Influencing the Influencers II

ADAM COREMIN has been in the wine industry since 2003, where he began his career as a Sommelier in Vienna, Austria. Adam is currently the Vice President of Fine Wine for Precept Wine, the largest privately held wine company in the Northwest, based in Seattle, Washington and Founder of Decades 5 Winery in Napa Valley. Prior to his role with Precept, he held management positions with the Opici Wine Group, 7 Deadly Zins and Silver Oak Cellars.

In 2008, Adam founded Decades 5 Winery in Napa Valley, a boutique producer of Petit Verdot from the esteemed Stagecoach Vineyard on Atlas Peak. As the world’s only producer devoted to the Petit Verdot grape, Decades 5 has earned the highest ever ratings for this varietal from Wine Spectator, Robert Parker and Wine Enthusiast, including a “Classic” 95 point rating from Wine Spectator with the inaugural 2008 vintage.

Adam is a graduate of North Carolina State University’s College of Management- 2002, College of Humanities and Social Science -2003 and is an Alexander Hamilton Scholar-2001.

Gabriel is a digital trends expert, CEO, and founder of Blue Fountain Media. He created the NYC based digital agency with a focus on growing brands online through effective websites, mobile apps and online marketing. From start-ups to Fortune 1000s, Blue Fountain Media helps clients generate qualified leads and increased brand recognition.

Gabriel has grown the company organically to over 200 full time employees and speaks at national events on digital trends. He also has a column in New York Times, Forbes and Huffington Post and serves as a judge on the prestigious AWWWARDS site for innovative digital designs. Prior to starting Blue Fountain Media, he worked with multiple agencies and online software firms. He is an alumnus of New York University.

Page Snow is responsible for the firm’s marketing and for developing and providing industry-leading education and strategic resources to clients through the company’s network of philanthropic professionals.

Prior to joining Foundation Source, Ms. Snow spent over 10 years with The Pew Charitable Trusts, one of the nation’s top 10 foundations, with assets of $4 billion and annual grant commitments of over $200 million. As the Trust’s Chief Officer of Institutional Planning, she helped to design, evaluate and remodel key operations of the foundation in support of the Trusts’ model of results-based grantmaking. She has expertise in strategic planning, program design and evaluating multi-million dollar grant investments.

Ms. Snow has served on advisory committees for several prestigious philanthropic organizations, including the Center for Effective Philanthropy, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the White Oak Cultural Policy Conference, the Center for Arts and Cultural Policy Studies, the Arts Organization Stabilization Initiative and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Ms. Snow is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, and the University of Pennsylvania.
  

Peter B. Carzasty is Founder & Principal of Geah, Ltd., a boutique consulting firm specializing in developing and implementing strategic corporate/cultural alliances and partnerships. As an honorary member of the Luxury Marketing Council, he has been the architect of the Council’s series, The Marriage of Business and the Arts. Peter has worked on behalf of over 50 cultural, civic, educational, governmental agencies and corporations involving the arts, cultural policy, sponsorship and brand marketing & development.  He is especially proud of his work on behalf of Sara Lee’s Millennium Gift to America—the corporation’s divestment of its $140 million art collection to museums nationwide—a program for which Sara Lee received the President’s Metal of Arts Award.  He takes great pride as part of the team responsible for the development of The Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative—a platform now in its 12th year.  Peter was co-founder of the online philanthropic web portal ActiveCause—the Social Giving Network™ a micro-donations platform targeted to the ‘new philanthropists’ launched with creation of an inaugural rewards program for RecycleBank.  A lecturer and published writer, he is a contributor to: Golden Crossroads Chapter 2: New Approaches to Defining the Potential Roles of Fine Arts. 

He has been a board member of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas and served, for eight years, as board member of Danspace Project. In addition to the Geah, Ltd’s core practice, Peter continues to consult on strategic brand marketing communications for architecture and design firms.  He is especially proud that on each Wednesday morning, he volunteers at God’s Love We Deliver working to produce nutritious, hand-prepared meals to home-bound indigent and medically challenged individuals.

Stuart Siegel is a transformation and growth CEO with nearly thirty years of experience leading luxury life style, real estate, hospitality, and design-driven businesses. He is a corporate entrepreneur and brand steward who brings innovation, perseverance, and predictability to public, closely-held and family-owned companies. A nimble leader, Stuart is a team builder and team player, who has successfully led transformations and expansions as well as preserved profits in highly competitive market conditions.
 
Stuart’s career has taken two distinct and successful tracks – first and most recently in corporate operations and also in private advisory and consulting.
 
