NJ WINE EXPO:
MEET OUR INDUSTRY INSIDERS
As November marks the first annual New Jersey Wine Month, the Garden State Wine Growers Association would like to thank the following members of the New Jersey wine community for their support of the NJ Wine Expo on November 9, 2024, and beyond. Please explore their stories and prepare to meet everyone at Bell Works for an extraordinary opportunity to learn more about their history and love of wine. Cheers to New Jersey wine!
MEET SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, ED WENGRYN – New Jersey’s Secretary of Agriculture is the department’s executive officer, secretary to the State Board of Agriculture and a member of the Governor’s cabinet.
The Secretary of Agriculture fulfills executive, management and administrative duties prescribed by law, executive order or gubernatorial direction. The Secretary oversees the development and implementation of specific programs required to meet State Board policy directives. He is also an active member of a number of international, national, federal, state, county and local organizations with an interest in agriculture and related areas.
The Office of the Secretary supports programs relating to the economic development of production agriculture; the marketing of agricultural products through the Jersey Fresh program; conservation and development of natural and renewable resources; distribution of surplus federal commodities to soup kitchens, food pantries, schools, state hospitals and institutions; and the health and well-being of the state’s greenhouse/nursery and livestock industries as well as other programs related to these areas.
In addition, the Office of the Secretary directs and coordinates the development and analysis of agricultural policy and department budget for the Secretary and the State Board of Agriculture. The Office coordinates the department’s legal and legislative services and rule-making functions, serves as the state’s liaison for USDA agricultural disaster matters and directs departmental efforts to support the Governor’s statewide policy issues.
The Office of the Secretary also handles relations with agricultural and other organizations, outreach to news media and the public, liaison to the State Legislature and United States Congress, the Ag in the Classroom Program and other state and national agricultural organizations.
MEET HANK ZONA (NJ WINE EXPO M.C.) – Hank Zona is a Maplewood-based wine event planner, writer, judge and consultant. He has written and co-written for Eater, WSJ Off-Duty Travel, Travel+Leisure, Food52, and closer to home, Edible Jersey and Jersey’s Best. No one has covered the New Jersey food and beverage maker and grower community for the past decade through articles and events as extensively as he has.
MEET ORLEY ASHENFELTER – Orley Ashenfelter’s areas of specialization include labor economics, econometrics, and law and economics. His current research includes the cross-country measurement of wage rates, and many other issues related to the economics of labor markets.
Prof. Ashenfelter has been the director of the Industrial Relations Section at Princeton University, director of the Office of Evaluation of the U.S. Department of Labor, a Guggenheim Fellow, and the Benjamin Meeker Visiting Professor at the University of Bristol. He is a recipient of the IZA Prize in Labor Economics, the Mincer Award for Lifetime Achievement of the Society of Labor Economists, and the Karel Englis Medal awarded by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.
He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Society of Labor Economics, and a Corresponding Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He edited the Handbook of Labor Economics, was editor of the American Economic Review, and the co-editor of the American Law and Economics Review. He is a past president of the American Economic Association, the American Law and Economic Association, and the Society of Labor Economists. He is also president of the American Association of Wine Economists, and is the proprietor of Ashenfelter Vineyards near Vineland, NJ. Source: Link
MEET DEVON PERRY – Representing the Garden State Wine Growers Association is a dream job as a lover of the State of New Jersey and the wine industry. The background that led Devon to become Executive Director of the Garden State Wine Growers Association began from her experience of being Chief Executive Officer of WineLovers LLC. She managed staff and projects to maintain an online restaurant database serving ten metro centers through this role. She continuously managed restaurant relations to update 53,000 restaurants and maintained relationships and data exchange with OpenTable, Yelp, and AllMenus. In addition, her interest in wine took off at a young age from personal experience. Her grandfather would visit local restaurants every Sunday night, rating wine options with a homemade excel spreadsheet. Over time, her grandfather would rate wine pairings from his experience and blossomed this pastime into GoBYO.com, an online restaurant database focusing on wine-friendly ratings. Beyond this experience within WineLovers LLC, Devon has maintained leadership roles and positions within the New Jersey tourism industry, like being the Executive Director of Visit South Jersey, a board member of the New Jersey Tourism Industry Association, and served on the Executive Committee of the New Jersey Destination Marketing Organization Association. Moreover, working with exceptionally supportive and talented people behind the vines and in the classrooms continues to grow her love for keeping the “garden” in the Garden State. Cheers to New Jersey wine! [Photo Credit: Van Zandbergen Photography.]
