Arlene Willis

CO-FOUNDER

Arlene co–founded Grapes for Humanity (GFH) Canada, along with Tony Aspler, in 2001, in honour of her brother, Louis Cofrancesco, who was killed by a landmine in Vietnam in 1968. Today she is Chairman Emeritus of GFH Canada and Chairman and Founder of GFH Global Foundation in the US.

She also currently sits on the Board of Directors for Equipment Sales and Service Ltd. (ESS), a family-owned company that has been keeping Canada’s heavy equipment up and running for over 70 years; and The Sharon Francis Institute for Regenerative Medicine (SFIRM). She is member of La Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, the international burgundy wine group.

Arlene was Chairman of The Toronto Foundation for Student Success, a division of the Toronto School Board. She has sat on the Board for The Canadian Stage Company, The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO), and The Bishop Strachan School. Arlene has worked for various organizations and corporations in the United States.

In 1968, she travelled throughout the US working on the 1968 Presidential Campaign for Richard Nixon, with advance men, Bob Erlichman and Bob Haldeman; and organized and helped produce the half-time shows for the New Orleans Saints football team, under the direction of Tommy Walker Productions.

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She has travelled extensively to developing countries to visit the projects that Grapes for Humanity supports for the past 20 years including Cambodia (17 times), Laos, Vietnam, China, Africa, France, Nicaragua and Honduras. Arlene was born and educated in the United States.

She moved to Toronto in 1977 after marrying Canadian Businessman, Michael Willis and they have two daughters and three grandchildren.

Arlene and Michael are very involved with the international wine community and are passionate about their love of wine and many philanthropic causes.