New Chamber board, Amazon news and 40 under 40 underway

40 under 40: North Bay Business Journal is seeking nominations for its annual Forty Under 40 awards, recognizing the most influential executives and professionals in the North Bay area under 40 years old, innovators who have changed the way their industry does business; whose work has a wide-reaching impact on the business community; who are advancing quickly in their organizations; who demonstrate extraordinary leadership qualities; or who create a new product or market. Enter a nomination at northbaybusinessjournal.com.

New Chamber board: The 2021 slate of officers and directors for the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce includes President John Bast of Edward Jones; VP Ramie Hencmann of Sweet Scoops ice cream; Secretary Rose Kapsner of Beau Wine Tours; Treasurer Jose Alvarez of Redwood Credit Union; and past-President Becky Ettinger of Exchange Bank. The new directors include Vince Albano of Mary’s Pizza Shack and Laura Schermeister of Schermeister Winery. The outgoing directors (who served six years on the board) are Eric Gullotta of Gullotta Law Group and Megan Moll of the Red Grape.

Shipping at Whole Foods: Amazon customers can now return some purchases at the local Whole Foods Market. Customers can go online and select the Sonoma Whole Foods Market as the drop-off location. You receive a QR code from Amazon that will be scanned when you drop off your package and bring your item to the customer service desk right inside the store — no need to bring the original shipping box. They’ll take it from there — from the packing to the labeling to the shipping, all at no cost to you.

Quick closure: Rite Aid in Sonoma was closed briefly on Monday, Jan. 11, but had reopened by Tuesday, Jan. 12. Staff and customers report that the closure was due to an employee testing positive for COVID-19. A spokeperson in Rite Aid’s corporate office said they would check, but did not reply by press time.

Taco Bell: Renovations of the Sonoma’s Taco Bell franchise on Highway 12 across from Maxwell Park continue. The outside of the fast-food restaurant appears to be getting a complete overhaul.

Calling all dentists: California officials have granted dentists an emergency waiver to administer COVID-19 vaccines as the state faces distribution issues of the shots, according to CBS News. Gov. Newsom also said the state is looking to enlist pharmacy technicians and National Guard members to help speed up the process. In other news, Marin County Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis said that teachers and educators in Marin could start receiving their first doses of coronavirus vaccine by the end of January.

Amazon: There is still no official news on Amazon’s plans to open a last-mile distribution center at the base of Eighth Street East in Sonoma, but the company was in the news this week for its purchase of the first of 85 cargo planes. Amazon is lessening its reliance on UPS and FedEx and doing more deliveries itself, as evidenced by the constant sight of the company’s gray branded delivery trucks around town lately.

Hospital CEO search: The executive search firm WittKieffer has been retained to help find a new CEO for Sonoma Valley Hospital. “Several hundred highly qualified potential candidates” have been narrowed to a short list of 34 who were interviewed. The board’s CEO search committee will soon bring two finalist candidates to Sonoma to meet with board members and also members of the administration team and medical staff.

Vaccine czar: Sonoma Coounty has appointed Dr. Urmila Shende as the County’s COVID19 Vaccine Chief. Shende has been working with the county since March 2020 on its COVID-19 response efforts. Shende has more than 20 years’ experience working as a pediatrician in Sonoma County. She earned her medical degree from Northwestern University and her her B.A. from Cornell.

Retirement: Mike Crumly, VP of vineyard operations at Gloria Ferrer Winery, is retiring after 35 years with the winery.

Land for sale: Sixty acres of commercial vineyard land at 26090 Ramal Road is now for sale at $5.25 million in Sonoma. The listing describes it as a potential building site with panoramic views and abundant water.

Now online: Café la Haye’s takeout menu is now available online through its partnership with OpenTable. You can order and pre-pay daily Tuesday through Saturday. cafelahaye.com.

Bitcoin: Curious about bitcoin? Sonoma Wealth Advisors is offering a free presentation on You Tube explaining the digital currency in layperson’s terms. sonomawealthadvisors.com.

New board: Sonoma Valley Cannabis Enthusiasts (SVCE) announced that long-time Sonoma cannabis promoter Michael Coats has been elevated to the role of president for 2021-2023. Founding SVCE President Ken Brown assumes the title of VP. Mary Creasey stays on as secretary and Doug Gardner retains his role as treasurer and ED. Gretchen Giles remains SVCE’s pro bono marketing consultant. SVCE's goal is “to highlight our local cannabis’ remarkable terroir and to spotlight how Valley cannabis, properly grown, adds value to both our environment and our community.” svce.org

Anniversary: Sonoma State University’s Wine Business Institute is celebrating the 25th anniversary providing wine business education and research. In 1998, the WBI was the first in the U.S. to offer an undergraduate degree focused on the business of wine, followed by a Wine MBA in 2008, and an Executive Wine MBA in 2012.

Virtual tasting options: A collection of Sonoma Valley wineries offering virtual tastings can be found at sonomavalleywine.com/virtual-library.

Cheese classes: The Epicurean Connection offers classes in how to make chevre, creme de fromage, ricotta, mozzarella and burrata, with the ingredients, instructions and wines to pair shipped to your door. The company is now hosting private and corporate virtual cheesemaking classes, shipping cheese tasting boxes, and offering classes with cheese and wine specialists from state to state.

Slow traffic: Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport closed out 2020 with the passenger volume down 60 percent―its lowest numbers in a decade.

Contact Lorna at lorna.sheridan@sonomanews.com.