Stellar Wind now has 10 wins from 15 starts and more than $2.3 million in earnings. The Virginia bred, out of the Malibu Moon mare Evening Star, was bred and raised in Keswick at Peggy Augustus’ Keswick Stables.

By Keswick Life

The historic Paramount Theater of Charlottesville, Virginia was named the 2017 Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.

“We could not be more honored to receive this very distinguished award from The League of Historic American Theatres. Our pride for our Theater being recognized with this honor shines through every seat in the auditorium, every smile on a patron’s face, and every glimmer of excitement in a child’s eye when they see an event on stage. None of this would be possible without the foresight of those who saved and restored our beautiful Theater. To be recognized nationally as The Outstanding Historic Theatre for 2017 by such a prestigious organization, is an honor we share with our community and we plan to celebrate this honor with you all this season!” Chris Eure, Executive Director.

Founded in 1976 by 42 theaters across the country, which has grown to more than 350 historic theaters with more than 1,000 individual members, the League of Historic American Theaters (LHAT) is a non-profit organization with the mission to champion the preservation, restoration, and operation of historic theaters across North America for the benefit of their communities and future generations.

The Outstanding Historic Theatre Award recognizes a theater that demonstrates excellence through its community impact, quality of program and services, and quality of the restoration or rehabilitation of its historic structure. Former winners of this prestigious award include the distinguished Fabulous Fox in Atlanta, the New York City Center, the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, New Jersey, and Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio to name a few. CLICK HERE to view a full list of Outstanding Historic Theatre Award winners.

The award was presented to the Executive Director of The Paramount Theater, Chris Eure, at the League’s 41st Annual Conference which took place in Los Angeles, California, July 16 – 19. The honor of the award received carries significant respect and excitement from colleagues in the arts world.

The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce announced recently that it presented its 2017 Hovey S. Dabney Award for Corporate Citizenship to Roy Wheeler Realty Company, at a gathering of business and civic leaders attending the Annual Chamber Membership Meeting & Business Luncheon held at the Holiday Inn – Emmet Street on Wednesday, February 15th.

“Our Chamber is pleased to recognize Roy Wheeler Realty Company with our 2017 Chamber Hovey S. Dabney Award,” said Adrian Felts, Chief Operations Officer of Centridian, Immediate Past Chairman (2016) of the Chamber Board, and Chairman of the Hovey S. Dabney Award for Corporate Citizenship Selection Committee.  “Roy Wheeler Realty, and their dedicated professionals, define good corporate citizenship.”

The Annual Chamber Membership Business Meeting, underwritten by Virginia National Bank and R.E. Lee Companies, is regularly attended by 150-200 business & civic leaders.  The meeting and luncheon at the Holiday Inn – Emmet Street, will begin at 11:30AM.  Prior to the award presentation, Joseph Raichel, Wells Fargo Senior Vice President – Regional Business Banking Executive, who serves as the 2017 Chairman of the Chamber Board of Directors, will lead a presentation of the 2017 Annual Chamber Report to the Chamber membership and area business and civic leadership.

Roy Wheeler Realty was founded in Charlottesville in 1927 when its Founder, Roy Wheeler, borrowed $300 to start the company.  Ninety (90) years later, the firm proudly asserts its Founder’s philosophy that “service is our most important product.”   Today Roy Wheeler Realty’s more than 120 real estate associates and staff professionals work from six (6) offices in Central Virginia.  The firm’s President & CEO, Michael Guthrie, maintains the firm’s commitment to “Trust, Tradition and Market Leadership,” emphasizing adherence to a “helping hand” model in both business and within our communities.

Roy Wheeler Realty’s “helping hand” is demonstrated by the firm’s involvement in many area organizations and initiatives.  These include: Albemarle Housing Improvement Program’s Senior Safe at Home; Habitat for Humanity; the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank; the Food Bank’s Shop to Stop Hunger; the Senior Center; and many others.  The firm has been early and founding sponsors, and in many cases are continuing sponsors of such organizational initiatives as: the Blue Ridge 1st Tee program; AHIP House Party; Blue Ridge Home Builders Parade of Homes; Court Appointed Special Advocates; Senior Center;  Special Olympics; Big Brothers /Big Sisters; Salvation Army; Toy Lift; and many others.

Roy Wheeler Realty associates serve on myriad organizational Boards such as the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors; the Virginia Realtors Association; Senior Center; Charlottesville Scholarship Program; Free Enterprise Forum; and, the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Guthrie, the 2011 Chamber Christopher Lee Small Business Person Award recipient, has served on the Chamber Board of Directors since 2014.  Many of his associates are engaged in various Chamber activities including Leadership Charlottesville, Chamber Business Women’s Round Table, Quadruplicity and the Chamber Senior Round Table.

The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce established the Hovey S. Dabney Award for Corporate Citizenship in 2005 to recognize outstanding examples of corporate citizenship in the Greater Charlottesville communities.  This Chamber Award is established and named in honor of the late Hovey S. Dabney, a distinguished business leader and citizen in the Greater Charlottesville area, the Commonwealth of Virginia and our nation.  The Chamber Hovey S. Dabney Award for Corporate Citizenship is underwritten through the generosity of Hunter E. Craig, W. K. Heischman and Ivo Romenesko.

The 2017 Chamber Hovey S. Dabney Award Selection Committee, in addition to Mr. Felts as Committee Chairman, includes: Paul Beyer, Liza Borches, Martin Burks, III, Alison DeTuncq, Kristina Hofmann, Timothy Hulbert, Robert Pflugfelder, Joseph Raichel, Ivo Romenesko, Pamela Sutton-Wallace, Brinson White and Erika Viccellio. The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to representing private enterprise, promoting business and enhancing the quality of life in our greater Charlottesville communities.  The Chamber’s more than 1,200 member and affiliate member enterprises employ more than 45,000 people in our community, representing an estimated total payroll of more than $1.75 billion a year.