Made retirement a career in helping others JOHN SHAFER 18 www. n A PAVA L L E Y L I F E m a g a zein. c o m John Shafer with Karen Cakebread and Nancy Duckhorn at his 90th birthday party INTRIGUING BUSINES Woman-owned Lito Auto Body ▲ ▲ ▲ nAPAVA magaz ine. photo by KARI RUEL photo by KARI RUEL John Shafer recently was honored and given tribute for his contribution to the Napa Valley’s wine industry and beyond during his 90th birthday celebration. Famed vintners, new and old, shared stories of John’s 42-years in Napa. After a 20-year run in the publishing business, he left Chicago in 1972, loaded his family up in a station wagon and headed west to purchase 289-acres in the Stags Leap District and began growing grapes. The man with the “can do” spirit built his business into one of the premiere wineries of the Napa Valley. Shafer also changed the way winemakers looked at making cabernet when he inadvertently left the grapes on the vine longer than usual. His style helped develop Shafer’s signature wine, Hillside Select, which helped establish Stags Leap District as a world-class AVA for cabernet sauvignon. In the mid-1980’s he led the effort to establish the Stags Leap District as an American Vitcultural Area (AVA). In the 1990’s he turned his business over to his son, Doug Shafer. But John was not ready to retire. He began focusing his efforts on philanthropic endeavors. He joined the board of the then small Clinic Ole, a medical facility for migrant farm workers. A man who “doesn’t like to raise money,” Shafer has helped turn Clinic Ole into the second largest medical facility open to anyone in the Valley needing medical care. He also helped raise funds for the Napa Valley Vintner’s Health Center. In 1999, Shafer became one of the driving forces behind Auction Napa Valley and more recently has been a leading backer and fundraiser for VOICES, a growing nonprofit which supports youth who are emancipating out of the foster care system, helping them toward successful adulthood. –Kari Ruel ▲ Gigi Lichau says she was always a tomboy growing up in the country, but turned into a girly girl. So she surprised even herself when she reentered the work world after staying home ten years to raise her boys. She went to work with her husband, Randy, and father-in law, Chuck Lichau, at Lito Auto Body twenty-five years ago. Chuck had had a heart attack and needed help in the shop; at first Gigi was hired to organize the office, but soon she started taking I-Car classes along with the workers, and learned the industry. Lito’s Auto Body had been in her husband’s family since 1968 when she took over ownership in 2002. She says the hardest challenge was getting her father-in-law to accept a woman in the auto shop. Her father had died when she was young, so she looked up to the older Lichau. Her other challenge was getting vendors used to the idea that her husband didn’t have to have the final say. “I love this industry and I’m proud to have the only woman-owned body shop in the Napa Valley,” said Gigi. “My crew is like family to me and they stand behind me.” Gigi believes there has been a shift in the auto body industry, and more women are educated about their vehicles and bring their cars in to get worked on. Having a woman at the shop gives her customers a chance to talk woman-to-woman, and her male customers appreciate her respectful customer service. litoautobody.com –Kari Ruel
NVLife_JanFeb_2015
To see the actual publication please follow the link above