Chemeketa Honors

At this year’s open house at Chemeketa Northwest Wine Studies Center, three industry members were honored.

Lowell Ford, owner of Illahe Vineyards, was recognized with the Legacy Builder Award.  “Lowell was the visionary who championed wine studies at Chemeketa,” said Joel Keebler, director of agricultural sciences and the Northwest Wine Studies Center at Chemeketa. Ford taught the first viticulture class at the college in 1998.

Pattie Bjornson, co-owner and winemaker of Bjornson Vineyard, was honored with the Emerging Leader Award; Bjornson was saluted as a former wine studies student who has demonstrated substantial and effective engagement with the Oregon wine industry. Bjornson has been deeply involved with the Eola-Amity Hills AVA.

Monks Gate’s Rebecca Moore, currently a student at Chemeketa, was chosen as the Student of the Year award. She was nominated by the wine studies program faculty members. As part of the award, Moore will receive free tuition for a college class.