Affiliates
Mark and his team of independent, specialized affiliates, can help bring about positive change in wineries by developing realistic and actionable strategies that not only improve the running of the business, but directly increase its profitability and value.
Paul Finch
Financial Associate
Prior to co-founding Benchmark Solutions, Paul began his career as a Controller at a food brokerage firm in the agricultural industry. Later in his career, Paul became a Corporate Controller in a multi-specialty medical group practice and went on to serve as a Chief Financial Officer before being recruited as President and Chief Executive Officer of a medical billing company.
Through Benchmark Solutions, Paul has been both an in-house and out-sourced Senior Financial Executive in the fields of agriculture, beverage, healthcare and technology for clients large and small for more than 25 years. Specializing in early stage firms experiencing rapid growth, as well as mature firms desiring to engage in expansion, merger, acquisition as well as business optimization, Paul is a subject matter expert in Business Planning and Financial Valuation, specifically Budgeting and Business Valuation. Paul also has considerable experience in capital structure optimization and capital acquisition.
Megan Baccitch
Production Associate
Megan has worked continuously as a Winemaker since earning her degree in Enology from Fresno State in 2001. Her experience includes a 10-year tenure as Director of Winemaking for Paul Hobbs Winery, where she honed her winemaking techniques and earned multiple 100-point scores.
As Winemaking and Vineyard Consultant, Megan collaborates with clients to create unique and distinguished wines and strengthen vision and authenticity for the brand. Focused on luxury tier, site specific wines, Megan has strong technical expertise and a refined, vineyard-centric winemaking approach.
Taylor Eason
Digital Marketing Associate
Taylor is a marketing MBA and former European-trained chef with a passion for food and wine plus a penchant for digital marketing. She spent eight years honing her marketing skills at wineries in Napa and Sonoma and, prior to that, 14 years in media marketing, ranging from building and launching websites, to multi-tiered email marketing campaigns.
In August 2017, she founded a digital marketing agency, Cork & Fork Digital Media, to help food and drink businesses achieve their full sales potential on the internet. Her company specializes in digital advertising, search engine optimization, email marketing strategy, and social media strategy.
Lisa Ehrlich
Branding Associate
Lisa’s career spans three decades in the wine and spirits industry, starting as co-founder of Chicago’s famed Charlie Trotter’s, where she established the restaurant’s award-winning wine program. She carried her restaurant expertise to Southern California, where she worked in as a winery representative and founded a wine brokerage, working with wineries such as Bonnie Doon, Patz & Hall, Talley and Morgan.
After moving to Northern California, Lisa to took on marketing and brand management roles with leading companies such as E&J Gallo, Robert Mondavi Winery and most recently, a 12-year stint at Purple Wine + Spirits. At Purple, she created over 40 wine brands, built the marketing department and launched the company’s spirits division and award-winning D. George Benham’s Sonoma Dry Gin. She is now putting her sales, marketing, brand development and general management skills to work for consulting clients, building new and established wine and spirits brands.