MEET DR. SETH PORTER – Dr. Seth M. Porter is Dean of the Kraemer Family Library, Senior Executive Director of Innovation & Technology, Associate Professor, and Senior Executive Director of CSGI at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. He is a co-founder of the C3 Innovation Lab, and oversees the broader innovation ecosystem at UCCS, driving multidisciplinary innovation and collaboration across the university and community.
In addition to his leadership roles, Dr. Porter is a wine policy and business analyst specializing in emerging wine regions. His work explores how these regions can build competitive wine markets by balancing regulatory, environmental, and economic constraints. Dr. Porter’s research examines the intersection of local agriculture, tourism, firm brand and regional identity, helping producers overcome the challenges of market entry, expand their reach, and position their wines effectively on both regional and national levels.
Through collaborations with industry boards and local stakeholders, Dr. Porter develops strategies that align production, marketing, and policy initiatives with economic goals and regional branding efforts. His recent work includes policy analysis for the Colorado Wine Industry and strategic recommendations for Pennsylvania’s and Wyoming’s wine sectors. Currently, he is conducting in-depth research on New Jersey’s emerging wine industry, focusing on public perception, market trends, and policy frameworks to support sustainable growth; and pricing indicators in Colorado’s wine market. His broader interests in wine policy tie into themes of rural development and agricultural sustainability, particularly in helping niche markets evolve into recognized wine-producing regions. Dr. Porter also consults with wineries and wine regions and shares his research through VinoPolicy.com, providing actionable insights for both industry professionals and policymakers.
MEET DONNA ALBANO – Donna Albano is a Professor in the Hospitality, Tourism & Event Management Studies (HTMS) Program in Stockton University’s School of Business. Donna earned her undergraduate degree from Widener University in Hospitality Management and her masters and doctorate in Educational Leadership from Rowan University where she was the recipient of the Larry Marcus Award for Excellence in Educational Leadership, Doctoral Studies. Donna is responsible for teaching, research, and service at the university. She teaches a wine fundamentals course at Stockton as well as personal enrichment wine seminars and tastings for the wider community. She is a member of the American Wine Society (AWS) where she has represented the New Jersey wine industry at their annual conference. Prior to academia, Donna worked in the hospitality industry in hotel & casino operations, food and beverage franchise operations, country club operations as well as hospitality industry consulting including quality assurance shopping and writing restaurant reviews.
MEET DR. LARRY COIA – Lawrence Coia is owner of Coia Vineyards and Co-Owner of Bellview Winery near Vineland, New Jersey. He started that vineyard in 1975 and has more than 40 years experience in grape growing including Vitis vinifera varieties. The vineyard is composed of 14 acres of wine grapes including 12 commercial varieties as well as trial plantings of over a dozen other grape varieties. He helped establish an ongoing relationship with grape growers and researchers at the Foundation Edmund Mach near Trento, Italy, and has promoted cooperation with leading grape researchers in Bordeaux as well.
He led the effort in introducing San Marco and Trentina grape varieties in the US. Much of his writings in viticulture have been conducted with co-author of Wine Grape Varieties for New Jersey, Dan Ward, and are referenced in this book. He is a co-founder of the Outer Coastal Pain Vineyard Association and a member of the American Association of Wine Economists. He is a retired radiation oncologist and holds degrees in physics as well.
MEET CARLO DEVITO – Carlo is the former owner of the Hudson-Chatham Winery and the author of more than 20 books. He has edited and written on wines, beers, and spirits. His authors include Kevin Zraly, Oz Clarke, Matt Kramer, Tom Stevenson, the New York Times, and Wine Spectator among others. He has been profiled in Beverage Media, the Wall Street Journal, Edible Hudson Valley, Hudson Valley magazine, and many other journals and magazines. He is a member of the New York Wine Media Guild, a contributor to The Cork Report and edits the blog East Coast Wineries. His winery’s Paperbirch line of sherries are made using a 20 barrel solera and have won numerous awards.
MEET SHARYN KERVYN – Sharyn Kervyn de Volkaersbeke’ s professional career has been devoted to the wine industry, learning and sharing her knowledge with fellow enthusiasts. She is a diploma graduate with honors through the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (dipWSET), a Certified Specialist of wine (CSW) through the Society of Wine Educators, Tastevin level member with the Dionysian Wine Society and Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. She is also an International OIV and American Wine Society (AWS) Certified Wine Judge with Merit (CWJM), and judges annually for competitions in America and Europe.
