“I grew up in the town of Kenley, in the county of Surrey in Southeast England,” says Neil Foster, president of M. A. Silva USA in Santa Rosa, who left the United Kingdom 30 years ago for a professional life abroad. “I worked in Europe in real estate and owned my own bar/restaurant. I lived in Spain, north of Barcelona, and developed an interest in the local wines,” he continues. “Before starting M.A. Silva here in the states, I worked in the cork industry for six years, buying and selling cork for a small cork company in California.”
Foster has been married for 20 years to “my amazing wife” Renee, and the couple has “three wonderful children, George (18), Connor (15) and Paige (11), plus our dogs, Cooper and Chloe.”At what time of day do you feel your best?
The early bird gets the worm! Our two large dogs, Cooper, a 180-pound Newfoundland, and Chloe, a Bernese mountain dog, are ready for food and to get the day started at 5:30 a.m. Plus, my 15-year-old son plays high school baseball, and he has weight training at 6:15 a.m. three days per week.
If you were stuck on a deserted island, what would want with you?
I’d take my fishing gear. I grew up fishing in the lakes near my home in Surrey, England. I now fly fish for rainbow trout on the lower Sacramento River, the Truckee River and also for steelhead on the Trinity River. I’ll also travel to Alaska again this year to fish for salmon, in addition to a number of other trips to different rivers in California and Montana.
What’s your favorite cuisine and dish?
My favorite food is Indian food, and my favorite dish is chicken madras. They say there are more Indian restaurants in London than there are in Bangladesh—we joke that Indian food is the national dish of the United Kingdom. When I visit England each year, we meet up with old friends at the local pub and, afterward, go for a traditional curry.
If you were unlimited by money, where would you spend a vacation?
Australia! I’ve spent my years in America often having my accent confused for being Australian, and I’ve met a lot of really great Australian people. I’m also very interested in the wine industry there, and M. A. Silva has an office in the Wine Country of Hunter Valley. I hope that in the next two to three years, I’ll visit with my family.
What talent or skill would you like to have?
I’m always amazed at people who can play the guitar well; I started to learn when I was in elementary school but never continued. I also had stints with the violin and flute but it all came to a quick end.
What section of the newspaper do you turn to first?
Always the business section. As an entrepreneur, I’m always interested to read about other businesses and the products or services they provide. I enjoy reading business magazines and get inspired when reading about new ventures and ideas.
What would your ideal celebration look like?
Turning 50 last year gave me the opportunity to have multiple parties. I also visited one of the ultimate parties last year when I capped off my birthday celebrations with a trip to Oktoberfest. That’s truly an amazing celebration, but it wouldn’t have been the same if I weren’t with 10 of my very good friends from all over Europe, including friends I grew up with in England.
What’s your favorite sports team?
When I first moved to the United States, we lived in Oakland, so I took my boys to an Oakland Athletics game. Now we have weekday season tickets to the games. I find with the up-and-coming, young talent the A’s recruit, it makes for a very exciting team to watch. Both of my sons play competitive baseball, and I’ve learned to love the game through watching many little league and travel ball games. Go A’s!
What is some of your most rewarding work?
I’ve served on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Sonoma County for the last four years and find tremendous pleasure in helping young people—especially those who need us most—to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The organization provides a safe place for children to go after school, where they can become lifelong learners and have academic success and healthy lifestyles, and build leadership skills and character.
What is your favorite means of transportation?
As an avid pilot, I’d have to say my airplane! I’ve been flying since 2006 and use my aircraft to visit many of our customers. The freedom and practicality of flying to many different places is amazing. I’m qualified to fly in instrument meteorological conditions, and I also enjoy flying back country expeditions to remote locations.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I left school at 16 years old, I speak fluent Spanish and I crossed the Atlantic on a sailboat at age 20.
