[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 5 (Thursday, January 10, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E33-E34]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING THE WORK OF MR. BASELER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SUZAN K. DelBENE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 10, 2019

  Ms. DelBENE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Theodor 
Baseler, who will be retiring next month from Ste. Michelle Wine 
Estates.
  Mr. Baseler began his career over thirty-four years ago, serving as a 
marketing professional before becoming the president and CEO of Ste. 
Michelle in 2001. His vision and leadership for Ste. Michelle, and the 
industry in general, fueled the evolution of the Washington wine 
industry.

[[Page E34]]

  Ste. Michelle was almost exclusively a Washington-focused company 
when Mr. Baseler was named president and CEO. Through his work, the 
company expanded to become the third-largest premium wine company in 
the U.S., propelling Washington to become the nation's second-largest 
wine producing state.
  Mr. Baseler also attracted some of the world's greatest winemakers to 
come to Washington to make wine; including Marchese Piero Antinori of 
Italy, Ernst Loosen of Germany, and Michel Gassier and Philippe Cambie 
of France.
  Mr. Baseler's unwavering commitment to quality resulted in wines 
lauded by critics, including Wine Spectator magazine's coveted ``No. 1 
Wine in the World'' title for the Columbia Crest 2005 Reserve Cabemet 
Sauvignon in 2009.
  For all of his success, Mr. Baseler has received several awards 
including ``Man of the Year'' from Wine Enthusiast magazine in 2009, 
being named one of the ``20 Most Admired People in the North American 
Wine Industry'' by Vineyard & Winery Management magazine in 2013, the 
Seattle-King County First Citizen Award for community leadership in 
2015, and the Executive Excellence Award by Seattle Business magazine 
in 2018.
  Mr. Baseler is not only a business leader, but remains a community 
advocate for higher education. He spearheaded the establishment of the 
world-class Wine Science Center at Washington State University, which 
was later named the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Wine Science Center, and 
is a member of the Washington University Board of Regents. He has also 
helped to generate more than $3 million in scholarship funds to 
students in need.
  I want to congratulate Theodor Baseler on his well-deserved 
recognition, and I thank him for being a leader in the local community.

                          ____________________