Wayne Childress

Wayne Childress has a diverse work experience spanning over several industries. Wayne began their career in the US Army, serving as a commissioned officer and holding various leadership roles in field artillery, aviation, command, and logistics. Wayne then transitioned into the corporate world, starting at Target as a Maintenance Supervisor and later moving to Macy's as an Operations Director. Afterward, they joined Constellation Brands as a Winery General Manager, where they successfully managed a large winery and implemented ISO 9001 certification. Childress then moved on to Foster's Wine Estates America, where they served as Vice President of Winery Operations, restructuring operations and managing capital projects. Wayne later joined Diageo Chateau & Estates as the Director of Operations, overseeing multiple wineries and delivering innovative wine brands. Currently, Childress serves as the President & Chief Executive Officer of Giumarra Vineyards Corporation.

Wayne Childress earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from Frostburg State University between 1979 and 1982. Additionally, they obtained several certifications, including TIPS - Training for Intervention Procedures from Health Communications, Inc. (The TIPS Program) in April 2014, Certificate of Lean Competency from Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd in May 2013, and WSET Intermediate Award with Merit from WSET — Wine & Spirit Education Trust in April 2013.