Simply put—helping students fills her cup. That’s why April Reddout, a busy, successful wine consultant in Kennewick, Washington, accepted a new role as the manager of the online Wine Business Management Certificate in the WSU School of Hospitality Business Management. The noncredit program offers six learning modules developed and taught by WSU business faculty and industry professionals, including Reddout, with diverse business expertise. “This program is affordable and delivers a lot of content in a short time frame. The online format makes it flexible for people to succeed, which I love,” Reddout says.

At just 17, WithCo Cocktails Chief Operating Officer Shaun McKinley ('10) found his professional calling while working amid the chaos, customers, and cuisine of a fine-dining restaurant. The constant problem-solving and endless learning opportunities intrigued him, and he couldn’t get enough of trying new foods, learning about wine and spirits, and aspiring to know what it means to run a business. Recognizing McKinley’s potential, his boss, who owned the restaurant, knew WSU is one of the top hospitality programs in the country and urged McKinley to look into it for his undergraduate degree. “I’m extremely grateful for the education I received at WSU and the professors who helped prepare me for a career in hospitality,” says McKinley, who has spent the last 12 years building a well-rounded career in the beverage industry.

If Walter Clore, a man largely known as the “Father of Washington wine” could see the educational offerings the Carson College of Business is bringing to a center that bears his name, he would undoubtedly raise a toast to progress. Last year, WSU Tri-Cities and the Port of Benton formed a partnership to implement wine and culinary education offerings at the Walter Clore Center in Prosser, Washington, adding to its continuing education and workforce development programs. “We are elated to offer programming that will not only educate individuals about the history of Washington state wine, but also provide sensory and other hands-on experiences that will allow individuals to do a deep dive into all that Washington wine has to offer,” says WSU Tri-Cities Chancellor Sandra Haynes.

The COVID-19 pandemic not only put a damper on tourism in the United States, it also challenged Byron Marlowe, Don Smith Distinguished Professor and director of the WSU Tri-Cities Wine and Beverage Business Management program. Initially scheduled to go to Krems, Austria, for a Fulbright experience to study and teach courses pertaining to wine tasting room experiences, Marlowe pivoted to study in Vienna, focusing on digital marketing for wine tourism.

Dr. Byron Marlowe’s new return-to-business guide offers best practices guidelines and a checklist for reopening a tasting room based on what has been required and recommended by health departments and the state. It includes recommendations on winery procedures for dine-in service, employee safety and health, cleaning and sanitation, as well as organizational and administrative considerations and personnel illness management guidelines.