Imbibe 75 People to Watch: George W.C. Walker III

For George W.C. Walker III, 2020 presented the career opportunity of a lifetime. But moving across the country from Michigan to California wine country in the midst of a global pandemic—and being met by the Glass Fire soon after his arrival—made adjusting to a new environment especially challenging. “It was my second day in the office and the entire Bay Area turned an apocalyptic orange,” Walker recalls. “Two weeks later, the air quality was so bad that you couldn’t see 20 feet in front of you because the smoke was so thick throughout the entire valley.”

Fortunately, the transition into his role as assistant director of operations at Wade Cellars (NBA champion Dwyane Wade’s wine company) has afforded him a breadth of responsibilities, working on everything from marketing, branding, and national distribution relations, to writing wine releases and developing trade tech sheets for the growing wine brand.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of Michigan, Walker was introduced to wine through volunteering at an event during his studies. After learning the history behind and tasting a glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, he became fascinated with the culture of wine. Ever since, he’s been translating his love for innovative agriculture to his passion for viticulture and wine.

“I’m always learning, watching, and creating—trying to innovate within the wine industry while also paying homage to those who’ve come before me,” he says. “Through wine, I’ve found my home, and my life’s work.”

Click here to read about some of this year’s other Imbibe 75 People to Watch.