[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 57 (Friday, March 26, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E300]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING KARISSA KRUSE AS THE 2020 WOMAN OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 26, 2021

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 
Karissa Kruse, whom I have named the 2020 Woman of the Year in Sonoma 
County, California. Woman of the Year recognizes women who have made 
important contributions to California's 5th Congressional District in 
Arts and Culture, Professional Achievement, Entrepreneurship and 
Innovation or Community Service.
  Born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Ms. Kruse grew up surrounded by a 
loving and supportive family. A University of Pennsylvania alumna, she 
graduated with a BS in Economics and an MBA in Marketing from the 
prestigious Wharton School of Business. In pursuit of a warmer climate, 
she came to Sonoma County shortly after graduating, starting Argot 
Wines and Karma, an angel investment firm.
  Ms. Kruse began her career with the Sonoma County Winegrowers in 2012 
as the Director of Marketing before being named President in 2013. The 
following year, she launched an initiative charting a 5-year path to 
100 percent sustainability, an ambitious target that reflects both her 
decisiveness as a leader and her passion for our environment and 
farming families. By September of 2019, nearly all of Sonoma County's 
vineyards had been certified sustainable, making it the most 
ecologically friendly wine region in the world. Ms. Kruse continued to 
build upon the organization's environmental leadership, establishing an 
exclusive partnership with the California Land Stewardship Institute to 
launch a Climate Adaptation Certification, the first of its kind for 
agriculture.
  Her tenure as President has also coincided with the recent wildfires 
that have challenged the resilience of the wine community. Ms. Kruse 
has been instrumental in guiding our agricultural communities through 
these tumultuous times, re-establishing the Sonoma County Grape Growers 
Foundation in 2016 to improve the lives of agricultural workers and 
their families. Over the past two years, the Foundation has provided 
over $1 million for wildfire recovery, housing support, and workforce 
development. These funds have been crucial in supporting the stability 
of the wine industry, which in turn has been a lynchpin in rebuilding 
our communities. Moreover, Ms. Kruse is thrilled to have recently 
married Steve Dutton, a 5th generation Sonoma County farmer, on January 
1, 2021. She is honored to be a member of the Dutton family along with 
Steve and her new stepchildren, Jake and Jordan.
  Madam Speaker, Ms. Karissa L. Kruse exemplifies the kind of business 
leadership that fosters vibrant, cohesive, and prosperous communities. 
It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor her here today as 
Sonoma County's 2020 Woman of the Year.

                          ____________________