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Wine Industry Technology Symposium, the premier event showcasing strategic use of information technology and services for the wine industry, will hold its second annual conference on July 18, 2006 at the brand new Meritage Resort in Napa, California. Sponsorships for the event, along with the Technology Showcase, are selling out rapidly. eSkye Software is the presenting sponsor, Inertia Beverage Group and The Winetasting Network are platinum sponsors. Other sponsors include Beverage Data Network, CDMI Software, Dimensional Insights and POSLive. There will be more than 50 speakers from leading wineries, distributors, retailers as well as technology services companies, consultants and wine industry educators. Speakers include leadership from: 1-800 Flowers.com, Constellation Brands, Diageo, Foster's Wine Estates, Glazer's Family Companies, J Wine Company, Korbel Champagne Cellars, Sonoma State University Wine Business Program, Trinchero Family Estates and more.

"Given the significance of the changes happening in the wine business from consolidation of wineries and distributors, to increasing demands on wineries for compliance with FDA Bio-Terrorism, to the recent Supreme Court ruling affecting direct sales throughout the land, and Costco's challenges to the three tier system, there has never been a greater strategic need for understanding the technology options available as there is today." said J. Smoke Wallin, WITS Event Co-Chair and Chairman & CEO of eSkye Solutions, Inc. the presenting sponsor. Mr. Wallin, a former Chairman of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) continued, "It is indeed time for each of us in the industry to take a strategic review of our business practices to be certain we are optimizing the business using the most appropriate technology tools and strategies available."

WITS Event Co-Chair, Lesley P. Berglund shared, "We are proud to be taking WITS to a whole new level this year. We have lined up Best of Breed technology case studies, from outside the wine industry, as well as exploring breakthrough technologies being leveraged by each tier in our own industry." Ms. Berglund, president of the newly formed Specialty Wine Retailers Association and co-founder of The Winetasting Network (a platinum sponsor) adds, "we have also expanded the technology educational tracks to now include traditional channel sales and marketing, consumer direct sales and marketing, as well as technology tools for winery finance, operations, production and vineyard management. So no matter what your leadership role in the wine industry -- from winery to wholesaler to retailer -- attending this symposium has now become a MUST."

The WITS Technology Showcase will allow more than 25 technology vendors and service providers to display available products and services to the industry. Technology Showcase vendors already include: eSkye Software, Inertia Beverage, The Winetasting Network, Dimensional Insight, ACNielsen's Beverage Data Network, POS Resources, CDMI Software, Conformia Software, CAM Commerce Solutions, Cultivate Systems, New Vine Logistics, POS Resources, Secant Consulting, TagStream, TradePulse and Wine Web Enterprises. Remaining sponsorship and technology showcase positions will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

The Wine Industry Financial Symposium, an industry-led group dedicated to furthering financial education within the wine industry, is the organizing sponsor of WITS. Media sponsors include Wine Business Monthly and Wines & Vines. Early registration is recommended as space is limited and going fast.

"The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from last year's WITS. Bringing the industry together for one intensive day with every major technology company doing business in the wine industry was long overdue. We are thrilled for the wine industry to participate in WITS 2006." said Kathy Archer, President of the Wine Industry Financial Symposium.

The Wine Industry Technology Symposium was created in 2005 by a group of wine industry and technology professionals. The purpose of WITS is to address the unique information technology and services needs of the wine industry. Until WITS, there had not been a dedicated forum in which to do this.

WITS is dedicated to bringing the world's leading wineries, distributors and retailers together with some of the world's leading technology experts to foster learning and discussion. Panels of experts will discuss specific examples and case studies involving winemaking, vineyard management, compliance, online marketing, wine club and consumer sales, operations, financial management, sales and distribution, channel management and national accounts.

The agenda now includes four main tracks on technology and business issues. These are:

-- Channel Sales & Marketing
-- Direct Sales & Marketing
-- Operations, Production and Vineyard Management
-- Financial Management

Go to http://www.wineindustrytechnologysymposium.com/ for updated information on the agenda, speakers, sponsors and registration. To register for WITS visit the website at http://www.wineindustrytechnologysymposium.com/ or call (707) 261-8716.

Website: http://www.wineindustrytechnologysymposium.com/
Website: http://www.themeritageresort.com/

Source: Press Release; “Wine Industry Information Technology Symposium - WITS to Be Held in Napa, CA July 18, 2006 NAPA,” PRNewswire-- April 20, 2006