She opened the Getty Center Museum in Los Angeles as their catering director and has held wine director and general manager posts in California, where she was featured in LA Confidential, Los Angeles Times and E Television for her work in the industry. Sharyn moved to New Jersey, where she founded KdV Wine Services and teaches wine education courses she has written at area colleges, including Rutgers’s University and Camden County College (now a CWP Certification Course). Her credentials and experience earned her membership into London’s prestigious Association of Wine Educators (AWE), and her wine lists have consistently won ‘Best of’ Wine Spectator Awards as the Wine Director for The Capital Grille restaurants where she worked for 15 years. Sharyn currently Chairs a chapter she founded and serves on the Wine Education Committee for AWS, where wrote and teaches WineSmarts II. https://kdvwineservices.com
MEET ROB RUDKO – Rob Rudko is the founder and President of Bound East Wine Group LLC, a full-service wine consulting, education and enotourism company. He has written for various wine publications and is also a standing wine judge. Rob studied enology and viticulture at Napa Valley College and UC Davis in California and Cornell in NY and has also studied abroad with The International Wine Academy in Australia and the Wine Scholar Guild in Washington DC.
Rob has worked for wineries domestically and abroad and currently advises wineries in NY, NJ, VA and TX consulting on the challenges facing them and assists by establishing and implementing tailored operating mechanisms which aid their business in transitioning from what he calls, the all too common position of “Please Buy From Me” to “Of Course You Can Join Our Wait List”. His New Jersey Clients have included Villa Milagro and Four Sisters Winery.
He can be reached at (212) 567-2255 or robrudko@longislandwineacademy.org for inquiries or questions.
OUTER COASTAL PLAIN VINEYARD ASSOCIATION
MEET JIM QUERELA – Jim Quarella, owner and operator of Bellview Winery – Jim grew up as the fourth generation on Bellview Farms in Landisville, NJ. He earned his BS degree from Delaware Valley College and returned to the farm to assume management in 1980. After 20 years of modernizing farming practices and introducing new crops to meet changing markets, successfully running a profitable farm business, Jim made the decision to change focus, and established Bellview Winery in 2000. He planted the first of what has now become 45 acres of vineyards. He guided the business from startup to the profitable, popular destination it has become today, winning national awards for his wines along the way. He now also uses his knowledge and experience to help other new and established vineyards and wineries through his consulting work. His focus has always been on quality, sustainability and community.
As a young man, Jim was a firefighter with Landisville Volunteer Fire Company. He was on the Board of the Landisville Produce Cooperative for 18 years, and served as president there for 8 of those years. A member of the Atlantic County Board of Agriculture and a director for Farm Bureau, he also served as a member of the Atlantic County Agriculture Development Board and the Buena Regional High School FFA Advisory Council. Since opening the winery, he has been a member of the Garden State Wine Growers’ Association for 19 years, serving as president for one term. He worked to establish the Outer Coastal Plain American Viticultural Area and is currently the President of the Outer Coastal Plain Viticultural Association. Jim has worked extensively with the Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization in Vineland, NJ to aid in their fundraising programs. Through the winery, he gives educational vineyard and winery tours to students from area high schools and colleges and Master Gardeners’ groups, and also donates to many nonprofit organizations each year..
As a lifelong resident of New Jersey, Jim has developed far-reaching relationships with many people involved in all levels of the agricultural and wine and vineyard communities, also in local government, and has an excellent understanding of the laws and regulations regarding these fields in our state.
Jim and his wife, Nancy, live next door to their winery. They raised three sons, and now have 5 granddaughters to keep them busy in their spare time.. Youngest son, Scott presently works full time at the winery in preparation for taking over the business in a few years. Jim’s varied interests and hobbies have included bird dogs, field trials, hunting, apiary, horseback riding, team penning, raising goats, fishing, karate and wine judging. Jim’s current hobby is flying, having earned his private pilot’s license in 2013.
“The innovativeness of the Vineyards and Wineries in the Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Associations has put the Outer Coastal Plain AVA on the map. They have done this with the introduction of their proprietary blend wine Coeur d’Est and introducing new varietals from the Trentino Alto Altega region named San Marco and Trentina” Jim Quarella
MEET DANTE ROMANINI – “We are the exclusive importer and distributor of several new Italian vinifera grape varieties (San Marco, Trentina and others) developed by Foundation Edmund Mach, which have been bred to be more resistant to disease.” “Also, we were responsible for establishing the Outer Coastal Plain AVA.” Dante Romanini
MEET MARK HERNANDEZ – “The 2024 vintage of NJ is certain to be one for the record books. Dry air, many cloud-free days and low humidity and precipitation produced fully ripened fruit with concentrated flavors and aromas. The wines of 2024 will surely be of exceptional quality!” Mark Hernandez
OUR STORY TELLERS
MEET DANIEL BOULOS – Daniel Alphonse Boulos is a multi-talented Egyptian American actor and film director with a prominent presence in the entertainment industry. His versatility and storytelling abilities are showcased across various mediums, earning him recognition and acclaim.
