Head of Sonoma County Vintners resigns unexpectedly

The executive director of Sonoma County Vintners, the main advocacy and promotional trade group for the county’s wineries, resigned unexpectedly Tuesday from the organization after a year on the job.

Carolyn Stark cited personal reasons for her departure, according to a press release issued Tuesday night.

Stark’s resignation comes one year and one day after she joined the 170-member nonprofit group, capping a nationwide search to fill the spot that Honore Comfort held for nine years.

Stark had previously served for three years as executive director for Sonoma County BEST, a Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce initiative to promote job growth throughout the county.

The wine industry has come under increased criticism that an abundance of winery events are contributing to congestion and traffic and eroding the quality of life in Sonoma and Napa counties. Sonoma County Vintners, however, has not been as aggressive as the Napa wine trade group, Napa Valley Vintners, in putting forth a position on the debate.

Sonoma County Vintners also was part of a nearly $1 million local effort to promote wine and tourism at the Super Bowl, most notably at a wine lounge at Super Bowl City.

Stark declined to say how much her group spent on the effort, which some independent economists contend would not reap the expected results.

The group’s budget was $1.5 million in 2013, according to its federal tax filings.

Caroline Shaw, president of the vintners’ board and chief marketing officer at Jackson Family Wines, said in a statement an interim executive director would be named soon.

You can reach Staff Writer Bill Swindell at 521-5223 or bill.swin dell@pressdemocrat.com. On Twit ter @BillSwindell