[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 3, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E501-E502]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING WILLIAM ``BILL'' HANNA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 3, 2025

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
William ``Bill'' Hanna, who has been selected as the recipient of the 
Napa Valley Grapegrowers Lifetime Achievement Award. This honor 
celebrates his decades of service as a steward of the land, a leader in 
sustainable agriculture, and a deeply respected member of our Napa 
Valley community.
  Mr. Hanna is the great-grandson of legendary naturalist John Muir, 
whose legacy of environmental conservation shaped the Hanna family's 
enduring commitment to land stewardship and sustainability. He was born 
in Oakland, California, in 1945, and in 1950, his family moved to Napa, 
where they purchased a 100-acre ranch northwest of town. The property 
was originally planted with prunes and used for raising cattle, but in 
1969, Mr. Hanna's father, John Hanna, began replanting the orchards 
with grapevines. After retiring in 1972, Mr. Hanna's father began 
farming full-time and laid the foundation for the family's future in 
viticulture.
  Mr. Hanna graduated from the University of the Pacific in 1967 with a 
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a minor in Geology. That same 
year, he began a 26-year career in the United States Air Force, where 
he served in roles including Nuclear Research Officer, Environmental 
Chemist, and Deputy of the Industrial Products Division. During his 
service, he completed advanced coursework in nuclear physics, 
electronics, and statistics, and graduated from the Air Command, Staff 
College, and the Air War College. He later pursued graduate studies at 
California State University, Sacramento.
  In 1977, after transitioning from active-duty military service to the 
reserves, Mr. Hanna returned to Napa to join his father in managing the 
family vineyard. Together, Mr. Hanna and his father established Hanna 
Vineyards, Inc., which they operated together for two decades. In 2000, 
the family founded Muir-Hanna Vineyards and launched their first 
commercial wine. While the family has since retired the wine label, 
Muir-Hanna Vineyards continues to operate today, with Mr. Hanna serving 
as co-owner, growing and selling grapes to other producers.
  Mr. Hanna's vineyard practices have long reflected a deep commitment 
to environmental responsibility. In the 1970's, his family eliminated 
insecticide use at their ranch, and by the 1980's, began adopting 
broader sustainable farming methods. In 2007, Mr. Hanna introduced 
organic practices across the vineyard's operations. These efforts, 
combined with cover cropping, composting vine prunings, and fostering 
wildlife habitat near irrigation channels, demonstrate his long-
standing dedication to land stewardship as a grapegrower.
  Mr. Hanna's commitment to the land is part of a broader family legacy 
in Napa Valley agriculture. Mr. Hanna's father, John Hanna, helped 
organize the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Association and played a key role 
in drafting language that shaped the Agricultural Preserve. That legacy 
continued through Mr. Hanna's son, Michael Hanna, who served as the 
winemaker for the family wine label and currently is the Vineyard 
Manager at Muir-Hanna Vineyards. Like his father and grandfather before 
him, Michael Hanna served as a board member of the Napa County Farm 
Bureau, cementing the Hanna family's agriculture legacy in our Napa 
Valley agriculture community.
  In addition to his contributions to viticulture, Mr. Hanna has served 
our Napa Valley community through civic leadership. He is a past 
president and director of the Napa County Farm Bureau, where he helped 
shape local policy on land use, water, and natural resources. He also 
contributed to the development of ordinances protecting the 
Agricultural Preserve, refining winery definitions, and safeguarding 
environmental quality. Mr. Hanna also served as an advisor to the Bay 
Area Air Quality Management District and spent 12 years on the ROP 
Agricultural Advisory Council. His local service also includes board 
positions with Napa County Farm Supply, the Napa Housing Foundation, 
and Jefferson Street Senior Housing. He currently chairs the Finance 
Committee at Napa First United Methodist Church.
  Mr. Hanna is married to Claudia Hanna, and together they are the 
proud parents of Michael and Kristin. The Hanna family has long 
exemplified a life rooted in conservation, balance, and service to 
their community. From their passive-solar home to their shared love of 
hiking near Mono Lake, they continue to live out the environmental 
values passed down by their ancestor, John Muir.
  Mr. Speaker, William Hanna's leadership in agriculture, conservation, 
and civic life reflects a lifetime of service grounded in science, 
tradition, and deep care for the land. It is fitting and proper that we 
recognize him today for receiving the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Lifetime 
Achievement Award.

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