Villa Maria founder to speak in Napier

Renowned winemaker Sir George Fistonich is the speaker for the first Napier City Council Business Breakfast for 2016.

Sir George is the founder of Villa Maria, one of New Zealand’s best known and successful wine companies, nationally and internationally. How to create change for business growth, having a vision, and succession planning will be part of his talk on 4 March at the Napier War Memorial Conference Centre.

Sir George’s parents immigrated to New Zealand in the late 1920s and following in the tradition of Croatian households, where the eldest son takes up a profession and the second a trade, he completed an apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery.

However, he already knew this wouldn’t be his path in life. In 1961, aged 21, he leased five acres of land from his father in Mangere, Auckland. With just an acre of vines, Villa Maria was born.


Photo courtesy of Napier City Council

Under his leadership Villa Maria Estate has achieved several firsts within the industry, besides picking up plenty of awards. The wine company was the first in New Zealand to employ professional viticulturists, and in 2001 became the first major wine company here to declare they would become “cork-free”, sealing all wines from the 2002 vintage onwards with a screw cap.
 
Sir George has also nurtured the next generation of winemakers, instigating a winemaking and viticultural cadet scheme within Villa Maria Estate.
 
When: Friday 4 March 2016
Time: 7am start, including a light breakfast. Speaker Sir George Fistonich begins at 7.30am
Venue: Napier War Memorial Conference Centre, Marine Parade, Napier
Cost: $20 per person
 
Register at www.napier.govt.nz keyword #businessbreakfast, by 5pm Tuesday 1 March.