About Us
Jan L. Cooper - President, Wine Lover, Head Goofball
Jan brings a passion for wine and wine education to The Vine Tastings, Inc. management team. She started Vine Tastings after working in the computer industry for more than 8 years. Living and traveling extensively in the wine regions of the world has given Jan the necessary skills to direct the operations of Vine Tastings.
Her responsibilities include managing the day to day store operations as well as participation in the tastings and sales, consumer education, and special events. She is also responsible for business development, employee training, marketing, and revenue/cost management.
Jan's academic credentials include graduation with high honors from Elgin Community College, earning an Associates Degree in Science with a major in Mathematics. Subsequently she completed a Baccalaureate Degree in Science with Honors with a major in Accounting. She is a Registered Certified Public Accountant in the State of Illinois and was awarded a Masters Degree with Distinction in Business Administration.
Jan has extensive business experience in the start up and operation of a business. Over the past six years she has successfully started and operated a consulting practice. She has over 15 years of accounting and 12 years of information technology experience. While in accounting management, Jan has been responsible for measurable cost reductions and company wide increased efficiencies. Jan is a known author and speaker within the Oracle software industry.
Daryl O. Cooper - Vice President, He-Man, Wine Distaster
Daryl brings over twenty years experience in positions of increasing financial and management responsibility; ranging from Accountant Manager to Regional Controller and Branch Manager. This experience includes all aspects of financial and operational management with ten of these years in management consulting in the fields of local area and wide area networking, business strategy, IT strategy, software implementations and transitional financial management for financially unstable organizations. The vertical industries his experiences bridges includes, manufacturing, professional services, printing and public government.
Over the last five years Daryl has been engaged in the development of business practice areas for the implementation of Oracle Applications on a regional and a national levels. Extensive business development skills coupled with relationship building were critical for success of these efforts. Staff acquisition and development in conjunction with mentoring and advancing the organization’s intellectual capital and thought leadership were also essential tools for success.
Daryl's academic credentials include graduation with honors from Elgin Community College, earning an Associates Degree in Science with a major in Accounting. Subsequently he completed a Baccalaureate Degree in Science, again with a major in Accounting. Daryl is currently engaged in completing a dual Masters Degree integrating Business Administration and Project Management.
His responsibilities at Vine Tastings, Inc. include day-to-day store operations, vendor negotiations and relationships, and general he-man stuff such as carting stock around, changing light bulbs, killing spiders, assembling shelving, etc. He is not allowed to discuss wine or wine tasting with the guests as he can't take a sip of wine without making a face of distaste. He is, however, allowed to discuss other less controversial topics.
