Ithaca Wine Ventures (I W V) was recently founded in June of 2019 by Richy Petrina, a native of Ithaca and proud ambassador to the Finger Lakes wine region. He is a graduate of The Hotel School at Cornell, and has remained actively involved with its global alumni and local community by mentoring students, serving as executive in residence, and guest-lecturing frequently.
His industry experience is comprised of multiple fields within beverage alcohol, including; business intelligence, wholesale sales & marketing, sales planning & finance, luxury marketing, strategic business development, and DTC.
After +6 years with Charmer Sunbelt (currently Breakthru Beverage Group), Richy spent 10+ years with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton where he most recently started their direct-to-consumer private & corporate sales channel for wines & spirits in the USA.
Over the years he has successfully partnered with many luxury brands and organizations in creating elevated experiences, often being invited to present as a subject-matter expert. As well, his passion for wine often takes him to notable schools where he educates hundreds of MBA students each year.
With I W V he seeks to enhance the relevancy of the Finger Lakes wine community, and to help hospitality students discover and innovate the industry before and after graduating.
He is the president of the newly founded Finger Lakes Chapter of The Cornell Hotel Society, serves on The James Beard Foundation’s Awards Committee, its inaugural JBF Beverage Advisory Committee, and consults on various industry projects for companies large and small.
Richy is happily based out of Ithaca, NY.
- Luxury marketing
- Sales / direct-to-consumer
- The wine & spirits industry