Leonard Oakes winery president named ‘Woman of Influence’

Photo by Tom Rivers – Wendy Wilson, president of the Leonard Oakes Estate Winery, is pictured at the indoor courtyard of the Martin-Linsin Residence at Hospice of Orleans.

Hospice of Orleans Executive Director Mary Anne Fischer, left, is pictured Hospice Director of Development Marsha Rivers, Lake Shore Savings VP Nancy LaTulip and Wendy Wilson.

MEDINA – Business First honored 25 “Women of Influence” recently and the Buffalo publication picked the president of a local winery as one of the honorees.

Wendy Wilson is president of the Leonard Oakes Estate Winery. She is treasurer of the Niagara Wine Trail. She won an entrepreneurial award from Business First, which honored 25 people for their roles in business and community service.

She has helped to diversify LynOaken Farms into a multifaceted business with a winery, retail store, U-Pick operation and heirloom orchard. LynOaken also packs its own apples and delivers them to 80 stores.

Ten years ago, Wilson left a career in Miami, working in the import-export business to join her family at LynOaken Farms. She runs the winery and spearheads the marketing and customer contacts for the wine and store delivery businesses.

She was nominated for the Business First award by Margot Bittner, owner of the Winery at Marjim Manor in Appleton.

Each of the honorees was awarded $1,000 to be donated to an organization of their choice by by Lake Shore Savings.

Wilson picked Hospice of Orleans. Nancy LaTulip, vice president for the bank, was in Albion this week to present the check.

“I like the work that they do,” Wilson said about Hospice. “They take care of some of the most important times of people’s lives.”

Leonard Oakes also sells Blanc d’Orleans. The winery gives $1 of each sale to Hospice. Wilson presented the agency with a check for $1,111, the proceeds for Hospice from the wine sales.