Christopher Ruess
Executive Director
Chris is a veteran marketing expert and entrepreneur who has launched and sold several businesses in the past 30 years. A longtime wine connoisseur, in 1999 he partnered with a investment group to launch Vino.com, a wine importing and consumer education resource in St. Louis. That group evolved into Total Beverage Solution, where Chris served as the Director of Marketing for several years. After departing Total Beverage Solution, Chris became the Director of Marketing at Crown Valley Winery in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, one of the premier Missouri vineyards and wineries.

Last year, Chris joined up with former business partner Cory Kleinschmidt to form MissouriWineCountry.com, an extensive online guide to Missouri wine travel. Chris and Cory also operate a wine marketing consultancy called Missouri Wine Media.
Contact Chris Ruess

Cory Kleinschmidt
Assistant Director
Cory is an internet marketing expert who started his career as a technology writer and internet consultant in the mid-'90s. He developed an interest for wine after joining Chris as a partner in the development of Vino.com in 2001. After Chris left the company for Crown Valley, Cory took over as the development director for Vino.com, and Cory continues to manage the website today, and manages the online marketing programs for several California, Missouri and Indiana wineries.

His interest in promoting the wineries of his home state of Missouri led him to partner with Chris again in 2006 to develop the largest Missouri wine guide online, which became MissouriWineCountry.com. In addition to operating that website and their wine marketing consultancy Missouri Wine Media, Cory and Chris write the “Missouri Wine Country” column for Missouri Life magazine.
Contact Cory Kleinschmidt

Greg Wood
Advisor
Greg is president of Missouri Life, Inc. a publishing company founded by him and his wife, Danita, in 1999. He is publisher of the award-winning Missouri Life magazine. Missouri Life also custom publishes books and other magazines. Greg has over 30 years in the business of publishing and worked at Meredith Publishing on various magazines including Midwest Living. He is author of “Your New Life in the Country” published by Stackpole books and has been published in many magazines as a freelance writer and photographer. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri. Greg enjoys spending time with his family on their farm in rural Howard county.
Contact Greg Wood

Laura Slay
Director of Public Relations
Laura is president of Slay and Associates, a distinguished public relations firm in St. Louis. Laura received a B.S. in Journalism and Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations from Washington University in St. Louis. Before starting her own firm, Laura worked in corporate and foundation relations at Washington University School of Medicine and managed a corporate events planning business.

Laura's solid strategic planning skills, civic involvement, keen understanding of media and successful promotion of entrepreneurial companies have guided her clients' growth and that of her agency through the last ten years.
Contact Laura Slay

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