On March 8, the Shidler Alumni Association's 18th annual Executive Vineyards fundraiser brought together hundreds of wine and food enthusiasts from across the island to raise support for the Shidler College of Business. Thanks to the association's hard-working and dedicated board of directors, Executive Vineyards has continued to grow and reach new heights in popularity with each passing year with 2018 no exception. More than 550 tickets were sold and more than $50,000 in proceeds were generated. Funds raised will help to further the alumni association’s mission to support and promote the college through their student scholarships, mentoring programs, and alumni outreach.
Held at the historic Royal Hawaiian hotel, the highlight of this event is the ample selection of wines available for tasting. This year, over 160 wines from Europe, the Americas and the South Pacific were served, as well as a handful of trendy craft beers and exotic sakes all donated by Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits of Hawaii and Beverage Marketing & More. Complementing the tasting was an incredible outdoor food garden that featured exquisite bite-sized dishes from nearly a dozen of Honolulu's trendiest eateries such as HASR Bistro, The Pig & The Lady, and MW Restaurant to name just a few.
Amping up the excitement for attendees was a brand new online auction platform that allowed people to vie for over 100 exclusive items through their smart phones. Auto alerts and auction updates kept bidders on their toes until the very last bids were placed. In addition, VIP ticket holders were treated to an exclusive tasting section featuring wines rated 90 points and above, and three lucky drawing winners walked away with nearly $10,000 in prizes.
A big mahalo to all of the sponsors, donors, restaurants, volunteers and ticket holders who helped to make Executive Vineyards 2018 a success, as well as emcee Kelly Simek. A special thanks to Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits of Hawaii and Beverage Marketing & More for generously donating all of the beverages served. Also, thanks to our friends at Lyft for offering discounted rates on rides to and from the event.
Click below to view photos from Executive Vineyards 2018
