Who is Juan

Juan Nevarez believed deeply in the value of education, even though he never had the opportunity to pursue it himself.

At 17, Juan left Durango, Mexico and came to the United States. He first worked in Pennsylvania before eventually settling in California with his wife, Marta. Together, they built a life and raised a family while working in agriculture.

Across California’s Central Coast, Juan worked in vineyards from sunup to sundown, learning every job along the way: planting, pruning, harvesting grapes, working in the cellar, and running bottling lines. Over time, that experience led him to start his own company, Nevarez Farm Labor.

For Juan, the goal was never simply owning a business or a vineyard. He wanted his children to have opportunities he never had.

In Paso Robles, Juan became known as a leader who could solve problems and bring people together. As the region's wine industry grew, Juan helped build it, one vineyard at a time.

Years later, he and Marta achieved a longtime goal: owning a vineyard of their own. They planted it block by block with savings earned through years of work.

Even as the business grew, Juan never changed his expectations for his children.

Juan struggled to read and write, but he never saw that as a limit on what people could accomplish. He believed education opened doors, and he wanted his children to walk through them.

When Juan passed away in 2020, his children stepped forward to continue the family business and carry on the values he taught them.

Today, the Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship honors that belief in education.

It supports the children of California vineyard and winery workers, helping them pursue college degrees and create new opportunities for themselves and their families.