By Andrew Starke
Barossa Valley winemaker Peter Schulz has been appointed interim president of the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA).
He succeeds Bruce Kemp, who had to cut short his two-year term because of ill health.
The decision was ratified by the WFA Board at its meeting last week.
Schulz, who is proprietor of Turkey Flat Vineyards, has been a member of WFA’s Small Winemakers' Membership Committee for three years and its chair for the past year.
Each of the three membership committees nominates four members to the WFA Board.
“Peter is an ideal choice to take on this demanding role,” said WFA’s chief executive, Stephen Strachan.
“He is well respected in the industry and has an intimate knowledge both of the diverse range of issues we are currently facing and of the complexities of running an industry organisation.”
Schulz was a member of the WFA Board 10 years ago and also served on the then Australian Wine Export Council and Regional Winemakers’ Forum.
At the local level he has served as chair of the Barossa Wine and Tourism Association and presiding member of the North Para Water Resources Advisory Committee.
Before launching Turkey Flat with this wife Christie in 1990, he worked for Orlando Wines and as a viticulture consultant.