John Rydman (Hon. 鈥�08)
President & Owner
Spec鈥檚 Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods
John Rydman (Hon. 鈥�08) graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in music. After graduating, Rydman entered the wine and spirits industry and was named president of Spec鈥檚 Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods in 1987. Over more than three decades, he has helped grow the company鈥檚 wine division from 20 offerings to more than 16,000 and, with his wife, Lindy, expand the business from seven stores to 210 locations across Texas, employing more than 5,000 people.
The Rydmans founded the Spec鈥檚 Charitable Foundation, which places a strong emphasis on education. The foundation has worked with the Vintage Virtuoso fundraiser for the Houston Symphony for more than 25 years, raising several million dollars to support educational entities across Texas. It has also worked with the Spec鈥檚 Cork Project, which collects corks and generates recycling income donated to Texas Children鈥檚 Hospital.
In 1999, the Rydmans started the Spec鈥檚 Charitable Foundation Scholarship and Endowment at UNT. They have continued to give back by creating a scholarship with the Galveston-Houston Catholic Diocese and the Wine and Spirits Institute and by hosting an annual golf tournament fundraiser for Hilton College.
The Rydmans have earned awards including Market Watch magazine鈥檚 Leaders Award, UNT鈥檚 Green Glory Service Award, the Texas Association for Symphony Orchestras鈥� Award of Excellence, My Table magazine鈥檚 Legends of Houston Award, the North Texas Exes Association鈥檚 Martha Turner Award of Distinction, 21 the James V. Leggett Jr. Humanitarian Award, and Ernst & Young鈥檚 Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Their recognitions also include Market Watch Retailer of the Year, Food & Wine magazine鈥檚 America鈥檚 Top Wine Shop, Houston Press鈥� Best Liquor Store almost every year, Wine Enthusiast鈥檚 U.S. Retailer of the Year, and the National Association of Specialty Food Trade鈥檚 Outstanding Specialty Food Retailer of 2010.
Rydman serves on the Hilton College Dean鈥檚 Advisory Board and the Texas Department of Agriculture Wine Advisory Board, and is a Houston Symphony trustee and board member. A wine industry leader for more than 50 years, he has held numerous executive and board positions and served as president of the Houston Symphony Board of Trustees from 2020 to 2023. He currently chairs the symphony鈥檚 Artistic & Orchestra Affairs Committee and the Dean鈥檚 Development Board at the UNT College of Music.
A passionate advocate for French wines, cognacs, and armagnacs, Rydman has promoted them for more than 40 years and serves as an ambassador for French food and drink. He has been a board member of the International Wine and Food Society for more than 15 years, including as president of its Houston chapter. During 12 years with the Cha卯ne des R么tisseurs as a Ma卯tre R么tisseur and member of the Order Mondial, he furthered his dedication to French gastronomy. He has been inducted into the Beaujolais Order of Saint Vincent and the Commanderie des Bontemps of M茅doc, Graves and Sauternes, and was honored by the French government as a Chevalier de l鈥橭rdre National du M茅rite Agricole.