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FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management welcomes Geralyn Brostrom as Chip Cassidy Distinguished Professor of Wine Studies
Inaugural professor of the Vidal-Duart Wine Studies Program will lead strategic development
The Vidal-Duart Wine Studies program at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University (FIU) has appointed Geralyn Brostrom as the first Chip Cassidy Distinguished Professor of Wine Studies.
Brostrom has held diverse positions in winery management, import, distribution, retail and the non-profit wine education sector for more than two decades. She brings a unique international perspective to her role. She has authored three books on wine, including “The Business of Wine: An Encyclopedia.”
“We are excited to welcome Geralyn Brostrom as the inaugural professor of wine in our Vidal-Duart Wine Studies program,” said Michael Cheng, dean of the Chaplin School. “With her extensive knowledge and experience in the field of wine studies, Brostrom will elevate our students’ educational journey and achievements and contribute to the school’s overall success.”
Chip Cassidy founded the top-8 hospitality school’s wine program in the 1970s and founded the Florida Extravaganza, a one-day wine and food pairing event on campus. That event has blossomed into the 105+ event The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®), one of the world’s most renowned wine and food festivals, in partnership with the world’s preeminent alcohol beverage distributor, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. More than 1,500 students help run SOBEWFF® of which the school is a beneficiary. The school is now named after the Chaplin family, who helped found Southern Glazer’s.
FIU alumni Tina Vidal-Duart and Carlos Duart established the Vidal-Duart Wine Studies program in December to continue the school and Cassidy’s legacy. It is the only wine studies program in the country named by a Hispanic family and for a woman. The gift includes support to endow the Chip Cassidy distinguished professor in wine studies and directly benefits students seeking their undergraduate degrees in either beverage or spirits management.
“I am honored to be appointed as the Chip Cassidy Distinguished Professor of Wine Studies at Florida International University and to have this opportunity to support Chip’s legacy,” Brostrom said. “I am inspired to be a part of the talented team of wine and beverage professionals at FIU who are so passionate about preparing the next generation of hospitality leaders. Together we look forward to setting FIU’s future path while continuing to push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation in the field,” she added.
Before joining FIU, Brostrom made significant contributions to wine business education at Sonoma State University and The Culinary Institute of America. Her industry consulting work included collaborations with Vinexpo America, various wine importers and regional wine boards. She is also the co-founder of Italian Wine Central, a wine education and certification organization.
Brostrom holds a BS in management, an MBA in marketing, and she earned her doctorate in business administration from Bocconi University in Milan, Italy. As a dual citizen of the United States and the Italian Republic, she has explored over 20 of the world’s wine regions and resided in the heart of California’s Napa Valley for close to a decade.
The Vidal-Duart Wine Studies program will be featured at SOBEWFF® in February. Other community events and the first student cohort under the program’s new name are scheduled to begin in spring 2024.
Brostrom has held diverse positions in winery management, import, distribution, retail and the non-profit wine education sector for more than two decades. She brings a unique international perspective to her role. She has authored three books on wine, including “The Business of Wine: An Encyclopedia.”
“We are excited to welcome Geralyn Brostrom as the inaugural professor of wine in our Vidal-Duart Wine Studies program,” said Michael Cheng, dean of the Chaplin School. “With her extensive knowledge and experience in the field of wine studies, Brostrom will elevate our students’ educational journey and achievements and contribute to the school’s overall success.”
Chip Cassidy founded the top-8 hospitality school’s wine program in the 1970s and founded the Florida Extravaganza, a one-day wine and food pairing event on campus. That event has blossomed into the 105+ event The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®), one of the world’s most renowned wine and food festivals, in partnership with the world’s preeminent alcohol beverage distributor, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. More than 1,500 students help run SOBEWFF® of which the school is a beneficiary. The school is now named after the Chaplin family, who helped found Southern Glazer’s.
FIU alumni Tina Vidal-Duart and Carlos Duart established the Vidal-Duart Wine Studies program in December to continue the school and Cassidy’s legacy. It is the only wine studies program in the country named by a Hispanic family and for a woman. The gift includes support to endow the Chip Cassidy distinguished professor in wine studies and directly benefits students seeking their undergraduate degrees in either beverage or spirits management.
“I am honored to be appointed as the Chip Cassidy Distinguished Professor of Wine Studies at Florida International University and to have this opportunity to support Chip’s legacy,” Brostrom said. “I am inspired to be a part of the talented team of wine and beverage professionals at FIU who are so passionate about preparing the next generation of hospitality leaders. Together we look forward to setting FIU’s future path while continuing to push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation in the field,” she added.
Before joining FIU, Brostrom made significant contributions to wine business education at Sonoma State University and The Culinary Institute of America. Her industry consulting work included collaborations with Vinexpo America, various wine importers and regional wine boards. She is also the co-founder of Italian Wine Central, a wine education and certification organization.
Brostrom holds a BS in management, an MBA in marketing, and she earned her doctorate in business administration from Bocconi University in Milan, Italy. As a dual citizen of the United States and the Italian Republic, she has explored over 20 of the world’s wine regions and resided in the heart of California’s Napa Valley for close to a decade.
The Vidal-Duart Wine Studies program will be featured at SOBEWFF® in February. Other community events and the first student cohort under the program’s new name are scheduled to begin in spring 2024.