PEOPLE
Ric Fuller, Vineyard Manager
Ric Fuller has deep roots in agriculture. His family has been involved in farming for thirteen generations, from the time they came to the Virginia colony in 1720. When America moved westward to “manifest destiny,” so did his family. Ric’s parents eventually settled in the San Joaquin Valley in the 1930s. As the fourth of five children, Ric spent his childhood working on the family farm near Lindsay, California.
A graduate of the University of California at Davis, Ric holds a B.S. Degree in Viticulture and a Master’s Degree in Horticulture. Ahead of his time, he was one of only three graduates in this field in 1972. Ric went straight from college to work for Paul Masson Vineyards in Soledad, California, where he founded the only private vineyard research lab on the Central Coast. After two years he was promoted to Vineyard Manager, and charged with planting and managing a new 1,800+ acre vineyard.
Ric met Herman Schwartz of Continental Vineyards (now Shimmin Canyon Vineyard) in 1977, and learned of the great potential for growing quality winegrapes in the then relatively unknown viticultural area of Paso Robles, California. He has been Manager of the ranch ever since, continually changing with the times and developing new ideas and growing techniques.
Ric often says that the only thing constant in the vineyard’s history has been continual change, which is markedly apparent in his management practices. A firm believer in sustainable farming, he was one of the first to use cover crops in the early 1980s for erosion control, and collaborated with the University of California in writing the Cover Crop Handbook. He was also one of the first in the area to come into compliance with the Clean Water Act by submitting to the local Water Quality Control District in 2003. He converted from sprinkler to drip irrigation in 1995, and has had numerous owl boxes on the ranch for over 20 years to control rodent populations.
A founding Director and the first Grower Chair of the Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Association back in the early 1990s, Ric won a new Director seat on the current board of what is now the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. He recently joined other area growers to petition for and submit plans for 11 sub-appellations within the Paso Robles AVA, further defining the uniqueness of the region.
Andrea Diaz, Personnel Supervisor
Andrea’s connection to Continental Vineyards (now Shimmin Canyon Vineyard) began in 1977. She has experience in pretty much every facet of the vineyard; from planting, grafting and training to pruning, she has done it all. She has even been an irrigator and a tractor driver. A dedicated worker, Andrea earned a promotion to Crew Leader, then later to her current position as Personnel Supervisor. If you want to know the when, where, or how, just ask Andrea!
Andrea’s husband, Jose, began working on the Ranch in 1984, and is now the Irrigation Supervisor. They live in a house on the property with three of their seven children, and share seven grandchildren.
Andrea loves living in the quiet countryside. She especially enjoys sewing, baking, and doing all kinds of crafty projects. You can always find her working on several of them at once. And as busy as she is, she still finds the time to teach her Sunday school class.
Mary Kuhnle, Bookkeeper
The title "Bookkeeper" fits, as Mary does indeed keep the books, but it doesn’t come close to explaining the rest of Mary’s contributions to what goes on at Shimmin Canyon. She answers the phones, keeps track of who is where, manages the office and holds down the fort.
Before coming to Shimmin Canyon (then Continental Vineyards) in early 2006, Mary developed business experience in other realms, including the auto and institutional sport industry. Her Ag. Business degree from CSU, Fresno serves her well, and she applies her experience to her current duties on a daily basis.
A proud graduate of Shandon High School, Mary represents the fifth generation of cattle ranchers and dry-land farmers who settled in the Shandon and Estrella areas in the 1860s.
Mary and her mother currently live in her family’s original ranch house, along with their cats and dogs. Her dog, Kobe (yes, he is named after Kobe Bryant, but for his eyes, certainly not his personality) and her mother’s yellow lab, Lacey, keep her busy. Mary’s three brothers and one of her two sisters also live on the ranch.
Mary’s favorite interests outside of work include Elvis, George Strait, shopping, reading, and cheering on the Oakland Raiders.
Gerald R. Forsythe, Owner
In January 2006, the ranch and vineyard were purchased by Indeck Paso Robles, LLC, owned by Gerald R. Forsythe. Indeck Paso Robles, LLC is part of the Forsythe Group of companies, which is comprised of a diverse portfolio of companies in numerous industries, including energy services, industrial power equipment, sports and entertainment, agriculture, real estate development and banking. Although new to California, the Forsythe family has long roots in agricultural enterprises in Illinois, where they are a leading entrepreneurial and philanthropic family.
On the national and international stage, Mr. Forsythe is one of the most influential entrepreneurs in open-wheel racing.
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