Charles Communications Associates Celebrates 20 Years in 2023 Wine Marketing Agency Reflects on two decades of excellence San Francisco, CA January 31, 2023 - This year marks the 20th anniversary for Charles Communications Associates (CCA), a leading wine marketing firm headquartered in San Francisco, California.   What began at the dining room table of founder Kimberly Charles in 2003 with her first client, noted actor and vintner Fess Parker, has grown over the last twenty years to represent clients in Japan, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America and the U.S with a dynamic team.  In 2021, Meininger's International named CCA one of the top 10 wine & spirits companies in the United States and Founder and President Kimberly Charles likes to say, "We have kept our momentum in these twenty years, pacing with changing technologies, media landscapes, larger trends within our industry and with consumer preferences.   That consistent push to keep relevant and nimble has been a big part of our success." Charles Communications Associates was early to the tech scene when it debuted the Brandlive platform in 2012, engaging with vintners and media via interactive video meet ups.   A precursor to today's ubiquitous zoom meetings, CCA saw early on the value of connecting from the comfort of one's home with vintners around the world.    Always with an eye to sustainability through innovative partnerships and impact investing as well as aligning with companies who espoused sustainable beliefs, CCA was an early adopter to what is today a new baseline for the way companies operate and market their brands.   Another pillar of CCA's core beliefs is in supporting women led or owned companies.   Many of CCA's client base have powerful women as CEOs such as Wente Vineyards, Domaine Carneros, the Consorzio of Conegliano Valdobbiadene among others.  CCA has worked with a large majority of legacy families in the California wine business including the Wentes, the Mondavis, the Gallos among others, helping them to shape their narrative and claiming their place in the continuum of history.   At the core of the company's belief system, has been a dedication to continuous improvement and education.   Among the first U.S. cohort to earn the challenging Diploma certification from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, founder Kimberly Charles has always kept the educational focus front and center with her client programming, executing programs with substance, relevance and meaning.   Early to adopt a work/life balance with her team, she works with a network of associates in Cape Town, New York, California, and beyond.    When asked what's ahead of the next industry curve, Charles likes to share that relationships will always be the company's stock and trade.   Cultivating long term connections with clients, media and gatekeepers in the trade will continue.  As she shares, "A good story never goes out of style." Discover more about Charles Communications Associates at www.charlescomm.com or on Instagram and Facebook @AlltheSwirl.    

As California’s new mandatory Responsible Beverage Service Certification deadline looms, San Francisco Wine School offers ABC accredited live training for 1 million servers in need All alcoholic beverage servers & managers are required to certify for responsible beverage service by August 31, 2022, per the state’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control June 27, 2022 - The State of California has issued a new mandate for Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) certification, for all 56,000 licensed businesses in California where alcohol is served that goes into effect this Friday, July 1.  The brand-new training and certification requirement is mandatory for everyone from servers to bartenders to bouncers, anyone who is part of the on-premise alcohol sales and service process for consumers.  These individuals and their managers must be trained through an approved RBS program and pass the California’s Department of Alcohol Beverage Control’s (ABC) certification exam by August 31, 2022.   On-premise licensees who do not have all alcoholic beverage service staff and managers certified by this date will be out of compliance with the ABC when enforcement begins.  This legislation was part of Assembly bills 1221 and 82, which charged the ABC to create this training and certification process.   There are only a handful of certifying organizations within the state like San Francisco Wine School, (SFWS) whose program is approved by the ABC to offer live, instructor-led training online, at their education and event center in South San Francisco, and at client locations throughout the state. A noted certification-focused wine education and event organization, SFWS has been in operation since 2011, offering 25 different programs, along with a wide array of workshops, public events, and private experiences for both trade and consumers.   Recognizing that this mandate needed to serve a wide audience in a short period of time, co-owners David Glancy, MS and Kristin Campbell jumped into action and began developing their program last year.   SFWS has their 4-hour certification class available publicly on July 26, August 22, and September 27 for a cost of $45 per person with opportunities for group discounts.  In addition, the school offers groups, associations, and individual wineries, bars, and restaurants this training privately, allowing them to focus discussions on areas and examples that are most relevant to their particular business.  SFWS’ RBS program is also expected to be available in Spanish in the coming weeks. According to Campbell, "RBS training educates persons seeking employment or who are currently employed as servers for on-premise consumption of alcoholic beverages. It aims to provide these important staff and managers with the necessary skills to responsibly serve alcoholic beverages and mitigate alcohol-related harm in California communities. We used our deep industry knowledge to create a curriculum that is in strict compliance with the ABC’s requirements with the goal of successful certification for all students and are one of only ten approved “in-person” providers authorized to teach live throughout the state."  SFWS has also pioneered hybrid room/zoom offerings during the pandemic where attendees can either attend live in-person or online and receive custom tasting kits across the US when wine is part of the experience.   “Using our state-of-the-art AV system for RBS training will allow us to conveniently and effectively train servers across the state and minimize travel expenses for those who want to participate from home or work.”  