Soil and Topography Information’s network of consulting partners are akin to physicians that implement cutting-edge medical technology, with the diagnostic data provided by MRI's. The STI CP's interpret and apply the wealth of information provided by STI to each customer situation, ensuring that the customer's goals are achieved and the value of the SIS information is maximized.
The STI CP's are and will be comprised of the most experienced and sought-after consultants across a broad range of professional specialties in agriculture such as viticulturists, agronomists, and certified soil scientists. Common to our Consulting Partners is a commitment to provide the highest quality service, by continually improving their practice through lifelong learning and leveraging proven technology.
Meet our STI CPs below:
John began his viticultural career over thirty years ago, immediately after earning his BS in Plant Science from California State University, Fresno. Establishing Vineyard Professional Services in 1997 was a return to the Central Coast for John, having spent his first decade as a viticulturist near Santa Maria in the 1970s.
Ben Drake has been in the vineyard management business for over 30 years. Today, Ben manages substantial cropland in Sourthern California, with most of this planted in wine grapes and some in avocados. Ben is widely regarded among his peers. He had held positions as President for the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association, Vice Chairman for the California Association of Winegrape Growers, and a director of the American Viticulture Foundation. Ben has also been appointed to sit on the California State Board of Food and Agriculture.
Mark Greenspan is the founder of Advanced Viticulture and is regarded as one of the world’s leading experts in winegrape irrigation and has written scientific and trade journal articles on the subject. In addition to his command of grapevine irrigation practices, he has extensive experience in vineyard mineral nutrition, crop load management, vineyard uniformity, grape maturation, weather, climate and viticultural technologies.
Dr. Thomas Rice is a professor of Soil Science and is a past Department Chairman of the Soil Science Department, California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo. He has been a Certified Professional Soil Scientist (C.P.S.S.) since 1982. Dr. Rice has published numerous journal articles, research reports, and popular press articles. He has been the project director for funded studies involving soil taxonomy updates in California, Nevada, and Utah; a comprehensive soils database for California; nonpoint source pollution in western rangelands; mercury pollution in a California watershed; soil mapping of a national wildlife refuge; and soil map unit interpretation record updates for California.
Dr. Daniel Roberts is the founder of Integrated Winegrowing. Dr. Roberts is a specialist in soil science and plant nutrition, with a doctorate from the University of New Hampshire. The well-established organizations of Kendall Jackson, Sterling, Field Stone, and Renaissance have all employed his services in the areas of land evaluation, vineyard design, vineyard development, and all aspects of technique management.
Dr. Lowell Zelinski, Ph.D., owner of Precision Ag Consulting of Templeton, California, is a well-respected agricultural leader who has worked in the ag industry for 25 years. He earned his doctorate degree in soil science and his bachelor’s degree in soil and water science from the University of California, Davis and holds a master’s degree in ag science from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. Dr. Zelinski has been a private agricultural consultant for 10 years and works primarily with growers in the San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast regions, providing precision management, technical support, and soil moisture monitoring services.