Naples Winter Wine Festival Gears up for 2015 Star-Studded Affair

L to R. Sandi and Tom Moran, Sharon and Chuck Hallberg

The Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF), one of the world’s most prestigious charity wine auctions, will celebrate 15 years of the best in wine and food from January 23-25, 2015 at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Fl. The event will bring together renowned vintners and celebrity chefs from around the globe, along with wine enthusiasts and philanthropists, for a three-day festival that will raise millions of dollars for underprivileged and at-risk children in the community.

Co-chairing the event this year are Sandi and Tom Moran and Sharon and Chuck Hallberg, all trustees of the Naples Children & Education Foundation, the festival’s founding organization.

Sandi and Tom Moran have called Naples home for more than 30 years. Tom is the founding and managing partner of a 20 person investment management group based in Naples, Florida, and is recognized by Barron’s as the number one advisor in Southwest Florida. Sandi is president of the United Arts Council and chairs the Vintner Committee for Naples Winter Wine Festival.

Passionate about the community and its children, the couple focuses their charitable endeavors on initiatives to meet children’s basic needs, including nurturing their academic success and promoting arts education. In recognition of their remarkable work and impact within the Naples community, Sandi and Tom received the 2010 Philanthropist of the Year’s Lifetime Achievement award for Southwest Florida and in 2012 were honored by Gulfshore Life magazine as Men and Women of the Year.

Sharon and Chuck Hallberg moved to Naples in 2006 and have been involved in the NWWF for six years. They have a long history of involvement with children’s health and education initiatives, including serving on the Board of Trustees of University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and co-chairing the board’s fundraising efforts. The couple has also been involved in fundraising endeavors for the Greater Naples YMCA, American Diabetes Association and Cystic Fibrosis. Sharon’s work on a
pharmacy program implemented for the military and through the Department of Defense received the Presidential Recognition of Excellence award. In addition,  emberHealth, the company Chuck founded and the couple built together, earned the accolade of America’s fastest growing private company by earning the number one position in the Inc. 500 list.

“For the past 14 years, this extraordinary event has brought the finest in wine and food to one of this country’s most beautiful locations, all for a vitally important cause” said Jim Swanson, CEO of Naples Children & Education Foundation. “Our extremely talented new co-chairs clearly bring the incredible energy, passion and commitment needed to make the 2015 festival the most memorable yet.”

Guests to this three day affair enjoy world class wines and food during intimate dinners in private homes, and are invited to bid on once-in-a-lifetime travel and wine experiences during an electrifying live auction. Saturday’s luncheon and wine auction, as well as Sunday’s celebration brunch, are held at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, one of the festival’s founding sponsors.

This festival’s theme this year, “Imagine the Possibilities,” reflects the event’s dual promise of offering unbelievable access to the world’s best wine and food, while also making a profound and sustaining difference in the physical, emotional and educational lives of underprivileged and at-risk children. Since its inception in 2001, the Naples Winter Wine Festival has raised more than $123 million for the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), which gives out annual grants that have impacted over 40 non-profit agencies and the lives of about 200,000 children. The 2014 festival alone raised $12.5 million.

Ticket packages to this exclusive event, limited to 550 guests, start at $8,500 per couple for festival tickets, with a $20,000 package that includes reserved seating for a party of four at a vintner dinner. For more information about Naples Winter Wine Festival, please visit http://www.napleswinefestival.com or call 888.837.4919.