Retirement is not an option for Donald Triggs, a key player in the blossoming of Canada’s modern wine industry and co-owner of soon-to-be launched Culmina Family Estate Winery.
A native of rural Manitoba, representing the sixth generation on the family farm, Don left the nest to complete a degree in agriculture from the University of Manitoba and an MBA at Western. He started his career in Ontario doing sales and marketing with Colgate Palmolive. In 1972 he moved to John Labatt’s wine division where his experience ranged from fixing troubled sectors of winery operations to running large wine producers in Canada and abroad.
In the hope of staying in Canada with his family, Don joined Fisions PLC based in Vancouver, taking their troubled North American horticultural division from money loser to industry leader. With the 1989 North American Free Trade Agreement around the corner, Don risked everything. He joined forces with Alan Jackson and former Labatt colleagues who pooled their life savings to buy the brewer’s wine division.
Renamed Vincor International with Don as CEO, it grew to become the biggest wine enterprise in Canada and seventh largest in the world. When Constellation Brands US acquired Vincor in 2006, Don resigned and set out to build Culmina with wife Elaine as partner and daughter Sara as sales and marketing manager.
Don has lured Bordeaux-trained Pascal Madevon (formerly winemaker at Osoyoos Larose) to the promising scenario at Culmina.
Read more of the original stories celebrated in our 30th-anniversary issue.
Parent Trap
Complex family relationships and hectic lives create serious challenges for today’s parents. But there’s more help available than you might think — Around 6 p.m. the doors to a downtown Kelowna office building swing open intermittently. Men and women enter solemnly alone, making their way up the stairs, into the offices of the Kelowna Family Centre and a classroom where 15 chairs are set out in three neat rows.
International Childrens’ Games Kelowna 2011
Central Okanagan shooters seize the opportunity to stretch their photographic skills and capture some unforgettable moments in the young careers of what may prove to be tomorrow’s Olympic heroes. Concentration is etched on the faces of skaters taking in last minute instructions from their coaches as they prepare for one final practice at the International Children’s Games in Kelowna. Competition now just hours away, their every move is captured by the panning lenses of a group of amateur photographers who have volunteered to record the games.
Support the YMCA/YWCA
Thanks to the generosity of local donors and support of volunteers, more children, teens and families will be able to participate in and enjoy the full benefits of YMCA-YWCA programs at a time when many families simply cannot afford the costs involved.
Choice Happenings in the Okanagan
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Kelowna Secondary School Class of ’81 Reunion Jul. 23/11
Kelowna Secondary School’s grad class of 1981 (WOW! – can that be 30 years already?) is gearing up for its big reunion on July 23. For more info, call Darcy at 403.932.7273 or email groovy.chik@shaw.ca.
Powder Hounds Adaptive Ski
Winter isn’t over yet and there’s still lots of fun for anyone interested in the PowderHounds adaptive ski program. Founded by the Kelowna & District Society for People In Motion, the program offers people aged five to 75, that have a physical and/or sensory disability, an opportunity to enjoy the sport of skiing by using adaptive equipment.
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