George Staikos: Wine Educator, Sommelier & Corporate Speaker
"All of us who enjoy wine have a certain interest level... My aim is to inspire that interest."

George Staikos — National Sommelier, Speaker, Innovator, Entrepreneur and Educator

George Staikos, as a 18-year veteran of the hospitality industry, is known for his role as an educator, sharing his passion for wine appreciation and knowledge of the pairing of gourmet cuisine and fine wine as well as the finer points of hospitality service.

Background and Roles

• Eastern Regional Sales Manager for Huneeus Vintners- directs the sales and marketing efforts in 18 states from Maine to Florida for Huneeus Vintners, a new and dynamic company luxury wine company that represents Quintessa. George was previously the Regional Sales & Marketing Manager for Jordan Vineyard & Winery.
• Entrepreneur: Founder of TopShelf, an innovative company devoted to "Wine Appreciation and Great Service" for individuals, companies and hospitality groups.
  
• Director of Food and Beverage/Sommelier: Four year stay at the AAA Five Diamond rated Hilton Short Hills. His national experience encompasses food and beverage positions from California, Miami, Washington, D.C and New York operating three Five Diamond rated hotels for industry leaders such as Four Seasons Hotels, Hilton and Sheraton.
  
• Featured Speaker: Speaking events for corporate clients such as Merrill Lynch, GlaxoWellcome, Novartis, Pfizer, Pharmaceutical, AAA, Shering Plough, Salomon Smith Barney, Bristol Myers, Polo Ralph Lauren, Accenture and Make A Wish Foundation.
  
• Featured Guest: Inteviewed for regional television programs offering instruction on specialty cocktails, children's etiquette and wine appreciation.
  
• Innovator: He has won acclaim for innovative programs such as "Chef and Sommelier of the Day", "Sneak Preview Tasting Dinner Series"and wine classes "Exploring Wines... A-Z". Programs have been featured in magazines such as Cuizine, Drink, New Choices, Restaurants and Institutions and New York Magazine as well as USA Today, The New York Times, The Star Ledger, New Jersey Countryside and New Jersey Monthly magazines.
  
• Educator: Instructor of two wine education courses. They are "Exploring Wines... A-Z" and "Introduction to the Study of Wine". This latter course is part of the Fairleigh Dickinson University's School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management.

TopShelf Associates
TopShelf employs a team of committed individuals with industry credentials that assist with research, event execution and concept development to enhance the scope of work that we can provide.

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