Michel Carlo Ponzi of the Ponzi Family

MICHEL CARLO PONZI - DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Michel was awarded a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Oregon in 1986. He majored in Italian with a minor in Music. Other academic degrees include a Certificate of Keyboard Proficiency, Dick Grove School of Music, Beverly Hills, 1982, and a Diploma de Profitto in Italian Language and Literature from the Universita Degli Studi de Firenze, 1985.

Since his first piano lesson at age three, music has been an integral part of Michel’s life. He read music before he could read words. His first major purchase, when he was ten with money earned working in the family winery and vineyard, was an antique foot-powered organ. Through elementary and secondary school he performed at school functions, theatrical productions and winery festivals. The high school “garage” band rehearsed evenings in the winery’s barrel room. He studied jazz theory and improvisational jazz with a local veteran artist, while appearing in straight ahead jazz ensembles and vocalists in Portland clubs ... before he was of legal drinking age.

During his one-year study in Florence, Italy, Michel frequently spent weekends at the winery of family friends in Piedmont. While studying in Eugene, life was much the same with weekends spent working at the family winery. At graduation, he was faced with a career decision: music and an artist’s unpredictable life or the growing family business. A few years earlier, the family had founded BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon’s first microbrewery. By 1986, BridgePort was experiencing phenomenal growth and success. At the same time, Ponzi Vineyards was gaining national recognition with high demands for its wines. Michel assessed the situation, took some intensive business classes and stepped aboard.

At BridgePort, Michel assumed the role of day-to-day family liaison with supervision of the General Manager. At the winery, he took on administrative responsibilities from legal, accounting and tax matters to regulatory compliance and personnel. He brought Ponzi Vineyards into the computer age and remains its technology guru. In 1995, he successfully negotiated the sale of BridgePort. In addition to his winery responsibilities as Director of Operations, he also oversees The Dundee Bistro.

Michel now composes in his home studio, accompanies his singer/songwriter wife Becky, and teaches his two sons the magic of music. The family resides at the immaculate La Luce Vineyard. The music and wine duo seem to stay in harmony.

Dick Ponzi - Founder
Nancy Ponzi - Founder
Luisa Ponzi - Winemaker
Maria Ponzi Fogelstrom - Director of Sales & Marketing

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