Our People
The Chateau Grand Traverse Family
Eddie O’Keefe
President, Since 1985
Eddie O’Keefe is President of Chateau Grand Traverse and leads the overall business and strategic direction of the winery. His connection to the business goes back to its earliest days, growing up around the vineyards and winery and spending summers doing everything from tractor and vineyard work to bottling, cellar work and pouring wine in the tasting room.
After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in Advertising and Marketing, Eddie joined the winery full time in 1985. Over four decades, he has helped guide Chateau Grand Traverse through the growth of both the family business and the Northern Michigan wine industry around it. Today, he oversees the company’s overall operations, financial direction and long-term strategy, working across winemaking, sales, distribution, hospitality and estate development as the winery moves into its second half-century.
Eddie lives on Old Mission Peninsula with his wife, Allison. Away from the day-to-day business, he remains closely connected to the region, the wine industry and the agricultural community that have surrounded Chateau Grand Traverse throughout his career.
Executive Management
Gabe Marzonie
Executive Director, Since 2023
Gabe brings more than 20 years of experience in marketing, brand development, sales and organizational strategy to his role as Executive Director at Chateau Grand Traverse. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Georgetown University, he began his career in Washington, D.C., working in communications and speechwriting for the Department of Homeland Security and the White House before returning to Northern Michigan.
At Chateau Grand Traverse, Gabe leads the winery’s national sales strategy along with marketing and customer-facing operations. His responsibilities span distributor and key account relationships, retail and chain growth, product development, hospitality, eCommerce, Wine Club, events and the Inn. Much of his focus is on expanding the winery’s reach beyond the tasting room while continuing to sharpen how the brand competes in both regional and national markets
Outside the winery, Gabe spends summer with the top and doors off his Jeep, rain or shine, and fall weekends firmly planted on the couch for Michigan football. Much of the rest of the year is spent traveling around the state with his wife, Amy, watching their twin daughters compete in swimming. Those long hours on the pool deck also tend to become productive computer time, which his team has learned often means a fresh batch of projects and checklists waiting for them by Monday morning.
Virginia Usher
Winemaker, Since 2026
Virginia Usher began making wine in 2009 at a small family winery in Southern California before earning a degree in Food Science and Technology with an emphasis in Enology and Viticulture and a minor in Chemistry from Oregon State University. She went on to spend more than a decade with Mendocino Wine Company in Northern California, advancing from Enologist to Director of Winemaking and building experience across cellar and laboratory operations, harvest planning, quality control, production management and team leadership.
As Director of Winemaking and Head of Production at Chateau Grand Traverse, she brings a thoughtful, hands-on approach grounded in respect for the fruit, the character of the region and the people behind the wine. She leads the winery’s cellar, laboratory and production teams while working closely with the vineyard operation to carry forward more than 50 years of cool-climate winemaking on Old Mission Peninsula.
Away from the winery, she and her family are embracing Northern Michigan life, from living near freshwater for the first time to spending more time outdoors and looking forward to four true seasons. She has also quickly taken to the variety of food and restaurants throughout Grand Traverse and looks forward to exploring more of the region with her family.
Terrie McClelland
Operations Manager, Since 1986
Terrie has been part of Chateau Grand Traverse since 1987, giving her one of the longest tenures on the winery team. She began in the vineyards as a tractor driver and vineyard worker before moving through roles in the tasting room, wine production and front office. In 1995, she became Operations Manager, a role that draws on her extensive knowledge of the winery and nearly every facet of its day-to-day business.
A graduate of Ferris State University with a degree in Social Work and Psychology, Terrie worked in social services before joining the winery. Today, she supports operations across the organization and provides a depth of institutional knowledge built over nearly four decades at Chateau Grand Traverse.
Alan Larrabee
CFO, Since 2008
Alan has served as Chief Financial Officer of Chateau Grand Traverse since 2008, overseeing the winery’s accounting, financial reporting, financing and broader financial operations. A Traverse City native and graduate of the University of Michigan, he has worked in accounting since 1991 and has been a licensed CPA since 1995.
With nearly two decades at Chateau Grand Traverse, Alan brings both financial discipline and a deep understanding of the complexities of a family-owned winery to the executive team. His role touches nearly every part of the business, providing the financial oversight and perspective that support both day-to-day operations and long-term planning.
Outside the winery, Alan and his wife have three sons, and he remains an unapologetic animal lover with a household that has rarely been short on four-legged family members.
Sales
Jeb Stuart
National Account Manager, Since 2024
Joseph “Jeb” Stuart serves as National Account Manager at Chateau Grand Traverse, bringing experience across wine, spirits and beer sales, key accounts and market analytics. A Western Michigan University graduate with a degree in Sales and Marketing and a minor in Economics, Jeb entered the beverage industry in 2018. Before joining the winery, he was a Key Account Analyst with Great Lakes Wine & Spirits in Metro Detroit, working across retail and independent accounts with a focus on sales strategy, market performance and data analysis.
