Liz Thach Will Retire as Wine Market Council President on August 5

Liz Thach, the president of Wine Market Council and one of the wine industry’s best-known voices on consumer research, said she will retire from the Napa Valley-based organization on August 5, ending a three-year term marked by membership growth and an expanded public profile for the group’s market studies.

Michelle Egan, founder of Egan Wine Consulting, will take over as president after Thach’s departure, according to an announcement released this week by Wine Market Council. The two executives are expected to work together in the coming weeks to manage the transition.

Wine Market Council, founded in 1996, is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit that focuses on research into how Americans buy wine, what they think about it and how consumption trends are changing. The organization is funded through membership dues and research priorities set by members, who include wineries, distributors, growers, importers and trade associations in the United States and abroad.

The leadership change comes at a time when many wine businesses are paying closer attention to consumer behavior, direct-to-consumer sales and shifting demand across age groups and price tiers. In that context, Wine Market Council has become an important source of data for producers, marketers and trade groups trying to understand a changing U.S. market.

During Thach’s tenure, the organization said its membership rose by nearly 70%. It also said she oversaw 11 national research studies and updated internal systems while increasing awareness of the group’s work through media outreach and social media.

In a statement, Thach said she chose not to renew her term because she wants to spend more time traveling, writing and teaching. She described the decision as bittersweet and said she was confident in Egan’s ability to lead the organization.

“I have been fortunate to work with some of the brightest minds in the wine industry who serve on the WMC Board of Directors, our dedicated team, and our outstanding membership,” Thach said. “Together, we have identified high-impact research projects that provide critical insights to strengthen the marketing and sales strategies of our members.”

Thach added that her three-year commitment ends this summer and that she is “very excited” about the vision Egan will bring to the role.

Before joining Wine Market Council, Thach spent 23 years as a full-time professor at Sonoma State University, where she retired in 2023 as Distinguished Professor of Wine & Management. Earlier in her career, she worked for 10 years in human resources roles at Fortune 500 companies. She is also one of a relatively small number of Americans to hold the Master of Wine title, a credential that carries weight across the global wine trade.

Heather Jordan, chair of the Wine Market Council board and vice president of beverages at Biltmore Estate, credited Thach with strengthening both the organization’s reach and its value to members.

“The Board is deeply grateful for Liz Thach’s transformative leadership over the past three years,” Jordan said in a statement. “Her tireless commitment not only advanced Wine Market Council’s membership and awareness, but also laid a lasting foundation to help the wine industry better understand consumers and make informed decisions.”

Egan arrives with nearly three decades of experience in wine sales, marketing and direct-to-consumer strategy. She began her career at E. & J. Gallo Winery and later spent 11 years at Constellation Brands, where she rose to vice president of fine wine marketing and direct-to-consumer. She also held senior roles at Realm Cellars and Terlato Wine Group before starting her consulting firm.

Her background reflects a part of the business that has become more central for wineries in recent years: building stronger direct relationships with consumers while using data to guide pricing, messaging and brand development. That experience appears to be one reason Wine Market Council selected her for the post.

In a statement, Egan said rapid changes in the wine business have made research more important for companies trying to respond quickly.

“As the wine industry is evolving quickly, data-driven insights have never mattered more in helping our members make smarter, faster decisions,” Egan said. “I’m honored to lead Wine Market Council into this next chapter, building on the strong foundation laid by Liz and the presidents before her.”

Wine Market Council has long positioned itself as a practical research body rather than an advocacy group. Its studies are used by members to track consumer attitudes toward issues such as premiumization, health concerns, generational preferences and purchasing channels. Membership starts at $400 a year, according to the organization.

The transition from Thach to Egan suggests continuity rather than a strategic break. Both women are closely tied to wine education and market analysis, though Egan’s career has been rooted more directly in commercial brand building and winery sales strategy. For producers facing slower growth in some parts of the U.S. market and sharper competition for younger drinkers’ attention, that mix of research and hands-on marketing experience may shape how Wine Market Council frames its next round of studies.

The organization did not announce any immediate changes to its research agenda along with the leadership move. Egan is expected to assume the presidency in August after Thach formally steps down.