THREEMILE VINEYARD - Key Persons
David Brown is a native Oregonian born into an agricultural business family. His father, Hugh Brown, successfully took over Mitchell Lewis & Staver from the last remaining member of the founding Mitchell family at the end of World War II. Mitchell Lewis & Staver had been selling durable goods to agricultural businesses since 1834.
David received a BS in General Science from Oregon State University in 1984 and joined MLS that same year, holding every important job in the company. Upon being elected President of Mitchell Lewis & Staver in 1992, David purchased the outstanding shares of stock and became the first person in 135 years to be the sole owner of Mitchell Lewis Staver.
Under David's leadership the company has flourished. What was an office of two men at the end of World War II has been expanded into one of the largest and most successful distributors of agricultural durables and pumping equipment in the Western United States. His vision has streamlined the companies' product offering and expanded into new markets through expansion and acquisition. He is a true innovator in one of the world's oldest businesses. Since 2003 he has also owned and operated Mitchell Wines, the premier independent wine distributor in Oregon.
Threemile Vineyard is the living manifestation of David's lifelong dream of founding a farm. A true lover of Oregon's great natural landscapes, David saw in these basalt lined coulees the chance to create a vineyard unlike any other. He is thrilled to share this beautiful place and its grapes with the most discerning winemakers.
Job Titles:
- General Manager - Mitchell Wine Group
Edwin grew up in the Willamette Valley town of McMinnville, Oregon. Long before this was Oregon Wine Country, it was small farms of grass, alfalfa, clover, and hops. Nurseries dotted the landscape.
After graduating from McMinnville High, Edwin played football at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Oregon until graduating with a degree in education in 2001. He stayed on at WOU, getting a master's degree and becoming an assistant coach for the football team. A future in teaching and coaching beckoned. He married his wife Marissa, a firefighter, in 2007 and they have two children, Augustus and Clementine.
Ellen's focus is designing meaningful architectural environments with a rich alchemy of essential, authentic qualities.
Fascinated by the interaction of health and wellness and the natural world, Jim Burnett, FASLA has built a practice that explores the humanistic impact of landscape and its expression.
Joe Cushman is the man with his hands in the dirt. Joe is a third generation Oregonian born and raised in McMinnville. He is also the third generation in his family to work in the wine industry. As a child he ran around Laurel Ridge and Cooper Mountain Vineyards. After graduating from McMinnville high school, Joe attended Portland State University. Soon after arriving at Portland State, Joe realized he wanted to pursue a career in agriculture. He transferred to Oregon State University and completed extensive coursework in agronomy, horticulture, and viticulture.
Born and raised in the great state of Michigan before moving to Oregon in 1980, Larry Ferar has always developed a special connection to the land.
Ask Leigh where she was raised and you'll need to reach for a globe! A "Navy Brat", as she calls herself, home for her growing up was Virginia, Hawaii and exotic faraway places like the Philippines, Japan, Spain and London.
Reed is dedicated to exceptional detailing as a matter of practice and good design.
Job Titles:
- Business Development & Irrigation Specialist
When the time came for university, he turned his back on the beach and the big city and headed for Eastern Oregon University in La Grande. Reed graduated in 1980 with a degree in biology and a fascination with desert ecology.
Right out of university, Reed worked for BLM as a biology technician. From there, Reed worked for a small irrigation company beginning a 40 year career dedicated to agricultural irrigation systems and dry land farming. After that company closed, Reed turned a $10,000 unsecured loan into a multimillion dollar irrigation firm that was eventually purchased by Pendleton Grain Growers. Married and with three grown children, Reed has worked for Mitchell Lewis for six years and is based in Bend.
Reed brings extraordinary agricultural irrigation experience to this project. He has devoted his professional life to understanding this unique landscape and the water systems required to sustainably farm it. When Reed saw the sagebrush, scrub oak, and pines on this property he knew it was special. When he set about designing the irrigation systems, he did not expect to know it would be as challenging and rewarding as any irrigation project of his career.