Beyond the Boardroom

Cassandra Walker

Columnist: Alexandra Russell
Sep, 2008 Issue

The city of Napa hired a ringer 12 years ago when it signed on Cassandra Walker as redevelopment and economic development director. “My entire professional background has been oriented toward development in some form or another,” she says. “I started my career working for a developer, then went on to negotiating public-private agreements for the University of California. I had a stint doing economic development in Arizona, then worked on downtown revitalization and redevelopment in San Juan Capistrano. I took a leave of absence in 1994-95 to get my masters degree in historic preservation.”

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Louis Capuano, Jr.

Columnist: Alexandra Russell
Aug, 2008 Issue

As oil and energy costs continue to skyrocket, we’re all looking for viable, “green” alternatives. Enter ThermaSource, a local company that’s become an international player in the world of geothermal (that is, steam) energy. The engineering and consulting firm was founded in 1979 by transplanted Mississippi native Louis Capuano, who remembers, “I was working in Louisiana as a petroleum engineer and, in 1974, my company transferred me to Sonoma County to head up the geothermal division.

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Michael Honig

Author: Alexandra Russell
Jul, 2008 Issue

    There are moments in everyone’s life when destiny steps in. The trick is to recognize and trust these moments, and to let them take you where you ultimately belong. Honig Vineyard & Winery President Michael Honig has been fortunate enough to ride that wave. “After growing grapes for almost 20 years, my parents, along with my aunt and uncle, decided to start making wine from our property in Napa Valley,” recalls Honig, who grew up in San Francisco but commonly visited the family’s vineyard on weekends, holidays and vacations.

    “After a few vintages, the property was losing lots of money, and they were going to sell it. I left college almost 25 years ago to try and keep it in my family. And although wine didn’t start out as my passion, it is now.”

    Today, in addition to running the family business, Honig sits on the Wine Institute board of directors and is part of the Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. He’s also a member of the board for the Assistance Dog Institute and the Center for Land Based Learning, which “lets me play with puppies and kids.”

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Giles Scott

Author: Alexandra Russell
Jun, 2008 Issue

    Scott Technology Group President/CEO Giles Scott followed a long, crooked road to get where he is today. The Baltimore, Maryland, native tells the story: “I attended Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, W.Va. for two years (during which I changed my major four times), from 1964 to 1966, before my number was pulled for the draft. So I showed them and joined the Navy for four years.

    “I got out of the Navy in March 1970 and, after several false starts (including selling—or, I should say, attempting to sell, because I sold none—swamp land in Florida), I wound up as a technician with Xerox. After a move to California and 25 years servicing equipment and managing service technicians, I started repairing copiers at home and selling copiers I rebuilt in my garage. A year after that, I hired my first employee and moved into a separate location. Twelve-and-a-half years later, here we are.”

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