Maria Ponzi Fogelstrom

MARIA PONZI FOGELSTROM - DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING

Maria graduated from the School of Journalism at the University of Oregon in 1987. Her studies included a year each at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and the Universita per Stranieri in Perugia, Italy. Two weeks after receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree, Maria returned to Boston in search of her first "big" job. She was immediately hired as a sales representative for Goldhirsch Publishing Inc., promptly promoted to manager and, within two years, acknowledged as "Salesperson of the Year." Along with the Rolex she was awarded, she received a tempting offer to manage the Southwest Regional sales office. Instead, she pocketed her savings, stuck the Rolex in her backpack and headed for a year of world travel and adventure, first stop: Borneo.

A year later, energetic and eager, Maria returned to the family winery and the position she left before college: working with her mother to market Ponzi wines. In 1991, she was hired as Managing and Marketing Director. She is officially responsible for the overall sales and marketing of Ponzi wines. She develops sales and public relation strategies, manages the winery's national broker, maintains communication with wine critics, produces all winery graphics, including the coordination and concepts of label designs, and oversees the management and marketing of the tasting room, the Ponzi Wine Bar and The Dundee Bistro.

During the family's ownership of BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon's first microbrewery, Maria assumed the role of its Marketing Director. She now plays much the same role with promoting the family's latest venture, The Dundee Bistro.

Now entirely focused on the winery and its operations, she remains active in promoting Oregon's wine industry. She is currently the president of Wineries of Washington County and is a board member of the Travel Information Council and the Oregon Culinary Tourism Association. She was the Promotions Chair of the Oregon Wine Advisory Board for nearly six years and was a founding Board Member of the national Women for WineSense organization. She was president of the organization's Oregon Chapter for two years. She continues to be an active member of the Washington County Winery Association, Oregon Pinot Camp, and Sip for SOLV.

She and her architect husband Brett Fogelstrom, reside minutes from the winery on 15 acres with their daughter, Lauren and son, Max. A full remodel of an abandoned farm, the house and property now feature contemporary design and a large lake inhabited by wild geese and great blue herons.

Dick Ponzi - Founder
Nancy Ponzi - Founder
Luisa Ponzi - Winemaker
Michel Ponzi - Director of Operations

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