Our Team
Our Team
We want to share several decades of wine sales and management experience as well as relationships across a number of categories, trade channels, and markets. It is time to pass on our knowledge and relationships through Locus Wine Consulting.
Glen Grisham, Founder
Glen has been telling wine stories, conveying inspiration, and framing evidence about the special people and unique places that drive the industry for over 30 years. Glen has great experience in marshaling, refining, and communicating the relevant resources that define a producer’s narrative and build sales throughout an organization.
Glen’s sales career began as a broker agency salesperson in Northern California in 1986 for producers such as Caymus, Matanzas Creek, Hess, Forman, Iron Horse, and others. Travel incentives to France and Italy inspired within him a new appreciation of world wine cultures. He developed many key relationships at this time... sommeliers who became Masters, winemakers who became Icons, and suppliers who remain friends to this day.
In 1995, he became the first National Sales Manager (Designated Tie Guy) for Robert Sinskey Vineyards. The opportunity to build a national sales and distribution program broadened his experience and knowledge of key accounts, markets, and distributors. Polishing and effectively communicating the core narrative and fitting the story to each market became a critical skill. He also gained a deeper understanding of the fundamental dynamics of fine wine growing and - soil, weather, rootstock, viticultural practices, clonal selection, as well as the role of yeasts, barrels, time, and blending.
He joined Chambers and Chambers Wine Merchants in 1999 to open and grow this distinguished import and distribution company in Southern California as the Director of Sales and Marketing in the region.
In 2014 Glen opened Locus Wine Consulting to directly assist producers, brokers, and distributors with their respective sales missions and strategic challenges.
Research & Design Services
Michelle Caplan
After obtaining her BFA in Graphic Design at the School of Visual Arts, Michelle worked in the Art Department at several of the top publishing houses in New York City, designing a vast and varied number of book covers. Having always had a love for Art, she developed a passion for collage portraiture. Her portraits are an amalgam of her love of books, vintage papers and materials, learning people’s stories, and seeing the results of mixing medias that is always unexpected and thrilling.
Her commissions have captured the life and memories of people, places, and things close to the heart. In 2008 her artwork caught the attention of Eric Kent Winery for whom she created the label for the Dry Stack Vineyard Syrah.
At Locus Wine Consulting, she brings her artful eye and facility with design tools to bear on sales & marketing tools and collateral. Her ability to corral and marshall a wide array of details has been honed by her two young daughters. That ability also serves Locus Wine Consulting's trade research and market surveys.
Graphic & Label Services
Keevin Hastings
Keevin has several decades of creative experience in marketing and advertising. He has worked on print, online, broadcast, collateral, and direct response materials.
His work spans numerous clients in diverse categories, including military/aerospace (Boeing, Northrop Grumman); travel and leisure (Cathay Pacific, Doubletree Hotels, LA Zoo); law (Buckley LLP, Hogan Lovells) appliances (Thermador, Bosch); package goods (Nestlé’s Taster’s Choice, Coffee-mate, Contadina, Sunny Delight, Fancy Feast); and software providers (Symantec, EarthLink).
His range adds to the discussion of options for visual expression and solutions. Keevin’s polish provides precise execution of creative projects at Locus Wine Consulting.
California Distributor Liaison
Rebecca Brakeman
Rebecca, a recent graduate from California Polytechnic State University, pursued her passion for wine through the university's distinctive Wine & Viticulture major, concentrating in Wine Business and Sales. Raised with a deep appreciation for French wines, she felt compelled to explore this interest academically, and upon discovering Cal Poly's program, she knew it was the perfect fit.
Throughout her academic journey, Rebecca actively sought opportunities to enhance her understanding of wine and sales beyond the classroom. Over the course of her first two years, she completed three internships in Los Angeles, focusing on marketing and public relations. Building on this foundation, she held various roles such as Cal Poly Wine's Student Brand Manager, Tasting Room Sales Associate in Paso Robles, CA, and Social Media Coordinator for Vines to Wines (Wine and Viticulture Association).
Her passion for wine led her abroad to Italy, where she immersed herself in the Tuscan region, deepening her appreciation for Italian wines. Now, Rebecca is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to launch her career in the Wine Industry, embarking on this journey with enthusiasm as she joins Locus Wine Consulting and Paul M Young Fine Wines.
Copy, Editing, & Research
Samantha Cruger
Having worked in the restaurant industry for nearly a decade, Samantha has an intimate understanding of the relationship between wine and food. Navigating that relationship from the restaurant side provided a unique advantage, allowing her to learn about the trade more comprehensively.
Leaving a management position in New York, her move to California and introduction to the West Coast restaurant scene solidified her love for wine. She took a greater interest in behind-the-scenes logistics, creating relationships with reps, and sitting in on pitches to better understand the complexities of sales and operations.
Her local reputation, strong work ethic, and desire to learn position her as a functional addition to the Locus team. She keeps her finger on the pulse of the world of food and wine, offering a fresh perspective to Locus Wine Consulting.
Industry and Trade Research
Hilary Fuss
Hilary Fuss has been in the wine industry doing consulting, sales, marketing, distribution and most recently import logistics over the last 20+ years. A practiced storyteller, she loves digging into the origin, viticulture and philosophy behind the winemaking, and then translating that enthusiasm to the customer.
Her wine career began in Seattle distribution as import product marketing manager for a portfolio including Jorge Ordonez, Valkenberg, Marc de Grazia. Later, she focused efforts on specialty beers from B United, Ommegang, Boont, and a then start up named Stone Brewing.
In 2003, she returned to Los Angeles and worked for many years with Paul Bullard Associates handling California wineries including Bryant, Abreu, Blankiet, Cayuse, Selene, Marcassin, Martinelli, Hansel, Swan, and others. She understands the importance of balancing brand awareness with pricing strategy through thoughtful placement. In 2008, she brought on the Estate Wines Ltd portfolio to work with (again) Marc de Grazia, De Maison and domestic wineries including Sine Qua Non, Antica Terra, Andremily, Radio Coteau and more. In 2016, she began representing Urban Wine Brokers group with wineries including Rivers Marie, Mending Wall, Stony Hill, Jones Family, Keever and others.
In 2021, she zoomed out for a different vantage of the industry, working with Elenteny Imports, an freight logistics and distribution company. She helped importers with organizing LCL (multiple importer orders) and full containers loads from Europe, South America, Australia and the country of Georgia. She is familiar with the saving opportunities in importing including basic compliance, tax rebates and foreign exchange solutions.
Hilary brings experience in sales, content creation, tasting notes, import logistics and strategic planning. She can get geeky about all aspects of viticulture and winemaking, but also likes to crunch excel numbers to understand best practices in inventory and cash flow.
