Distinguished Alumni Award

The Distinguished Alumni Award is given only once to any one individual who has demonstrated significant contributions to society or a profession (such as receipt of national and/or international honors and/or demonstrated leadership).

2026 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient

Michael “Mike” Means: A Legacy of Innovation, Leadership and Excellence in Viticulture

Mike exemplifies the extraordinary impact of a Blackburn education. Throughout a distinguished career in viticulture—the science and practice of growing wine grapes—he has combined scientific expertise, innovation, and practical leadership to become one of the most respected figures in Washington’s wine industry. His career reflects not only exceptional professional achievement, but also the curiosity, determination, and commitment to lifelong learning that were nurtured during his years at Blackburn.

A member of Blackburn’s Class of 1982, Mike earned his bachelor’s degree in biology before pursuing a master’s degree in entomology at Washington State University. Faculty mentors, including Dr. Fred Punzo and Dr. Dilbagh Singh, helped shape the scientific mindset that would define his career. Dr. Punzo’s field-based entomology course, in particular, sparked Mike’s fascination with the natural systems that influence agriculture and ultimately led him to vineyard management.

Mike began his career with Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington, where he joined as a vineyard technician and was soon promoted to viticulturist, developing the practical skills that became the foundation of his career. In 1999 Mike accepted the position of Vineyard Manager for Monson Ranches.

At Monson Ranches, Mike led the development of the Goose Ridge Vineyards. One industry leader described him as “the tip of the spear” in transforming a “1200-acre plot of nothing” into what is now recognized as one of Washington’s premier vineyard sites.

Mike’s vision, determination, and technical expertise helped establish Goose Ridge as a flagship vineyard in Washington’s rapidly growing wine industry.

In 2002, Mike joined the Chalone Wine Group as Vineyard Manager and Grower Relations Representative for multiple wineries. There, he established the company’s Washington wine portfolio by building partnerships with leading growers and securing premium grape sources from emerging wine regions, including the Columbia Gorge, Rattlesnake Hills and the Walla Walla Valley.

In 2011, Mike returned to Chateau Ste. Michelle as Director of Vineyard Operations, assuming one of the most influential vineyard leadership positions in the Pacific Northwest. During a period of remarkable growth for both the company and Washington’s wine industry, he managed more than 150 employees and approximately 3,500 acres of vineyards across Washington and Oregon, supplying grapes for more than twenty wine labels.

Mike also helped pioneer precision harvesting, an innovative system that combined GPS technology with mechanized harvesting to improve efficiency, sustainability, and grape quality while increasing production. His leadership helped strengthen Chateau Ste. Michelle’s position as one of America’s premier wine producers. Through innovation, collaboration, and scientific leadership, he created opportunities that continue to benefit growers, winemakers, and communities across the state.

Mike’s leadership extended beyond the vineyards he managed. In the early 2000s, he was a founding board member of the Washington Wine Industry Foundation, an organization established to strengthen the state’s wine industry by providing scholarships to students pursuing degrees in viticulture and related fields and obtaining grants to provide funds to address problems that arise in the industry. One of the Foundation’s earliest accomplishments was bringing growers, wineries, and researchers together to address the challenge of plant viruses and their impact on vineyards and grape quality, helping the industry address the problem that no individual grower or winery could tackle alone.

While Mike built an extraordinary career, his greatest contribution may be his role in building an extraordinary industry. His work was instrumental in shaping Washington’s transformation from a regional wine producer into one of the world’s most respected wine-growing regions.

Mike’s peers have repeatedly recognized his contributions. In 2014, he received the Walter J. Clore Award for Exceptional Contributions to the Washington Grape Industry. Named for the “Father of Washington Wine,” the Clore Award is one of the industry’s highest honors and recognizes individuals whose leadership and service have made lasting contributions to Washington’s grape and wine industry.

Mike also served for twenty years on the Board of Directors of the Washington Winegrowers Association, helping advance viticulture, sustainability, and resource management throughout the state. Upon his retirement in 2025, he received the Association’s Industry Service Award in recognition of his remarkable career and his decades of leadership and service.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Mike has remained deeply committed to serving his community. In Prosser, Washington, he volunteered as a Boy Scout leader, coached AAU youth basketball, supported numerous community organizations, and maintained strong ties to Blackburn through Homecoming visits and continued engagement with the college.

Throughout his career, Mike has earned the respect of colleagues not only for his scientific expertise and innovative leadership, but also for his humility, integrity, and generosity in mentoring others. His legacy can be seen not only in the vineyards he developed, but also in the many people whose careers he influenced along the way.

Mike’s life and career embody the values Blackburn College seeks to instill in every student: hard work, leadership, and service. It is my distinct honor to present the Blackburn College Distinguished Alumni Award to Michael “Mike” Means.

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No recipient can receive the same award twice.

Past Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients