June 16, 2025 (San Diego, CA) — SommCon, the main convention for wine and spirits training, proudly proclaims the launch of the Imprint Awards, a brand new annual program celebrating the people and establishments shaping the way forward for the beverage business. The inaugural awards celebration will happen on Tuesday, September 9, throughout SommCon Convention & Beverage Expo at Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, California.
A platform for the neighborhood to uplift unsung heroes, rising voices, and business icons, the Imprint Awards highlight excellence in mentorship, training, innovation, and storytelling throughout wine, spirits, and hospitality. Nominations for the inaugural awards at the moment are open by July 2, 2025 at https://www.sommconusa.com/imprint-awards/
“The Imprint Awards have been born from the tales and contributions we see yearly at SommCon – those that are actually shaping the tradition, craft, and neighborhood of this business,” stated Michelle Metter, Founder and Director of SommCon. “These awards are about recognizing the individuals and applications that don’t simply present up, they transfer the needle. They construct pathways, elevate requirements, and create impression that ripples throughout the business – not only for their organizations, however for all of us.”
The 2025 Imprint Award classes embody:
- Sommelier of the 12 months – Experience, ardour, and dedication to service
- Rising Chief Award – A rising star shaping the way forward for wine and spirits
- Imprint Award – Lifetime impression by mentorship, management, and repair
- Innovation Award – Groundbreaking initiatives or applied sciences
- Bridge Award – Instructional establishments getting ready the following technology of leaders
- Voice of the Trade – Digital storytellers amplifying the craft, tradition, and neighborhood of beverage
Nominations at the moment are open, together with self-nominations, and there’s no nomination payment required to submit a nomination. Following an open submission interval, the SommCon Board of Advisors will overview nominations and choose semifinalists in every class. The general public will then vote to find out the finalists. Winners can be chosen by a weighted mixture of public votes and advisory scores and introduced reside at SommCon in September 2025.
Winners may even be featured within the December 2025 problem of The SOMM Journal, a media associate for SommCon and the 2025 Imprint Awards.
For extra info or to submit a nomination, go to: sommconusa.com/imprint-awards/
ABOUT SOMMCON
SommCon® is the premier gathering for professionals within the wine, beer, and spirits business, providing unparalleled alternatives for training, networking, and profession improvement. SommCon Convention & Beverage Expo presents a complete program of wine and spirits training, skilled improvement, mentorship and networking alternatives, and a vibrant market showcasing home and worldwide producers of wine, beer, spirits, and types within the low and no alcohol class. SommCon produces Concours d’Spirits and Concours d’Vin, neutral competitions of home and worldwide wines and spirits, in partnership with The SOMM Journal, and SommGo, an on-demand streaming service that includes academic content material for the worldwide wine, beer, and spirits business. SommCon is produced by Quick Ahead, an occasion administration and media firm that focuses on client and enterprise occasions in wine, beer, spirits, culinary, and hospitality.
