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A Keota resident has been named president of the Iowa Wine Growers Association (IWGA).

Mike Vincent of Wooden Wheel Vineyards was elected president for a one-year term, having previously served as vice president and has served on the board of directors for over five years. Vincent and his wife, Connie, started Wooden Wheel Vineyards on their 125-acre family farm near Keota after selling their insurance agency in 2010. Vincent says it’s a lot of fun serving on the IWGA board, “It’s a great team to work with. It’s sad to see certain board members go off the board when their terms are up, but then we always get new people that are great to work with, as well. The industry in winemaking is completely different than what the insurance industry is. Insurance is pretty competitive whereas in winemaking and selling wine, most of the wineries, we all work together just to be able to better the industry.”

The IWGA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the growth of the wine and grape industry in Iowa. Vincent says two projects the IWGA are working on this year is a new branding campaign, and working with the Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute at Iowa State University to improve the quality of wine in Iowa.