Malibu Family Wines
To us, the personal touch really matters. Great customer service is incredibly important to us and this is why we want that and value that in our banking relationship.
A Great Pairing: Malibu Family Wines and Torrey Pines Bank
Malibu Family Wines, a privately held winery nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains on 1,040 acres, is about great wine for sure, but it’s also about exceptional on-site experiences. And by experiences they mean everything from adventurous wine safaris to weddings, movie nights, comedy performances and even chef-driven, farm-to-table dinners featuring organic vegetables grown right there.
Company President Ronnie Semler says that experiences also shape his choice in banks: “Today in the banking world, you are often a number and there is very little personal service. You work with different people all the time who don’t know you or your business. Torrey Pines Bank is exactly the opposite. They know what I am doing and they understand me, my business and my banking needs.”
Semler’s experiential approach is precisely in step with what visitors and locals in Los Angeles love about a destination like Malibu Family Wines. “To us, the personal touch really matters. The primary way we market and sell our wines is through our related, but separately owned, tasting rooms and other special activities that connect us directly with customers. We welcome thousands of people every week. Great customer service is incredibly important to us and this is why we want that and value that in our banking relationship.”
Of course strong banking products and resources are a given at Torrey Pines Bank, but the personal touch Semler talks about extends beyond the four walls of the bank. He adds: “Many people from the bank have been out to experience what we do here and what makes our business so different. We really appreciate that.”
The company now is looking to expand and open a new facility in the West Hills area of the San Fernando Valley – in a historic building that was part of the estate of silent movie star Francis Lederer. The beautiful Spanish hacienda-style former stables will be the heart of the new tasting room facility for guests, again focusing on experience.
As Malibu Family Wines adds to its experiences, the one with Torrey Pines Bank remains geared to responding to the company’s wide range of banking needs, whether it’s a wire transfer or the financing of a new property.
The winery president points to what many Southern California business people know – the region is a great environment for business that also throws up sizable regulatory challenges at every turn. “I appreciate that Torrey Pines Bank is guided by business people who understand this region and the needs of business people,” says Semler. “For me it’s all about the relationship – I believe that’s what’s important in business and in life.”