Important to note, TIPS, ServeSafe, and LEAD programs and certification completed prior to May 2021 do NOT satisfy the requirements for California’s Responsible Beverage Service Certification.  How the RBS Training and Certification Process Works at San Francisco Wine SchoolOnce registered for a training program at https://sanfranciscowineschool.com/rbs, each on-premise server and manager is required to register with the ABC at https://abcbiz.abc.ca.gov/ before the program start date and pay a $3 fee to obtain their Server ID. This Server ID is presented to SFWS who then certifies their class participation after the training, thereby opening their exam.  They must then pass the ABC's online RBS exam with a score of 70% or higher within 3 attempts after completion of the program to earn the state mandated RBS certification.    About California's Responsible Beverage Service Training Program Act and Related Certification Passage of California Assembly Bill 1221 in 2017 created the Responsible Beverage Service Training Program Act. The bill required the Alcoholic Beverage Control to create the Responsible Beverage Service Training Program (RBSTP) to ensure servers and their managers of alcoholic beverages are educated on the dangers of serving alcohol to minors and over-serving alcohol to patrons with the intention of reducing alcohol-related harm to local communities. The mandate creates a new training requirement for roughly 1,000,000 alcohol servers and managers of alcohol servers at an estimated 56,000 ABC licensees with on-premise alcohol sales privileges. The alcohol servers and managers who work at those locations must register with the ABC, be trained by an ABC approved program, and pass an ABC exam to be certified within 60 days of the enactment or after their first date of employment whichever is later. This certification must be renewed every 3 years by all alcohol servers as mandated by these new regulations. The passing of Assembly Bill 82, on June 29, 2020, extended the date in which this requirement is enacted to July 1, 2022. This change was made to alleviate the financial strain on the hospitality industry caused by the COVID-19 state of emergency. Effective July 1, 2022, all alcohol servers and their managers must obtain a valid RBS certification though an ABC accredited RBS training provider within 60 calendar days from the effective date or their first date of employment.  Uncertified Servers, Managers and Licensees will be out of compliance with this law beginning August 31, 2022, when enforcement begins. To learn more about SFWS' RBS program, visit here or contact help@sfwineschool.com or 650-763-1324.  For media inquiries, images, or interviews, please contact Kimberly Noelle Charles, DipWSET of Charles Communications Associates at kcharles@charlescomm.com or 415-730-0064. # # #  

San Francisco Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International Opens Applications for New Membership Philanthropic organization of women leaders in food, fine beverage, and hospitality now accepting self and peer-nominated applications for membership SAN FRANCISCO, CA, April 18 2022—The San Francisco Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) is now accepting applications for membership as it furthers its mission to support and nurture the next generation of women leaders in the food, fine beverage, and hospitality industries. For the first time, prospective members may apply directly to the organization without a nomination from an existing chapter member. This national policy change aims to provide women with an easier path to apply to LDEI for a more equitable nomination process that furthers the organization’s commitment to diversity. Prospective members may also be nominated by existing chapter members, as in years past. In 2022, the San Francisco Chapter of LDEI (LDEI-SF) welcomed a record-breaking 16 new members. In the 2022-2023 nomination period, the chapter will induct 10 new Dames, who will join a membership of accomplished leaders in food, beverage, wine, hospitality, publishing, media, public relations, and agriculture. Dames of the LDEI-SF engage in events, programs, and philanthropy. “The San Francisco Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier has always been blessed with a membership of forward-thinking professionals with diverse backgrounds,” said Pam Mazzola, President of LDEI-SF. “We are striving to propel and support women in positions of leadership across the many facets of the hospitality industry.” All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply via the online form through the self-nomination process. Women may also be invited to join LDEI by existing chapter members. LDEI-SF seeks nominees who will be active members of the Chapter. Members are requested to attend at least two member events per year and participate in the organization as volunteers, committee members, or chairs, host an event or serve on the Board of Directors. To qualify, nominees should: Have a minimum of 5 years of professional experience in their respective field Possess the highest qualities of professionalism Be willing to actively contribute their time and talent as members Support the Les Dames d’Escoffier International Mission, Vision, and Basic Values Applicants will be asked to secure a letter of recommendation from a current Dame of the San Francisco Chapter. If the applicant is nominating themselves, a letter of recommendation will be provided if the applicant meets the criteria for membership. For a complete list of requirements, please review the application page on the LDEI-SF website. Completed applications will be accepted until May 31, 2022. Please contact LDEI-SF Membership Chair Frankie Whitman with any questions about nominations at frankiewhitman@gmail.com. ### About Les Dames d’Escoffier International LDEI is an international organization of women leaders who create a supportive culture in their communities to achieve excellence in the food, beverage and hospitality fields. To do this, 2,500 members in 43 chapters worldwide provide leadership, educational opportunities and philanthropy within their communities. For more information, visit LDEI.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram @lesdamesintl, Linked-in and Twitter @lesdamesintl. More information on The San Francisco chapter of LDEI can be accessed at lesdamessf.org. Follow our chapter activities on Instagram @lesdamessf. Media Contact Kimberly Noelle Charles, DipWSET Charles Communications Associates 415-730-0064 kcharles@charlescomm.com