Jeb’s move to Traverse City brought him to a part of Michigan he already knew well through years of family visits. At Chateau Grand Traverse, he works with distributors, retailers and key accounts to grow the winery’s presence in markets throughout Michigan and beyond.
Outside of work, Jeb is an avid golfer and motorcyclist who makes the most of Northern Michigan whenever the weather cooperates. He’s also a cigar enthusiast with an appreciation for the craftsmanship, ritual and occasional downtime that come with a good smoke.
Winemaking
Bernd Croissant
Winemaker, Since 1991
Bernd grew up in Edenkoben, Rheinland–Pfalz, Germany at his parent’s vineyards and winery located 25 miles north of the French border in the Palatinate. As a child, Bernd assisted his father in the vineyards and winery through each year’s harvest. In 1975 he began his formal wine training and apprenticeship earning his “Journeyman in Viticulture and Enology” in 1977.
He continued to work at several wineries in the Palatinate while studying at the LLFA Neustadt and LLVA Bad Kreuznach. In 1979 he earned his “Wirtschafter in Weinbau und Weinbereitung” degree; 1980 “Techniker in Weinbau und Weinbereitung” degree; 1981 “Winzermeister” degree.
From 1981 to 1983 he worked as interim winemaker and/or viticulturist in several German wineries. In 1983 he returned to his family winery making white wines and some sparkling wine. In 1984 he became Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Weingut Schmid in Ballrechten-Dottingen, South – Baden. In 1986 he was made Winemaker and Production Manager at Wein- und Sektgut Menger-Krug, Gau-Odernheim, Rheinhessen.
In 1991 he decided to take an overseas Sabbatical in Michigan hosted by Chateau Grand Traverse through a one-year work-study program. In 1992, he was offered the position of Vineyard Manager at Chateau Grand Traverse and became the Winemaker at CGT in 1993. As the saying goes…the rest is history.
Eric Dloski
Lab Technician, Since 2017
Eric grew up in Southeast Detroit and served five years in the Army before finding his way into winemaking. He started in the cellar cleaning tanks and tackling the dirty jobs, eventually developing an interest in the science behind the wine. Today, as Lab Technician, Eric tests and analyzes wines throughout production, helping ensure quality and consistency from the cellar to the bottle.
Outside the winery, Eric is an avid cyclist who enjoys exploring Northern Michigan on two wheels. He’s also a regular in the region’s restaurant and beverage scene, always interested in what local wineries, breweries and distilleries are producing.
Peter Francisco
Bottling Production Manager, Since 2005
Peter’s career at Chateau Grand Traverse began, quite literally, by helping build the winery. While working in construction on an addition to the facility, he became interested in the winemaking happening around him and eventually traded construction for a full-time role on the production team.
Today, Peter oversees the operation and maintenance of the winery’s bottling line and production equipment while also working throughout the winemaking process, from receiving and pressing fruit to fermentation and filtration. Outside the winery, he enjoys fishing and spending time outdoors, particularly in Alaska, where much of his family lives.
Jake Breitweiser
Cellar Associate, Since 2025
Originally from Grand Rapids, Jake joined Chateau Grand Traverse as an intern in 2025 before coming aboard full time during harvest. A graduate of the University of Arizona, he studied Environmental and Water Resource Economics and Geographic Information Science. His senior GIS project mapped vineyard suitability on Old Mission Peninsula using growing degree days, precipitation and other weather variables—research that ultimately helped lead him to the winery.
As part of the cellar team, Jake works across wine production, bottling, filtration, harvest preparation, grape sampling and fermentation. And cleaning. Lots and lots of cleaning. Outside the winery, he enjoys paddleboarding East Bay, reading at the beach and competing in Traverse City’s surprisingly active pinball scene.
Miles MacLean
Cellar Associate, Since 2025
Miles joined Chateau Grand Traverse just before the 2025 harvest after learning about the opportunity through Chef Keil, whom he knew from his time working at Mt. Holiday. Before wine, Miles worked in custom home building as a job site manager and HVAC technician, backed by a trade degree in heating and cooling. He decided making wine sounded easier than swinging a hammer. He was mistaken.
Today, Miles works across cellar and wine production and has found a home in the hands-on environment of a family-owned winery. Outside of work, he’s rarely standing still, with snowboarding, biking, dirt biking, camping and road trips among his favorite pursuits. One particularly memorable trip took him six months from Colorado to Whitefish, Montana, camping out of the back of his truck along the way. The hat is nearly as much a fixture in the cellar as Miles is, coming off only when absolutely necessary—or when he’s been volun-told, as was the case for the team photo featured here.
