Nick Dokoozlian Honored with Rich Smith Award

SACRAMENTO, CA, January 25, 2024 – The eighth annual Rich Smith Award of Excellence for outstanding contributions to the American grape and wine industry was presented yesterday to Dr. Nick Dokoozlian, Vice President of Winegrowing Research at E. & J. Gallo Winery and Research Chair of the National Grape Research Alliance (NGRA).

The prestigious award annually reflects the spirit and accomplishments of the late Richard (Rich) Smith, founder of Valley Farm Management and Smith Family Wines in California’s Santa Lucia Highlands wine region. Rich was first and foremost a family man, but also a successful grape grower and winery owner, and a highly respected colleague known for the combination of passion, commitment and collaboration which helped advance the American grape and wine industry.

After Rich passed away in December 2015, WineAmerica invited two other organizations—NGRA and Winegrape Growers of America (WGA)—to collaborate with Rich’s family to create this annual award since Rich had been a loyal member of all three groups. The 2024 award was presented at WGA’s annual Leadership Luncheon during the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento.

Shown left to right: Donnell Brown, Claudia Smith, Jason Smith, Nick Dokoozlian, Kacy Smith and Justin Smith

“We are pleased to present this award to Nick Dokoozlian, a colleague greatly respected by my Dad,” said Rich’s son Jason Smith on behalf of Rich’s wife Claudia and daughter Kacy. “Not only did the two friends share a passion for research, but they also shared the innate spirit of collaboration which makes things happen.”

See video of Nick’s acceptance remarks. (Clicking the link will initiate a file download.)

Nick has been a leader for collaborative efforts locally, nationally, and internationally. He was instrumental in NGRA’s formation in 2003 and has been the organization’s Research Chair since 2017. He also is Board Chair of the American Vineyard Foundation (AVF) where he has long been an active member. He recently successfully advocated, with NGRA, for permanent federal funding for the USDA-ARS Grape Genetics Research Unit in Geneva, NY, and the Sustainable Agricultural Water Systems Research Unit in Davis, CA.

“It is impossible to overstate the impact Nick Dokoozlian has had—and continues to have—on the grape and wine industry,” said Donnell Brown, President of NGRA. “In previous roles, he was a career-launching former professor and an impactful extension educator, applying his learnings not only from his academic tenure but from growing up working in his family’s wine, table and raisin grape vineyards. As a founder and research chair of NGRA, Nick has played a vital leadership role, and is always an enthusiastic collaborator and sage advisor. Somehow, he finds the time to contribute his laser-focused attention to other research organizations and initiatives, and is a popular speaker on the conference circuit, helping steer us all toward that rising tide that lifts all boats. Nick is a leading light of the research community, and it is a profound honor to call him a colleague.”

Nick has also played vital roles in several visionary projects, including but not limited to:

  • The landmark GRAPEx (Grape Remote Sensing Atmospheric Profile and Evapotranspiration eXperiment) with E. & J. Gallo Winery, USDA-ARS, Utah State and NASA. Now in its tenth year, with findings pointing to critical reductions in water usage, this project has been expanded to tree fruit (olives and almonds);
  • USDA National Clean Plant Network and UC Davis Foundation Plant Services to support national grape germplasm improvement; and
  • The NGRA-initiated, SCRI-funded VitisGen projects (1, 2 and 3), exploring the genetics of powdery mildew resistance; Efficient Vineyard for advancing precision farming in U.S. vineyards; and HiRes Vineyard Nutrition for improving the assessment and management of nitrogen and other primary vine nutrients.

“Nick’s brilliance as a scientist is matched by his commitment to collaboration,” said Jim Trezise, President of WineAmerica. “He works for the world’s largest winery in the country’s largest wine state, yet just like Rich, Nick understands the power of working together with others as equals to achieve common goals. He is as good a listener as a speaker, which makes him a true leader.”

Representing the Winegrape Growers of America, Colleen Frei added, “Nick showcases the collaboration and engagement with others that makes our industry a place for dynamic
development, based on passionate thinking and research and the desire to share knowledge.”

The actual Rich Smith Award is a solid bronze, circular depiction of Rich holding a glass of wine in a vineyard mounted on a large marble back, emblazoned with the words, “Rich Smith Award of Excellence,” plus the words “Passion, Commitment, Collaboration” and the name of the recipient.

Prior recipients, starting in 2017, were: John Martini, Anthony Road Wine Company; Pete Downs, Family Winemakers of California; Jerry Lohr, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines; Jim Trezise, WineAmerica; Donniella (Donnie) Winchell, Ohio Wine Producers Association; Tom Davenport of National Grape Cooperative/Welch’s; and Marty Clubb, L’Ecole No. 41.

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ABOUT THE NATIONAL GRAPE RESEARCH ALLIANCE
The National Grape Research Alliance (NGRA) is a nonprofit membership organization representing the research needs of all sectors and regions of the American grape and wine industry, spanning wine, table grapes, juice and raisins, nationwide. We connect industry, scientists, and federal and state research agencies to initiate novel research projects and programs to solve industry challenges. Since our founding in 2005, we’ve been instrumental in securing funding of $65 million for scientific solutions to grape and wine industry issues. To learn more, visit graperesearch.org.