David Mendelsohn began his 15-year career at Bank of America in 1957 as a Research Analyst and assisted in the development and launch of BankAmericard, the forerunner of Visa. He progressed from Marketing Manager of BankAmericard to Vice President in the Bank's National Division, responsible for the overall credit and deposit relationships with some of the Bank's largest corporate clients. Recruited from the bank by the Chairman of World Airways (a Supplemental Air Carrier) in 1972, David served for five years as Vice President-Senior Financial Officer and Deputy Chairman and Director of this NYSE firm. Turning from the corporate environment to entrepreneurship, David founded Telecheck Golden Gate in 1978.
This Bay Area franchise was designed to protect retailers from bad checks and grew so rapidly that by 1980 the franchiser offered to buy back the area franchise. After spending three years at U.S. Rail Services (a U.S. Leasing subsidiary) as President, he accepted the position of Managing Director and Executive V.P. of Bay Area Seating Service dba BASS Tickets. During the next 16 years the company grew in profitability ten-fold and became the nation's most respected independent regional computerized ticketing service. David as part owner assisted the principal owners of the company in negotiating a sale of the company to Advantix in 1997 and he retired to Napa, California.
In addition to his business career and his family he has devoted countless hours to many non-profit organizations. Currently, David is a SCORE Counselor in Napa as well as a member of the board of Arts Council Napa Valley.
Richard Williams has been hailed by critics in Europe, the Americas and the Orient as an "exceptionally gifted conductor," one with "style, suavity and finesse." He has been compared to such legendary conductors as George Szell for his interpretations of the classic repertoire and Sir John Barbirolli for his lustrous orchestral sound. Williams has guest conducted many of the world's great orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic and the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center. In addition to his work with symphony orchestras he is also an experienced opera, ballet and choral conductor. He has made award-winning recordings with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Leipzig Radio Symphony and the Frankfurt Opera Orchestra.
Williams has been an international guest conductor and recording artist since leaving the Virginia Symphony where he served as Music Director and Conductor until 1986. He has also served as Music Director and Conductor of the Cedar Rapids Symphony and the Amici della Musica Chamber Orchestra. He has appeared with many world renowned artists including opera stars Ruth Ann Swenson, Jose Carreras, Beverly Sills, Roberta Peters and Robert Merrill, and instrumentalists such as Van Cliburn, Pincas Zuckerman, Leonard Rose, and Emanuel Ax. In addition to his guest conducting and recording work, Williams is Director of Cultural Affairs at Meadowood Napa Valley, where he produces opera, concerts and lectures for members and guests of the resort hotel and club. Williams began piano studies at the age of five and subsequently studied cello, clarinet and percussion. He earned university degrees in conducting, music theory and percussion. His other interests include cooking, tennis and architectural design.
Alvin Lee Block earned his MD from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. He served in the US Army Medical Corps and completed his residency in hospitals in San Francisco, CA and Miami, FL. He is a member of numerous associations, including the Napa County Medical Society, the American Medical Association, and the American Bar Association, as well a Fellow in the American College of Physicians and the American College of Legal Medicine. Currently, Mr. Block is a Board Member of the Napa Valley Opera House and the Newport North Homeowners Association, an Advisory Board Member of the Junior League of Napa-Sonoma, and a Member of the Senior Lawyer Committee of the State Bar of California. He is a lecturer and consultant to the Napa State Hospital, and his medical writings are widely published. He was the first President of the Napa Valley Wine Train and the founder of The Jewish Community of Napa Valley, a cultural philanthropic organization. His son Kevin is a Napa City Councilmember and his wife Moira is a writer. An active and engaged community member, Block brings to the Board of Arts Council Napa Valley his passion for the arts and his deep belief that arts and culture are a vital component of a healthy community.
James Krider has been an active member of the Napa Valley business and community service scene for over 30 years. After moving to Napa in 1975 to raise his children, he began participating in various service activities such as Napa Jaycees, Chamber of commerce, Napa Valley BMX, 4H, and various other community services. In 1994 he was appointed to the City of Napa Planning Commission where he served as commission member and Chair until his election to City Council in 2005. He is currently the Vice Mayor. He has always strived to insure that the City of Napa, and the Napa Valley continue to evolve into the Arts, Wine, Food, and Culture center of California. His vision is to combine the obvious best wines in the world, and natural beauty, with an arts and culture experience to match.
