Leadership Team
Meet the Family
Some of us were born into this family. Some of us were hired into it. All of us proudly carry on the Mazza legacy.
Robert Mazza
Founder and President
A leader in the PA Wine Industry with a focus on creating quality, local products, Bob has been leading the Mazza team and growing the Mazza business, along with the PA wine industry, since Mazza Vineyards’ beginnings in 1972.
Mario Mazza
General Manager and Vice President
With a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH – Mario went on to earn a Master’s in Enology from the University of Adelaide in Australia. While there, he gained experience in the Barossa Valley and in the Adelaide Hills. In addition to his early exposure to the family business, Mario has 15 years of experience in research & commercial winemaking, as well as sensory training including the PA Wine Quality Initiative. He has a passion for quality & excellence in both process & product.
Vanessa Mazza
Creative Director
Vanessa has been working part-time in the family business since she and her brother, Mario, created the private label program while still in high school. Vanessa, a board-certified art therapist, now contributes to the business as Creative Director helping to oversee and coordinate packaging, promotions, event planning, web, and social media..
Kevin Faehndrich
Director of Sales
Kevin started his career in the wine industry as an assistant winemaker and vineyard worker in 2007. In 2010 Kevin founded Upstate Wine Company, a wine wholesaler representing NYS wines in NYC. After successfully gaining a foothold for Upstate Wine Company in the competitive NYC market and cultivating a portfolio of 17 NYS wineries, Kevin sold his business to Opici Family Distributing in 2014. He was retained by Opici Family Distributing as the Director of NYS Wines & Spirits for all 7 of their markets. Kevin joined the Mazza team in 2018 to manage and grow wholesale markets for Robert Mazza, Inc.
Colleen Doyle
Retail Manager
Colleen has a passion for hospitality and has worked in the industry starting at age of 14 when she went to school locally at Mercyhurst University for Hospitality & Restaurant Management. Colleen joined the Mazza team after falling in love with our Five & 20 Stout at the local Skunk & Goat Restaurant, and in her years here quickly climbed from Tasting Room Associate to Tasting Room Manager, to Retail Manager. She enjoys working with and meeting new people and working with new staff to help and watch them grow. Her enthusiasm and energy for tackling challenges, improving efficiencies, and dealing with the variety of her job make her a great asset to the Mazza team.
Joe Nelson
Distiller
With hands-on experience since 2008 and several technical short courses for distilling, Joe has found his passion and his niche in distillation. His repertoire has grown along with his knowledge and skills; from a previous venture in brewing beer, it has expanded into all areas of fermentation, including mead, wine, spirits & whiskey.
Blaine Ballard
Brand Ambassador
Blaine is a North East native who began working in hospitality at a young age. He bartended through college, gaining experience and a passion for hospitality that opened doors for bartending, bar manager, and beverage director positions at restaurants and resorts locally and across the country. Blaine’s talent for curating wine lists and cocktail menus and developing bar programs has provided opportunities at establishments large and small. A true passion for wine and spirits continues to drive him in his current position as brand ambassador for our family of wineries, distillery, and brewery.
Matthew Herrera
Assistant Winemaker
Matt, originally from Western New York, earned his BSc in Molecular Biology from Defiance College and his MSc in the same from OSU. Between his undergrad and graduate programs, an opportunity to travel abroad brought him to wine regions across Europe and, with that, a lasting appreciation for the craft of winemaking. Since that time, Matt has become a Certified Sommelier, made his way through level 4 of the WSET program, and gained professional experience as a wine buyer, beverage program director, and finally reaching his ultimate goal of winemaking, proudly joining the team at Mazza Vineyards as the assistant winemaker.