Meet The Advanced Vineyard Systems Team
Our team has over six decades of combined growing experience, and we bring an unmatched level of enthusiasm and commitment to each and every vineyard.
Angel Martinez
Owner | President
Francine Downey
Office Manager
Francine Downey joined the Advanced Vineyard Systems team in December 2011.
She is a transplant from the Sunflower State, born and raised in Wichita, Kansas. Francine graduated from Butler County Community College in nearby El Dorado, KS. Having completed more than a decade of service as a member of the Kansas Air National Guard stationed at Wichita’s McConnell Air Base, she decided to see what the Pacific Northwest looked like.
Francine moved to Bellingham, WA in the early 90s and enjoyed exploring the Puget Sound. Later, she moved to Anacortes, WA.
While in Anacortes, Francine met Howard, her future husband. After their marriage, they decided to relocate to the Oregon Coast upon his retirement. They moved to Astoria in 2008, where she secured a position coordinating all the business office functions at a Medical Supply company. Unfortunately, the recession caused the company to downsize, so her position and others were eliminated.
Then in 2011, they decided to take her extensive office and computer skills south to McMinnville and Wine Country. She enjoys her position as Office Manager at AVS, and is still learning more about the wine industry on a daily basis.
She has two passions: books and reading books — as long as they are mysteries.
Zak Laster
General Manager
Zak Laster was born in Portland, Oregon in 1988 but spent most of his childhood in Vancouver, Washington. He graduated from Columbia River High School in 2007 and went on to attend Central Washington University. After a stint going to school and farming in Montana with his grandfather, Zak developed a deep appreciation for agriculture and the people who make it all happen.
Once back in the Northwest Zak was searching for a new path in the agricultural world when the opportunity to work for AVS arose. Zak attended many classes at Chemeketa Community College to learn about Viticulture. He started out working in the field with the labor crews and worked his way up to management and is now the General Manager at Advanced Vineyard Systems. Zak has been a proud member of the AVS team since 2015.
When Zak is not working, he can be found hanging out with his wife Ali and their two kids, Luke and Lennon. As a family they enjoy gardening, cooking and taking spur of the moment trips to the coast. Zak also enjoys fishing, playing guitar and sports.
Tony Martinez
Assistant Site Manager
Tony Martinez was born in Portland Oregon in 1996 and has lived in McMinnville Oregon since childhood. Tony graduated from McMinnville High School and started working for AVS right after graduation.
Starting out as a kid that couldn’t turn on a tractor, Tony made his way up the ladder little by little absorbing everything he could learn.
Having parents that both worked in the vineyards, it was only natural for Tony to be motivated to work in the industry as well. Working with his father at the age of 13, Tony got a base knowledge of work in vineyards that he used when starting at AVS. Being around vineyards at a young age taught him to see the beauty of the seasons changing, and how each season also changes work we do regarding the vines.
Tony started as a field hand laborer, graduated to tractor driver in 2017, worked as Foreman starting in 2018, and became an Assistant Vineyard Manager in 2023.
Tony spends his free time gaming with friends, reading manga and light novels, he also enjoys playing with his two cats.
Meghan Hammack
Vit Tech and Nursery Manager
Meghan Hammack was born and raised in Austin, Texas and graduated from Gonzalo Garza Independence High School. She attended classes at Austin Community College during and after high school before transferring to Sul Ross State University, located in the Davis Mountains in Alpine, Texas. It was at Sul Ross that Meghan became fascinated by the biology of plants. In 2016 she earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology with a focus in Botany and a minor in music.
Meghan worked her way through college in the food service industry and as a student worker in the Sul Ross greenhouse. After deciding to pursue a career in vineyard management, Meghan moved to Salem Oregon in 2018 to begin studies at Chemeketa Community College. Meghan joined the Advance Vineyard Management team in 2020 and has completed her Vineyard Management Associate of Applied Science degree at Chemeketa in December 2023. What Meghan finds most rewarding about her work is the art of plant propagation and seeing her efforts in the field come to fruition, while being a respectful steward of the land. In her free time, Meghan enjoys going wine-tasting with her dog, Milo, and playing her piano and saxophone.
Buddy Beck
Founder and President Emeritus
Buddy Beck was born in Montgomery, Alabama and lived in Alabama until 10th grade when he moved to West Palm Beach, Florida. He finished high school in Florida and started college there as well. After a brief stop in Mississippi, he moved to Austin, Texas where he continued going to college.
Buddy graduated from Southwest Texas State University in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture. His area of concentration was in plant and soil science. In 1987, Buddy completed a Masters of Agriculture in Horticulture Degree from Oregon State University. His areas of emphasis were in Horticulture, Crop Science and Entomology.
After graduation Buddy went to work with the Dundee Wine Company (Argyle) as the Assistant Vineyard Manager for new development. He worked there for ten years developing and managing the vineyards at Domaine Drouhin Oregon. In 1999 he started Advanced Vineyard Systems, Inc. and AVS is now managing about 285 acres of premium Pinot Noir in the North Willamette Valley.
Buddy retired from Advanced Vineyard Systems, Inc. in December of 2016.
Willy
Heart of Operations, 1994 – 2010
Willie was with Advanced Vineyard Systems since 1999. In fact, his dogged and relentless pursuit of perfection made AVS what it is today. He had an excellent (but wet) nose for business.
The team member best known for taking the ball and running with it, Willie scouted each site with his superior senses, chasing away any rabbits that might eat young grape plants. He was also instrumental in the construction of each vineyard, barking directions and personally digging each hole where a stake (which he refersred to as “sticks“) will be planted.
Willie worked his tail off and was a beloved, but low paid member of the AVS team, working for only kibble and Milkbones. He was a very good dog.
