Short Order: Can you give us a little background on yourself and how you came to be involved in the wine industry?
David Bernard: I have been involved in the wine industry for nearly 12 years. I founded the Miami International Wine Fair in 2001 and that led to the creation of Vinamericas in 2004. Vinamericas is a wine import and marketing company dedicated to helping wine producers from around the world penetrate the U.S. market.
Before my wine industry immersion, I was an analyst for an international consulting firm based in New York City where I lived for ten years before moving to Miami in 2000. I studied Industrial Engineering at Columbia University, but I was born and raised in northern Spain.
How did the Miami International Wine Festival (MIWF) come about and what is its purpose?
It was created to help family owned and operated wineries from around the world find new distribution channels for their products in the United States. We initially focused on attracting Florida-based buyers, but quickly expanded our efforts to become a trade show attracting buyers from around the country.
