Dr. Ed Hellman, Professor of Viticulture and Extension Specialist with joint appointments at Texas A&M and Texas Tech.

Since 2001, he has developed and delivered educational programs on commercial grape production in Texas and conducted a viticulture research program at the Lubbock Research & Extension Center. Dr. Hellman's Extension activities include development of the Texas Winegrape Network website, creation of the Viticulture Team of regional advisors, and establishment of the Viticulture Certificate Program. Current research includes studies on the physiology of grapevine adaptation to climate, variety and rootstock evaluation, the use of geographic information systems for vineyard site selection, and the economics of grape production in Texas. Dr. Hellman teaches Viticulture II: Grape Production for the new Viticulture & Enology Specialization within the Horticulture degree program at Texas Tech University.

Jim Kamas, Assistant Professor & Extension Fruit Specialist
Dept. of Horticultural Sciences at Texas AgriLife Extension

Education
B.S. , Horticultural Sciences, 1977, Texas A&M University
M.S. , Horticultural Sciences, 1982, Texas A&M University

Jim Kamas has a 100% Extension appointment with Texas Cooperative Extension.  In this role, he works closely with treefruit and grape growers across Texas.  Through on-site visitations, phone and email contacts, he assists growers with cultural practice problems including fruit nutrition, pruning and crop-load management, orchard/vineyard ground cover management and disease and insect control.  He also currently is involved in several applied research projects on Pierce's disease.  Kamas currently serves as the outreach coordinator for the Texas Pierce's Disease Research & Education Program

Hillary Turner, credit analyst with Capital Farm Credit of Austin, TX holds a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and a minor in Ag Finance from California State University Chico and is currently pursuing her Certified Financial Planner accreditation at the University of Texas.

With a rich family history in livestock production and olives, Hillary’s agrarian roots run deep. Prior to her move to Texas she was employed with American AgCredit in Sonoma County working exclusively with wine industry loans.  Her mission is to elevate viticulture lending in Texas to that of other growing regions.  Capital Farm Credit is the largest Ag lender in Texas with $5.5 Billion in loan volume of which $17 million is winery related.  Hillary works closely with Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association and Texas Hill Country Wine Trail Association and holds a principal staff position with the Austin Wine Festival.

Fritz Westover, Viticulture Extension Associate Texas Gulf Coast

Fritz Westover has been working in the viticulture industry since 1999. He began as a vineyard worker for the Chaddsford Winery in southeastern Pennsylvania, while obtaining his BS in horticulture from Penn State University. Fritz completed his MS in plant pathology in 2003 from the Penn State Department of Plant Pathology while assisting with grapevine-decline research in Pennsylvania and New York vineyards. His research involved various projects concerning biological causes of grapevine decline in replanted vineyards, grape disease management, and the use of compost in vineyards. Fritz has worked internationally as an assistant winemaker for the 2004 harvest at Caiarossa Vineyards and Winery in Pisa, Italy.  From 2005 to 2007, Fritz served as Virginia Tech’s Viticulture Research-Extension Associate at the Alson H. Smith Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Winchester, Virginia.  He is currently working with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service as Viticulture Extension Associate for the Gulf Coast, and is located at the Harris County Extension Office.