DONALD ZIRALDO

DONALD J. P. ZIRALDO
C.M., BSc, LLD

  • Born in St. Catharines, Ontario on October 13, 1948 to Fredrick and Irma (Schiratti)

  • Graduated Denis Morris High School, St. Catharines, 1967

  • Received BSc in Agriculture at the University of Guelph, 1971 (BSc)

  • Honorary Degree, Humber College

  • Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree, Brock University, 1994 (LLD)

  • Order of Ontario, 1993

  • Order of Canada, 1998

  • Top 25 Canadian CEOs of the Century, National Post Business Magazine, 1999

  • Honourary Citizenship (Friuli Venzia Julia), Italy

  • Author of Icewine: Extreme Winemaking, 2007

  • Pinnacle Award 2017

  • Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree, University of Guelph, 2018 (LLD)

 

Download Donald Ziraldo's autobiography,
Friulan Blood in Canadian Skin

 

 

CORPORATE AND ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES

  • Board of Advisors, Zerofootprint

  • Board of Directors, Genome Canada

  • Niagara United Way Co-Chair, Leadership Campaign (with Victoria Ziraldo)

  • Board of Directors, Phoneum

  • Director, Shaftesbury Films

  • Member of the Ontario Institute of Agrologists

  • Founding Chair Vintners’ Quality Alliance 1988-1995

  • Member, Academie Internationale du Vin (AIV), 2000

PAST POSITIONS

  • Campaign Chair, Niagara College Foundation “Future Ready” Capital Campaign

  • Member, Greenbelt Advisory Task Force

  • Director, Cannasat Therapeutics Inc.

  • Chair, Grape & Wine Coordination Research Committee, 2004

  • Board Member / Industry Advisor, Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers

  • Honorary Board Member, The International Wine Institute, 2005

  • Chair, Vineland Research & Innovation Centre Board – 2007

  • President, Inniskillin Wines Inc. Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, 1975 – 2006

  • President, Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards Inc. Oliver, British Columbia, since 1994

  • Director, Vincor International Inc., 1993 – 2004

  • Member, Team Canada Inc. Advisory Board

  • Member, Canadian Tourism Council

  • Board of Governors, Shaw Festival Theatre, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

  • Co-Chair, Cool Climate Oenology & Viticulture Institute Capital Campaign, Brock University

  • Board of Directors, Club Monaco

AWARDS

  • The Sixth Annual New World of Food and Wine Festival
    Singapore, 2002

  • Niagara Wine Festival Royal Bank's Business Citizen of the Year, 2002

  • Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s 50th anniversary Golden Jubilee Award, 2002

  • Award for Business Excellence, Canadian Italian Business Professional Association, 2002

  • McGill Management Achievement Award, McGill University, 2003

  • Canadian Italian National Award, Ottawa, 2003

  • Business Excellence Award, The Canadian Italian Business & Professional Association of Toronto, 2005

  • VinCambridge Award of Excellence, Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser, 2006

  • Lifetime Achievement in Tourism Award, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corp, 2007

  • 1991 - Ontario Hostilery Institute Chairman's Gold Award

  • Premio Masi Award, Verona, Italy, 2008

  • Folio D'Oro Award, Friuli, Italy, 2010

  • Diamond Jubilee Award, 2012

  • Brock University, Faculty of Business Distinguished Leader Award, 2012

  • Ontario Hostelry Institute Chairman’s Award, 1991

  • TAMA Marketer of the Year, 1993

  • Silver Ladle Award, Toronto Culinary Guild

  • Honorary Bachelor of Applied Studies Degree, Niagara College 2004

  • Winery Management Magazine; Distinguished Achievement Award, 1994

  • Outstanding Business Person of the Year, St. Catharines Ad and Sales Association, 1994

  • Entrepreneurial Leadership Award, Institute for Enterprise Education, 1994

  • Awarded Medal of Achievement at Guelph University

  • Grindley Medal, Agricultural Institute of Canada, 1995

  • Entrepreneur of the Year for Community Contribution: Enterprise ‘95, 1995

  • Award of Merit, Ontario Grape Growers; Marketing Board, 1997

  • Special Recognition Award, The Elsie Awards, LCBO, 1997

  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Enterprise ‘98, Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 1998

  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Canadian Wine Institute, 1999

  • Lifetime Achievement Award for Food and Beverage Excellence

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