His primary career began in sales at Sotheby’s International Realty, a subsidiary of Sotheby’s Holdings, the noted fine art auctioneer. Holding positions of increasing responsibility Stuart was appointed President and CEO of the firm in 1991. Additionally, he served on the Sotheby’s Holdings Worldwide Management Committee (1999–2004) and the North American Board of Directors (1994–2004).
 
By elasticizing the core brand of the then 260-year old auction house, Stuart grew Sotheby’s International Realty to 55 company-owned offices with 3,500 sales associates and 160 exclusive affiliates.  Under his leadership, Sotheby’s International Real Estate became the 5^th largest real estate brokerage business in America.
 
Seeking a change from his traditional career field, in 2006, Stuart became President and Chief Operating Officer of Brunello Development Corp., a Ferragmo family investment vehicle. As a member of the senior management committee, Stuart was recruited by Massimo Ferragmo to spearhead the €250M development and launch of Castiglion Del Bosco, a 5,000-acre membership estate that included 20 villas, a 16-suite six star hotel, cooking school, golf course, and winery.
 
Following that, Stuart founded Ore Hill Advisors, LLC, advising private equity firms as well as closely controlled and family businesses on brand extension strategies; business reengineering and capital/debt deployment in the luxury property sectors. Responding to the needs of an affluent and demanding client base, he provided services that range from developing customer value propositions and financial metrics to identifying M&A and licensing opportunities. His clients included: Orascom Development Holdings AG(Altdorf, Switzerland); Homestead Associates(Greenwich, CT); Royal Isabela (Aguadilla Puerto Rico) Christie’s, plc; Forbes Media; PRC Venture Partners; Savills,plc; the Treadwell Family Office; and Hart Howerton, Architects and Planners.
 
Today Stuart is President and CEO of Engel & Völkers New York City, a residential real estate brokerage office that is part of Engel & Völkers, an international service firm headquartered in Hamburg and specializing in residential, commercial and yacht brokerage.
 
Stuart earned his B.A. in Art History at Kenyon College and completed the graduate program curriculum in Architectural History & Historic Preservation at the University Of Virginia Graduate School Of Architecture. He has also completed executive courses at Wharton’s CEO Leadership Program and the Center for Creative Leadership. A presenter and speaker, Stuart is active in his field and is currently the Chairman of the New York Landmarks Conservancy and is a past President of the University Of Virginia School Of Architecture Foundation Board. 

An intuitive master in the art of restaurant and hospitality management, Toranosuke “Tora” Matsuoka is also a visionary, dynamic entrepreneur and hands-on owner.  His passion for the restaurant business is undeniable, and his work ethic and experience comes from the influence of his father, Japanese former top rank Sumo wrestler Iwatora (Kazutomo Matsuoka), who started the original Hamptons hot spot Sen sushi bar 20 years ago with his current partner, and where he learned first-hand. Through this guidance and practice, Toranosuke has a uniquely holistic understanding of what it takes to create an exceptional restaurant.

Tora, as he is known, is regarded as a pioneer in Asian cuisine, making his mark on the East End crowd by developing Sen Restaurant into the landmark hotspot it is today. Tora showcases his ability to expand through one of his newest ventures; Nautical inspired Gastro-pub, The Cuddy, with his partner Jeff Resnick.  Very little that happens in the daily operations or future vision for Big Fish Hospitality Group restaurants has not benefited from Matsuoka’s unerring savvy and sound business strategy, or escapes his critical eye for detail. Over the past year, in addition to fulfilling his responsibilities at BFHG’s two Sag Harbor restaurants, Tora has been working on bringing to life every aspect of his vision for the new generation of Asian cuisine through the opening of a third concept, KOA, with Benihana of Tokyo owner Keiko Ono Aoki. The authenticity and growth of Sen and his other brands has greatly benefited from Matsuoka’s dual nationality and deep appreciation for Asian culture and traditions.

In addition to being a veteran operator - learning every aspect of the restaurant business first hand from the age of 13 - Tora is also a sake connoisseur. He has developed a robust and carefully curated beverage program for his operations, resulting in a fresh, innovative 360 menu offering.

Working under the tutelage of service expert, Eric Weiss, Tora’s appreciation and instinct for hospitality and service standards continue to grow. This training has groomed him to provide management consulting services for large organizations like Hilton Worldwide and other small boutique restaurants and bars.

Tora was born in NYC where he was a child model and moved to Tokyo when he was 7 studying Kabuki.  He later moved to Hawaii when he was 13 studying Hawaiian culture and dancing hula, working in his fathers restaurant every summer until he graduated then moved to the Hamptons full time.  He’s returned to his place of birth to create and expand the KOA brand.

When Tora is not in his restaurants or working on the next concepts you can find him playing sports like volleyball, basketball, tennis and taking kickboxing and spin classes.