In 2019, Daniel founded his own production company, All Love Productions. This venture has allowed him to expand his creative endeavors, producing exceptional work that has earned acclaim at prestigious events like the Garden State Film Festival, where he now serves as a board member.
Daniel has collaborated with major record labels such as Shady Records, Warner Music, Atlantic Records, Goliath Records, and Colombia Records, bringing his creative vision to life through captivating music videos. He has worked alongside renowned artists and celebrities, including Michael Strahan, Bassem Youssef, Fivio Foreign, Bazzi, Laya, Ravyne Lanea, and Coi Leray, creating visually stunning content that tells compelling stories.
In addition to his work in film and music, Daniel excels as a social media content creator and manager. His engaging content resonates with audiences across various platforms, and his online presence continues to grow, attracting both fans and industry professionals.
Daniel’s dedication to his craft is further demonstrated by his three-year study of the method at the Gene Frankel Theater. Driven by passion and talent, Daniel Alphonse Boulos continues to inspire and entertain audiences with his creative vision, leaving a lasting impact in the industry.
MEET MIKE HAM – Meet Mike Ham, a dynamic and influential voice in the podcasting world, celebrated for his captivating storytelling and deep-rooted passion for New Jersey. As the founder of Greetings From the Garden State and Radio Garden State, Mike takes listeners on a journey through the heart of the Garden State, offering an insider’s look at the people, places, and stories that define New Jersey.
Mike’s authenticity shines through in every episode, where he delivers compelling interviews that reflect his genuine love for the local community. His ability to connect with guests and listeners alike has earned him widespread acclaim, making his shows a must-listen for anyone passionate about New Jersey’s unique culture.
Recognized by prominent publications such as NJ Monthly and Jersey’s Best Magazine, and making appearances on platforms like the NJ Morning Show and Your New Jersey, Mike’s influence continues to grow as he shares the stories of New Jersey in a way only he can.
Join Mike Ham as he unravels the vibrant spirit of New Jersey through his signature style on Greetings From the Garden State and beyond.
MEET JEN ADONA – Jen is a New Jersey-based content creator whose love of the Garden State is loud and proud. She’s had her page, Jersey Girl Travels, since 2017 but started posting more consistently in 2020 to encourage people to support local small businesses during the pandemic. She travels all over New Jersey sharing her vast knowledge on restaurants, events, things to do, and day trip itineraries as well as travel inspiration and tips. Her passion for her home state is clear and she never misses an opportunity to tell people she’s a Jersey Girl. Her travels around the state have included many wineries and she often includes NJ wineries on lists of places to visit throughout the year.
Jen’s authentic voice and personality shine through in everything she does and her page is a love letter to New Jersey. Jen has also been featured on the NJ Morning Show, in the Scotch Plains City Lifestyle magazine, as well as on podcasts. Jen has continued her mission of being a voice for small businesses and is grateful for the opportunity to deliver meaningful, thoughtful content. Be sure to follow Jen’s adventures on her Jersey Girl Travels Instagram for insights into Jersey and beyond, including pics of her adorable dog, whose name is Jersey!
MEET BRENT DONAWAY – Creative Director and Owner of The Haddon Film Company, Magnolia, New Jersey. Brent is an award-winning video producer and the driving force behind The Haddon Film Company — an agency-style creative video boutique. Known for blending creative vision with the structured precision of an agency project manager, Brent delivers compelling content for each campaign. With decades of experience and a dash of ‘red-headed shenanigans,’ he brings seasoned expertise to storytelling across Corporate America, Big Pharma, Non-profits, and creative enterprises, artfully crafting stories that engage and resonate across sectors.
MEET TYLER COSTANTINO – Tyler Costantino is the founder of PNDA Creative, a premier social media content creation and marketing agency based in Haddonfield, NJ. Specializing in high-quality content and influencer marketing, PNDA Creative has spearheaded TikTok and Instagram campaigns that have propelled 16 Billboard Top 100 songs to success over the past four years. Beyond music, Tyler and his team have empowered businesses of all sizes to leverage social media to its fullest potential. PNDA Creative also features a state-of-the-art recording studio and podcast space, offering a creative hub for brands and creators alike. For collaboration inquiries, contact Tyler at tyler@pndaprojects.com.
