Jack Jelenko - President

 

 

Jack's involvement with the wine business spans more than 45 years and his experience directs the development, sales and marketing for his clients in the Partners Wine Marketing Group, Inc.

 

 

After graduating with a degree in Economics, he served as Director of Food and Beverage for a major hotel in Vail, Colorado, where he developed one of the leading restaurant wine programs of the mid-Seventies.

 

 

Several years later, focusing exclusively on wine, he moved to France where he lived and worked in the major wine producing regions. Upon his return to the United States, Jack was employed as a fine wine distributor in San Francisco until offered the position of Western Regional Manager with a national wine marketing firm.

 

 

Two years later, he was promoted to the position of National Sales Manager. In 1983, he joined Jekel Vineyard and established their distribution network.

 

 

Four years later, Jack served as Vice President of Hacienda Winery, Sonoma, while he started to developed Partners Wine Marketing Group clients. In addition, he worked directly with B.R. Cohn Winery of Sonoma, CA, one of his clients, as a financial partner to reorganize and direct their marketing efforts.

 

 

He sold his interest in B.R. Cohn in 1994 and established Domaine Bois du Renard, in Trausse, France. At the same time, he launched the Partners Wine Marketing Group, Inc, which included properties from France, California, Australia, and South Africa.

 

 

Today, Partners Wine Group, Inc.  focuses on top family properties from diverse corners of the world;  from California’s historic Sierra Foothills region, the famed Willamette Valley of Oregon, and Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma California to the historic wine regions of Champagne and the Languedoc in France, with distribution of their client wineries in 37 states. 

 

 

Within the industry, Jack is a member of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, Confrérie de La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, the L'Ordre de Côteaux de Champagne, L'Ordre du Tablier Blanc de Champagne, and a Certified Wine Locations Specialist. Additionally, he was the founder and President of the Crescent City Restaurant Rebirth Project, a non-profit foundation created to help rebuild the New Orleans restaurant community immediately after Hurricane Katrina.

 

 

In the community, Jack serves on the Board of Directors of the Crescent City Squash Foundation, a non-profit organization advancing academic and athletic opportunity and achievement for  inner-city youth. He is also active in fund-raising efforts with The March of Dimes, The National Kidney Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis, The Emeril Lagasse Foundation, and the Tipitina's Foundation in New Orleans.