According to Dr. West, the creation of the Harvey R. Chaplin Eminent Scholar�s Chair and Professor Gump�s appointment as its first holder have been made possible through the generous support of the Southern Wine & Spirits of America Foundation. The new academic posting is made in honor of Harvey R. Chaplin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc., the nation�s leading wine and spirits distributor with a tradition of service excellence since 1968. 

Dr. West said, �The creation of the Harvey R. Chaplin Eminent Scholar Chair in Beverage Management has positioned our School to be the educational leader for the beverage industry. Executives in today�s hospitality and tourism industry expect the highest levels of professionalism and product knowledge of our graduates. The appointment of Dr. Gump, as the first Eminent Scholar and a world recognized authority on wine and wine sensory evaluation, will enhance our beverage management curriculum.� 

Dr. West added, �As we welcome Professor Gump to our FIU faculty, we also thank the Southern Wine & Spirits, its charitable Foundation as well as Harvey R. Chaplin personally for generously endowing this important beverage management academic post.� 

Dr. Gump said, �I am thrilled to have been offered the opportunity to join the faculty of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University. It is with great anticipation that I look forward to working with my distinguished colleagues and the undergraduate and graduate students. My lifelong passion for the study of wine will find a stimulating outlet in my work as the Harvey R. Chaplin Eminent Scholar, an honor of which I am extremely proud.� 

Author of many studies about wine and wine sensory evaluation and a judge at distinguished American and international wine competitions, Dr. Gump received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles. He recently retired as a Professor of Chemistry (Home Department) and Adjunct Professor of Enology at California State University, Fresno. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Santa Rosa Junior College, where he teaches �Wine Components� and �Wine Analysis� classes for the wine education program, among Dr. Gump�s many academic postings. 

A prolific writer and scientific researcher on many technical subjects, Dr. Gump is the co-author of �Wine Analysis and Production,� and �Production Wine Analysis� textbook/references for students and practitioners in the wine industry. Among many of his professional activities over three decades, Dr. Gump serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, and regularly reviews technical manuscripts for a number of national, international, and trade publications. 

Harvey R. Chaplin, Chairman and CEO of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. said, �This charitable donation to Florida International University�s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management is an integral part of our Company�s continuing and overall commitment to the hospitality industry and our suppliers and retail customers alike, as well as reflective of our recognition of the importance of education and our support of the soon-to-be leaders of our great industry.� 

Mr. Wayne E. Chaplin, President and Chief Operating Officer, Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc., said, �On behalf of everyone at Southern Wine & Spirits of America, our Foundation, and speaking for my family and my father, we are extremely proud to endow the Harvey R. Chaplin Eminent Scholar�s Chair at Florida International University�s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. On behalf of all our team, we also wish to congratulate Professor Gump and we look forward to welcoming him and his family here in Miami.� 

About Florida International University (FIU): Florida International University opened for classes in 1972 with 5,667 students - the largest opening day enrollment in U.S. collegiate history. Today it has more than 38,000 students, almost 1,000 full-time faculty and more than 117,500 alumni, making it the largest university in South Florida. In the fall of 2009, the University plans to welcome its first medical school class. FIU�s School of Hospitality & Tourism Management has maintained a consistent ranking as one of the top hospitality management schools in the United States and has won international recognition. Each year, over 1,000 undergraduate and 150 graduate students from all 50 states and dozens of countries choose the School for its outstanding reputation, advantageous location, impressive faculty, rich curriculum, and fast-track career advantages in the international hotel, foodservice, cruise line, and tourism industries. Our faculty members combine strong academic credentials with excellent teaching skills and extensive executive-level industry experience. 
The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management offers Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Hospitality Management and Travel and Tourism Management and Certificate Programs that combine practical experience with classroom theory to assist the student to gain the understanding, skills, and techniques needed to qualify for job opportunities, and to achieve his or her career goals in the hospitality/tourism industry. For more information, contact: http://hospitality.fiu.edu/ 

About Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc.: Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. is the nation�s largest wine and spirits distributor, with operations in 27 states. The Company currently operates in: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Company has a strategic partnership with Alaska Distributors Co. of Seattle, Washington, called Southern Wine/Spirits West, a joint venture that has wine and spirits brokerage operations across the Northwest Control States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. On a national basis, Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. employs more than 10,000 team members.