Freedom Run Winery
The Team
The Freedom Run Winery Team consists of a core group of professionals that look after the day to day, feet on the ground, running of the business.
Being Florida residents, the owners work remotely 6 months of the year from December thru May, looking after business details, such as banking, accounting, marketing and social media. They are generally in Lockport, NY from June thru November to lend a helping hand where needed.
There is a core group of full time professionals, along with a part time team who run the day to day operations of Freedom Run Winery. The core team consist of:
Ryan Sidoti - Winemaker - Ryan Sidoti is an experienced winemaker, oenologist, and general lover of the wine world. He has been making wine professionally for ten years, and has been the head of winemaking operations at Freedom Run Winery since 2015.
Kurt Guba Vineyard - Manager & Sommelier - Kurt Guba was the cellar master at Freedom Run Winery when the doors first opened in 2007. He is a certified Sommelier and wine educator and returned to Freedom Run Winery after a five year hiatus teaching a winery operations program at Niagara County Community College. He is now the Vineyard Manager at Freedom Run Winery.
Mark Gabioud - Retail Manager - Mark has many years of experience in the restaurant and bar business, and comes to us from the fast paced world of the Hard Rock Cafe. He is responsible for everything that happens in the 'front end' of Freedom Run Winery as the Retail Manager.
Lori Hickey - Compliance and Wholesale - Lori is a retired lawyer who also started part time in the Tasting Room with FRW when it first opened. She has looked after all administration & compliance, and is training an assistant so that she can concentrate on local wholesale business.
Marjorie Rude - Administration - Marge is our new addition to the team and is taking over all administration so that Lori can concentrate on local wholesale distribution.