Wine industry leader recognised in Australia Day awards

The chairman of the national association for winegrape and wine producers has received the Officer of the Order in the General Division (AO) on Australia Day.

Australian Grape and Wine Chairperson Sandy Clark received the coveted award for his distinguished service to the wine industry through leadership roles, finance and business, to the arts, and charitable initiatives.

Former Chairperson of Brown Brothers Group and Mitchelton Wines, Clark was appointed as the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA) President on 15 November 2016.

Clark was a driving force behind the amalgamation of WFA and Australian Vignerons, giving the industry one united voice at the federal level. On 1 February 2019, Clark was elected to be the inaugural Chairperson of Australian Grape and Wine Incorporated.

Australian Grape and Wine Chief Executive Tony Battaglene said the recognition reminds us all of how much Sandy has done.

“He continues to do so much to further the cause of Australian wine, and we all welcome this formal acknowledgement of Sandy’s efforts,” Battaglene said.

The Order of Australia recognises Australians who have demonstrated outstanding service or exceptional achievement, according to the award’s website.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Oleksii