Best Places to Work 2014: St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

SONOMA -- "This is an amazing year at St. Francis, as we just earned some of the highest wine scores in our history, our certified sustainable designation and the No. 1 Restaurant in America rating by OpenTable users," said Christopher Silva, president and CEO. "None of this happened by accident. It happened because of the hard work and team spirit of a dedicated, talented team."

St. Francis started as a vineyard in 1971. The winery was finished in 1979. The Kopf family that owns the operation now became involved in 1988 as partners. The business owns more than 400 acres of vines in Sonoma and Russian River valleys.

Some of the 69 employees said they appreciate the healthful work environment.

"We are certified sustainable, and our values are part of everything we do at St. Francis," one said.

Others said management has created a positive culture and environment by recognizing and rewarding their achievements.

"St. Francis is dedicated to producing quality wines and providing a safe and positive environment for all employees," an employee said. "Regular lunches for winery staff during harvest create a wonderful sense of team unity."

The company has provided each worker with a turkey and wine to celebrate Thanksgiving with family.

A worker expressed thanks for flexible work hours to be able to take a daughter to school.

"We can take time off to help in our children's classrooms," the employee said. "If an emergency arises, it's never an issue if we need to go. If our work is done and there's something we need to tend to, they are always open to us leaving."

In addition to an annual holiday party, the company brought in a big television so vineyard and cellar workers could watch Mexico's soccer team compete in the World Cup this year.

St. Francis personnel have served as leadership for a number of charitable and nonprofit organizations. Mr. Silva is chairman of the Santa Rosa Junior College Wine Studies Advisory board and was chairman of Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital's board of trustees.

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