Ira Wolk is the Owner / Director of the I. Wolk Gallery located in St. Helena, in Rutherford at Auberge du Soleil and in Sonoma at MacArthur Place. Born in Chicago, he holds a Bachelor's Degree in Art History from Indiana University and a Master's Degree in Fine Art Photography from the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. After teaching fine art photography, he moved to San Francisco where he has been in the art gallery business since 1975. He opened the I. Wolk Gallery in St. Helena in 1991. The I. Wolk Gallery features paintings, works on paper, photography and sculpture by contemporary American artists. Featured are works by emerging, mid-career and established artists who have distinguished themselves by a sense of authenticity, craftsmanship, innovation, integrity and beauty. The galleries are committed to helping new and experienced collectors and art lovers affirm their connection to the beauty and wonder experienced in art.
Harry Price has been in real estate development since 1965, in capacities as a mortgage banker, real estate broker, and developer, involving projects located in several states. Harry formerly served as Attorney and General Counsel to public companies listed on the New York and American Stock Exchange. In Napa County, Harry originally developed Green Island Industrial Park starting in 1984. In 1990, Harry with three partners, formed and currently operates CDI, a commercial development investment company. CDI has developed approximately thirty buildings in American Canyon, Napa County and Solano County. CDI and U. S. Advisors are currently constructing Napa Square, a mixed use project in downtown Napa. Harry has been involved in planning and developing Napa Riverfront properties since 1987 and is Managing Member of the Napa Mill Project and Napa River Inn. Harry has previously served on several non-profit boards involved in downtown Napa redevelopment including the Opera House, NVEDC, and Friends of the River. He currently serves as a member of the Board of the Community Foundation of Napa Valley and the Arts Council.
Catherine Conway Honig is an avid supporter of the arts with over twenty years experience working for arts organizations and foundations. She has served as Director of Development for the San Francisco Jazz Festival and, subsequently, for the Stanford Jazz Workshop. Additionally, she has managed her own consulting practice for over fifteen years with clients including national and regional organizations and foundations. She is currently a workshop leader for the Hewlett-Packard Leadership Initiative, a project of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
She writes dance, music and theatre reviews for Scene Four, an international magazine for the performing arts, and has written a novel set in the San Francisco dance community in the mid-1980s.
As an ex-officio board member of the Stanford Jazz Workshop, she provides consultation on fundraising, strategic planning, and project management. She is also a board member of the Consortium on Reading Excellence, a Bay Area based organization that provides professional development services to school districts throughout the United States.
Sue Wollack is an avid supporter of the arts in the Valley having moved to St. Helena from San Francisco in late 2004.
Sue has been a volunteer in the non-profit world for over 25 years. She volunteered as a Children's Docent at SFMOMA for 5 years and has co-chaired capital campaigns and annual funds for both the San Francisco Day School and the Urban High School and served as a Trustee and a member of the Executive Committee at Urban High School for 7 years.
Sue trained as a counselor at the SF Child Abuse Prevention Center, SF Jewish Family and Children's Services and the Infant/Parent Program at SF General Hospital. Her work focused on family counseling and parenting support, primarily with lower socio/economic families.
In 1996 Sue formed a Board of Trustees for the SF Child Abuse Prevention Center and served as its Founding President for 8 years.
Sue also served on the Board of the di Rosa Preserve for 2 ½ years.
She graduated from the Leadership Napa Valley Program in May, '07 and is currently a member of the Planned Parenthood Board of Advocates (St. Helena) and the NARAL Pro-Choice California PAC Board. She also served as chairperson for first Napa /Sonoma Valley Roe v. Wade Anniversary Action Summit in 2006 and is a member of the Renaissance St. Helena committee.
Her education includes a BA in English from the University of Illinois and two Master's Degrees; one in Special Education (1972) and one in Counseling (1992).
