Richard Seibert, the co-owner and Managing Partner of Knob Hall Winery, has been named as the President of the Maryland Wineries Association. Seibert was elected President of Maryland Wineries Association, and began his term on January 1st.

Knob Hall Winery is located in Clear Spring, Maryland.

The Maryland Wineries Association represents 53 licensed wineries and is expecting to add 8 additional members in 2012.  "Seibert has played a vital role in the recent growth of the Maryland wine industry,” according to Maryland Wineries Association Executive Director Kevin Atticks. “He has been taking the lead on marketing, education and government affairs."

“The President of our association serves as chairman of the executive committee and leads all of our meetings. Seibert will guide Maryland Wineries Association policy and efforts. The Maryland Wineries Association will only grow stronger with Seibert as president," said Atticks.

Seibert is the Managing Partner of Knob Hall Winery, which is located in Clear Spring, Maryland.  Knob Hall had its first harvest in 2009 and did its first bottling in 2010.  After bottling, the winery entered four wines in the prestigious Maryland Governor’s Cup competition and won three Gold Medals and one “Best of Class.”

About the local Washington County Winery, Dr. Atticks said, "Knob Hall Winery makes excellent wine, highlighting the superb grapes that are being grown in Washington County and Western Maryland.”

Born in Hagerstown, Maryland he graduated from The Mercersburg Academy, received a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Maryland and a MBS from The American University in Marketing.

For twenty years, Dick worked for the National Association of Manufacturers in Washington, D.C., where he became the youngest policy vice president in the organization’s history as he directed public affairs programs in the energy, environmental and natural resources arenas.

After moving to Annapolis, Maryland, Dick founded a public policy think tank which studied energy, environmental, health and safety issues.

In 2006, Dick inherited the family farm, Knob Hall. The 175 acre farm just outside of Clear Spring, Maryland, has been in his family for over 200 years.  In 2007, the Seiberts began planting grapes on the property.

Dick is married to Mary Beth, who is Knob Hall’s winemaker.  They have two daughters, Stephanie, who attends Washington College. The other daughter Paige attends Boston University.

Dick was appointed by Washington County Commissioners to serve on the Washington County Economic Development Committee and the Ag Marketing Committee.  He was also appointed by former Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich to the Chesapeake Bay Citizen’s Advisory Council.

He is a former Partner and Board member of the Wild Goose Brewery, Cambridge, Maryland, a past chairman of the National Energy Resources Organization (NERO), a former lecturer on lobbying through the Close-Up Foundation and a former sponsor of U. S. Naval Academy midshipmen and women.  While living in Annapolis, he was selected as one of 14 to sail on the Los Angeles Class Submarine the USN Annapolis from Groton, CT to Annapolis in 1999 to help celebrate the City's 350th anniversary.  Dick also founded The Annapolis Institute, a non-profit which helped at-risk youth from Anne Arundel County, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia.

Knob Hall Winery is one of the few wineries in the Mid-Atlantic which has a female winemaker. Mary Beth Seibert has won the hearts, and taste buds, of wine-lovers throughout the entire region. In 2010, the winery won more gold medals than any other winery at the Maryland Wine Festival. The three gold medals turned out to be the most that any winery in Maryland had ever won. Knob Hall's Rose was selected as Best in Class, as well. At the 2011 Maryland Wine festival, the winery had four silver medals and two bronze medals - another outstanding year!

Knob Hall Winery is currently Washington County's only winery, and now has over 30 acres of land under grape production. The acreage includes the following grape varieties: Albarino, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Traminette, Vidal Blanc, Viognier, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, and Petite Verdot. The winery continues to expand and will have 60 acres of land planted with grape vines. For more information about Knob Hall Winery, see: www.knobhallwinery.com.

Knob Hall Winery is a member of the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau. For more information about Washington County, see: www.marylandmemories.com.