A growing family. A growing business.
For Mark and Meredith Easley, owners of Easley Winery and 40-year Regions Bank customers, the two are forever, joyfully intertwined.
“There was a beautiful moment when we’d just had our second and Mark Van Auken, our branch manager, was holding our newborn daughter on his lap so we could sign our loan documents that allowed us to have an expansion of a new bottling line,” recalled Meredith. “That allowed us to excel and be where we are today.”
And thanks to a swirl of tasting events, corporate and nonprofit gatherings and a summer concert series, Easley Winery has become a downtown Indianapolis destination.
The seeds of success were initially sewn in the basement of Mark’s childhood home, where his parents – Jack and Joan Easley – dove into a new hobby. They officially opened the winery in 1974 in a former ice cream factory.
In the decades since, Indiana’s now-oldest winery has expanded to four buildings, grown its team to 40 employees and invested in equipment upgrades allowing them to double annual production with their line of wines and more distributed to thousands of retailers across the Midwest, throughout Tennessee and Florida and in Washington, D.C.
What hasn’t changed?
The Easley’s deeply rooted family ties, which extend to their banking relationship with Regions and its predecessor financial institutions. Those origins began in 1986 and remain strong today.
“They’re there when we need them, both at the branch level and in the Commercial Banking level,” said Mark, Easley’s president. “We’ve had a lot of other banks approach us, but Regions keeps performing.”
Mark Van Auken (center) joined the Easley team following his 30-year banking career. He retired from the winery in December.
We’ve had a lot of other banks approach us, but Regions keeps performing.
Mark Easley
“Their loyalty means the world,” added Amber Vanaman, Consumer Banking manager for Regions in Indianapolis.
The Easleys feel that same sense of gratitude to Regions and to the loyal customers who have savored their wines for decades. That includes their signature Reggae line, inspired during a family vacation to the Florida Keys.
“We want to be your wine on your table for those important, landmark occasions, or even just a simple dinner with loved ones – but especially those large family gatherings where it’s a celebratory occasion,” said Meredith, who also serves as Easley’s vice president of Sales and Marketing.
Fast forward from that loan closing 25-plus years ago, and so much has changed – yet so much hasn’t.
The Easley’s newborn middle daughter, Mary Jo, held by Mark Van Auken? She’s now working alongside her parents and one of her two sisters, Maggie. And Van Auken himself even worked at the winery part-time for eight years following his 30-year banking career.
Given the intensive, hands-on work and required hours during weekends and the holiday and summer seasons, the Easleys know winemaking and serving isn’t a career for everyone. They’re grateful the next generation has inherited their passion.
“This business is a lifestyle,” said Mark. “Certainly, now that our daughters are coming in, where we can have this multi-generational aspect in having the whole family present – you can’t beat it.”
We have to make sure they thrive, because if they thrive, then the community thrives.
Tyler Lipe, Midwest Consumer Banking executive for Regions
Tyler Lipe, Midwest Consumer Banking executive for Regions, notes family-run companies like the Easleys’ serve as a sort of economic lifeblood – a source of jobs, products and pride for the communities they call home.
“There’s a large percentage of businesses in our communities that are small businesses,” said Lipe. “We have to make sure they thrive, because if they thrive, then the community thrives.”
Cause to raise a glass – and celebrate.
Note: Experiences and opinions stated by customers are their own. References to companies in this article not owned by Regions do not imply endorsement.