AJ Kiel
Groundskeeping, Since 2015
AJ was born and raised in Northern Michigan. Having always enjoyed both working outdoors and getting to see the fruits of his labor, Groundskeeping was a good fit. Since starting at CGT, he’s developed both a taste for wine and an interest in learning the wine-making process. He especially enjoys the variety his job provides, as well as the people he works with.
Even when not working on the flower beds and grounds of the winery, he often spends his summer afternoons tending to his own garden. A.J. is an avid outdoorsman with hobbies including kayaking, mountain biking, fishing, snowboarding, and anything else that gets him outside and active.
Mark Groenvelt
Warehouse & Shipping, Since 1990
Mark has been a key man at Chateau Grand Traverse through our many growth phases over the past few decades. Mark’s current responsibility is for the shipping and warehousing of all of the products we produce. Whether it is wine to be placed in our tasting room or product to be shipped to our distributors, he is the person who handles every case. He also helps during harvest and heavy bottling production periods. Mark is our in-house Detroit Tigers baseball fan and expert. You will always hear the game being played on the radio. Mark is a long-time Old Mission Peninsula resident and is married with two grown sons.
Culinary
Keil Moshier
Chateau Grand Traverse Executive Chef, Since 2025
Executive Chef Keil Moshier brings more than 36 years of culinary experience to Chateau Grand Traverse. A graduate of the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, Keil built his foundation in classical French technique before beginning his career at the five-star Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. He later returned to Michigan, leading kitchens in Grand Rapids before moving to Traverse City in 2000, where his career has included Bowers Harbor Inn, Amical and more than a decade overseeing the food program at Mt. Holiday.
At Chateau Grand Traverse, Keil leads the winery’s culinary program, developing menus and experiences built around the relationship between food and wine. His approach combines classical technique with local ingredients and a practical understanding of what belongs on the table alongside Northern Michigan wine.
Outside the kitchen, Keil enjoys biking, kayaking and spending time outdoors with his wife, Kristina. He’s also frequently in the garage working on cars, including an ongoing collection of family restoration projects.
Tasting Room and Hospitality
Hiro Miura
Wine Tasting Room Manager, Since 2000
Hiro has been a familiar face at Chateau Grand Traverse for more than 25 years and remains one of the most recognizable members of our hospitality team. He helps coordinate daily tasting room operations while spending much of his time doing what he enjoys most: working directly with guests. Whether someone is discovering wine for the first time or has been visiting for decades, Hiro believes the last guest of the day deserves the same experience as the first.
Originally from Japan, Hiro has made Northern Michigan home while maintaining a strong connection to the country and culture he grew up with. He and his wife, Mary, regularly travel back to his hometown in Japan, giving Hiro the opportunity to reconnect with family, food and traditions he dearly misses when he’s away.
Christi Cooper
Hospitality Coordinator, Since 2024
Christi joined Chateau Grand Traverse in 2024 after relocating to Traverse City following a 30-year career in education. After taking a year to consider what came next, she found a natural second act in hospitality. As Hospitality Coordinator, her outgoing personality and ability to connect with people translate easily from the classroom to welcoming guests and creating memorable winery experiences.
Christi holds degrees from Grand Valley State University and Western Michigan University, along with certifications in hospitality and lodging. Outside the winery, she enjoys reading, Cribbage, cheeky cross-stitch projects, getting involved in community events and catching live music whenever she can.
Rachel Moore
Wine Club Director, Since 2024
Rachel Moore brings more than a decade of wine, food and hospitality experience to her role as Wine Club Director at Chateau Grand Traverse. A Traverse City native, she joined the winery in 2024 and quickly expanded her role across the tasting room, social media and private tours before taking the lead of the Wine Club. Rachel earned her WSET Level 2 certification with distinction in 2025 and is currently working toward Level 3.
Outside the winery, Rachel makes the most of Northern Michigan through hiking, camping, fishing and spending time outdoors. She’s equally at home in the kitchen, where cooking, meal planning and discovering the right wine pairing provide another excuse to keep “studying.”
Tasting Room Hospitality Team
Vineyard Operations
Ron Harp
Vineyard Manager, Since 1998
Ron comes from strong agricultural background having worked his whole life on Old Mission Peninsula with cherries, apples and grapes. Ron is our equipment “artist” in his ability to maintain, fix, or operate a multitude of complex farm and vineyard equipment. In farming, Ron is a rare breed with his ability to get the job done despite, weather, breakdowns or obstacles. In has spare time, Ron and his wife Deb enjoy bird watching, hunting and fishing. Ron was instrumental in establishing a healthy bird habitat around our vineyards by building and installing dozens of bird houses and bat boxes as well as employing many of our sustainable environmental practices.
Pablo Gomez
Vineyard Assistant, since 1999
Pablo oversees daily activities in the vineyard. His primary duties include pruning, vine maintenance, harvest and general upkeep. Pablo is married and has three children. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family as well as serious vegetable gardening with a specialty in tomatoes and assorted peppers.
