Continued Growth Out-of-the-Gate for Verhoeff Family
September 22nd – Over the past year the Verhoeff family and community of investors has purchased Stoneboat Vineyards, opened two locations for Valley Commons Winery, and now they welcome Ian Scromeda to join them as a partner and executive vice president.
Scromeda will put to work his strong experience in building wineries over the last decade, as he joins the group as a managing partner, alongside the Verhoeff family and a diverse community of investors in Stoneboat Vineyards (Oliver, BC) & Valley Commons Winery (Oliver and Fort Langley, BC).
With roots in Winnipeg, Manitoba, 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. Scromeda’s introduction to the wine world also began as a child, when he would help his grandfather make wine, and a bottle was on every family dinner table. Scromeda loves not only the process of wine from the vineyard all the way to the bottle, but also the unique and challenging nature of the wine business; an industry he hopes to remain in for years to come.
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, going through many 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 new opportunity and challenge presented itself, Scromeda joined the team at Phantom Creek, one of British Columbia’s largest and most prestigious wineries, as the estate director, where he supervised all hospitality and sales. During his time at Oliver BC’s 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.Now Scromeda joins Valley Commons and Stoneboat as executive vice president to oversee operations and business development. Scromeda ’s role is to work with Rudy Verhoeff and Kyla Richey, as well as the outstanding winemaking and tasting room teams, to take both brands to the next level. Scromeda brings his depth of knowledge and experience in the wine and hospitality business to further develop and execute the growth plans for both wineries.
About The Verhoeff Group of Companies (VGC)
Run by brothers Paul and Stephen Verhoeff, specializes in event and hospitality sectors, and operates various companies including Red Door Events and Trading Post Brewing, and now, Valley Commons and Stoneboat.
In 2020, Paul and Stephen Verhoeff approached husband-wife duo Rudy Verhoeff & Kyla Richey to start up their next project — a winery. Recently retired from professional and national team volleyball, the pair set out to bring a mindset of creating community over food and wine to their business. ‘Valley Commons’ pays tribute to the two valleys: the Okanagan and the Fraser that are home to the vineyards and winery locations with the tag line of “Where We Gather” front and centre of the brand.
More at valleycommons.ca
Stoneboat Pinot House is a heritage winery just off the prestigious Black Sage Road in the South Okanagan, acquired by the VGC in April 2021. Boasting some of the oldest vines in the Valley, Stoneboat is best known for its amazing Pinot varietals and family-like hospitality. Its home vineyard, coined ‘The Gravelbar’ is an area of unique, extremely rocky subsoils that produce some of the best Pinot Noir wines in the Okanagan.
More at stoneboatvineyards.com
