Dr. James Gallander, born in Peoria, Illinois in 1937, earned both a bachelor's degree in 1960 and doctoral degree from Ohio State University in 1964 in food technology. He began his career at Ohio State University in 1963 as an instructor at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) at Wooster. He received the rank of full professor from the department in 1972 and developed the center's enology program.

Working with Dr. Garth Cahoon, an OARDC professor also inducted into the Ohio Wine of Fame in 2001, Gallander helped to plant the first hybrid grapes on the Wistar Marting farm in Clarksville. This event marketed the beginning of the ‘modern’ Ohio grape-wine industry.

Gallander has authored hundreds of studies on food science and enology, has organized the Ohio Wine Competition for many years, and has served as the advisor to the Ohio Wine Producers Association. In 1985, he also received the award of merit from American Wine Society, a non-profit, educational, consumer-oriented organization for those interested in learning more about all aspects of wine.

Sources: Ohio Wine Industry Honors Founding Fathers with the Creation of the ‘Ohio Wine Hall of Fame’ Press Release from the Ohio Wine Producers Association (2001), and Ohio Wine Producers Association Hall of Fame website.