Our Staff
At Fireside Winery, our team is like family. Get to know our family.
Kendall Watson
Events and Social Media Coordinator
Kendall joined Fireside in 2023 after graduating from the University of Iowa. She loves being creative in her work, whether it’s displaying the beautiful winery on social media or helping bring to life the exciting events Fireside hosts. Her free time is typically spent crafting, traveling, or enjoying quality time with friends and family.
Mary Stohlmann
Tasting Room Manager - Fireside Winery in the Village
Mary joined Fireside in 2022 working the Des Moines Farmer’s Markets. She loves how every day is different, with the many visitors from all over the states and all of the different events that go on at the winery. Outside of work, she likes to spend time with her family, dogs and visit new places.
Brickyard Hill White
William Wyant
Owner
Bill and Rona got into the wine business to diversify their farming operation. It began by converting a portion of 40 acres of farmland into a vineyard. Their mission is to emphasize wine made from Iowa-grown grapes. They have three children and six grandchildren that they absolutely love to spend time with.
Rona Wyant
Owner
Bill and Rona got into the wine business to diversify their farming operation. It began by converting a portion of 40 acres of farmland into a vineyard. Their mission is to emphasize wine made from Iowa-grown grapes. They have three children and six grandchildren that they absolutely love to spend time with.
Rona’s favorite wine: Changes with the vintage but prefers them to be dry
Zach Bott
Winemaker
Zach has been with the winery since the beginning when his wife, Cassie, brought him along for the ride. As our winemaker, he enjoys the challenge that comes with differences in the fruit from year-to-year versus the expectation of sameness from our customers. In his free time, you can find him playing golf, watching his kids golf, or cheering on the Iowa State Cyclones.
Cassie Bott
Operations Manager
Cassie has been with the winery since the very beginning when her parents convinced her and husband Zach to join them on this journey. She loves the people she gets to work with and the many people she gets to meet along the way. It is rewarding to see and hear guests enjoy the wines produced. Her free time is enjoyed by watching her two children in their many performances on the stage or the golf course.
Changes with the season — a warm cup of Autumn Spice in the chillier month and a glass of Vignoles in the warmer months
Lori Gaither
Tasting Room Manager
Lori started at Fireside in 2021. She has always had an interest in wine and loves how every day at the winery is different. From the events at the winery to the interesting people she gets to meet, it is always exciting. She is a retired professional dancer and equestrian performer who has worked for Andy Williams and Dolly Parton.
Brian Culp
Wholesale Manager
Brian has been working for Fireside since 2016. His favorite part of wholesaling for Fireside and Ackerman is working with retailers to find industry trends as well as opening new accounts in different towns. His free time is usually spent with his family traveling and cheering on the Iowa State Cyclones.
Susan Brenneman
Wholesale Manager
Susan has been with Fireside Winery since 2016. She loves getting the opportunity to travel Iowa while distributing our wines to different areas that may not have immediate access to our product. When she is not being a super mom with her five kids, she enjoys coffee and her monthly book club.
Mark Germany
Assistant Winemaker
Mark began studying Viticulture and Enology in 2015 at Grayson College in Denison, TX after deciding to make a career change after many years in the corporate retail world. While in school, he worked for a boutique winery specializing in Estate grown Chardonnay and Syrah where he eventually became the Assistant Winemaker. Later, he took a role as Winemaker and Vice-President of another boutique winery in North Texas where he specialized in award winning dry wines. When the opportunity arose to move to Iowa, he quickly found a new home here at Fireside Winery.
Hearthstone and Brianna
Phil Bott
Production Assistant & Wholesale Driver
Phil is retired but can’t quite get away from Fireside Winery. Over the years, he’s helped in the vineyard, in production and was a wholesale manager. You will still see him out delivering wines and helping on bottling days.