Stoneboat Crew
From left to right: Pascale Dinel, Levi Gogolinkski, Ian Scromeda, Kyle Lyons, Bill Adams, Kyla Richey, baby Mackie, and Rudy Verhoeff.
Veteran winery executive Ian Scromeda has joined Valley Commons and Stoneboat Vineyards as the company’s new executive vice-president.
The move comes as the Verhoeff family and a community of investors have driven rapid growth of their wine group. The team has recently purchased Stoneboat Vineyards, opened two locations for Valley Commons Winery, and now welcomes Scromeda to join them as a partner and executive VP.
Scromeda’s role will be to help grow the business by overseeing operations and business development. He will work directly with partners Rudy Verhoeff and Kyla Richey, as well as the outstanding winemaking and tasting room teams, “to take both brands to the next level,” the company says.
Scromeda brings with him an impressive resume of success with some of the best known brands in the BC wine industry.
Born in Winnipeg, Scromeda grew up between Winnipeg and Kelowna, where his grandparents owned a fruit orchard that he would help with every summer from the age of five. His work in the wine world literally began as a child, when he would help his grandfather make wine, and a bottle was on every family dinner table.
Scromeda attended the University of Winnipeg where he obtained his BBA, then later attended the University of Southern California to obtain his MBA. In 2014, Scromeda joined a staple winery in the Okanagan, Poplar Grove, where he worked for five years in various departments, ending at director of operations, overseeing much of the operation.
At Poplar Grove, Scromeda gained experience in all areas, including winemaking, logistics, sales, marketing, hospitality, and general winery management.
In late 2019 when a new opportunity and challenge presented itself, Scromeda joined the team at Phantom Creek, one of British Columbia’s largest and most prestigious wineries. Scromeda held the position of estate director, and supervised all hospitality and sales. During his time at Phantom Creek, Scromeda worked with some of the world’s most talented winemakers from various global regions such as Olivier Humbrecht, Mark Berringer, and Francis Hutt.
In 2021 Scromeda, his wife, and two of their friends started Joiryde Winery, one of the many boutique wineries in the District Wine Village in Oliver, BC, with Scromeda taking on a guiding role.
This year opportunity once again presented itself, as the Verhoeff group of investors were looking for an experienced operations manager to help grow their burgeoning group of wineries.
The company says Scromeda brings an impressive depth of knowledge and experience, and is seen as key to executing the growth plans for both wineries.