Overview

The Birmingham Branch of IW&FS was founded by Dr. Stacy Childs on November 21, 1988 with 22 charter members. In addition to Kris and Dr. Childs, the other charter members were: Mary and Edward Baich, Donna and David Black, Rossi and Frank Cobb, Daryl and Robert Davis, Pat and Wimberly Miree, Nicki and Robert Naftel, Nancy and Paul Nagrodski, Cathy and Gordon Pate, Frances and Frank Stitt, and Becky and Lee Weathers. As of 2015, our current membership is 149.

The Branch is managed by our President, Dick Barnett, our Branch Contact, Brad McGiboney, our Secretary, Bradley Pate, our Treasurer, Gordon Connor, and a Steering Committee consisting of eleven members: Wimberly Miree, Martha Griffin, Ted Stuckenschneider, Howard Goldberg, Drew Jones, Brad McGiboney, John Mayer, Leslie Wright, Sam Wasko, Lauren McGiboney, Roger Stephenson and Hunter Hudson.

We typically hold 8 to 10 events per year, including wine dinners at the best restaurants in town and one or two wine education events. We end each year with our Annual Meeting/Holiday Party to which attendees bring good wines from their own cellars to share with all and enjoy a buffet dinner. Our new members, which are elected a few weeks prior to this event, are invited so they will have a chance to get to meet a large number of our members. We recently added an IWFS-Birmingham club only wine auction to raise money for selected charities.  Membership is by invitation only.