Behind Every Good Company is a Great Accountant: An Interview with Senior Accountant Trina Meulpolder
March 22, 2023
By Ian Consoli
Every company is full of unsung heroes. These silent warriors typically dwell in departments such as IT, HR, and (of course) Accounting. For the newest addition to our "Get to know the Tablas Cru" series, we wanted to shine a light on a key member of our team, Senior Accountant Trina Meulpolder. Trina joined Tablas Creek in August 2021 and made an immediate impression. She occupies one of the desks that line the hallway of our offices. This position comes with a fair amount of pressure because it is hard for those walking by to resist saying hi. Trina has risen to the pressure since day one, between her readily available smile and quick-witted humor.
Trina holds an essential job as an accountant. She ensures that our suppliers get paid, our customers get their products, and our operation has the data it needs to understand what our options are when we need to and has the money that it needs in the right places at the right times. Her ability to organize, communicate, and maneuver around a spreadsheet help dial in many of the backend processes at Tablas Creek. She's a big part of making everything tick, so we can get you your wines without delay. We are thankful for everything Trina does. I can't wait for you to meet her:
Who are you?
I am Trina Meulpolder, the Senior Accountant at Tablas Creek.
Where did you grow up?
Sacramento, California. And I relocated to the area in 2005.
What's your family life like?
Awesome. I have a wonderful husband, a daughter of my own, six stepkids, and three beautiful grandkids. It is a big family, and it's wonderful. They are all here on the Central Coast, so I see them often.
What do you do in your free time?
In my free time, we like to go camping in the mountains and desert and go out to eat with our friends. My hobbies are napping and spending time with our three grandkids.
How did you get into the wine industry?
After relocating here, I was looking for a job. Justin Winery had a position for a marketing assistant, and I decided to apply for it. That was my door into the wine industry.
What other experience did you have before Tablas Creek?
Nothing in the wine industry. I started out as a receptionist for a recycling data processing company right out of high school and worked my way up through the company into an accounting role. I took a few accounting courses and had a wonderful mentor who taught me everything I needed to know to move up in the company.
How did you hear about Tablas Creek?
After 14 years at Justin Winery, I decided it was time to move on. I saw a job posting for Tablas Creek and decided to look into the company. After researching, I decided I really liked what Tablas Creek stood for and wanted to be a part of the team.
How do you like jobs so far?
I love it. I love the people I work for and what Tablas Creek stands for.
What is the most interesting piece of your job?
Learning the vineyard side of the business. I worked at a winery but never got involved in the vineyard/growing side. I enjoy learning about the biodynamic practices of Tablas Creek.
What excites you the most about Tablas Creek?
That we are always striving to do better, we want to take care of the earth, reduce our carbon footprint, take care of our farm workers, and we're never ever satisfied with where we are.
What are you most excited about in your role?
To see how a different winery does things and bring a new perspective on how to do things here at Tablas.
How do you define happiness?
Spending time with my husband and family.
Any closing thoughts?
I love working here. I love being part of what Tablas stands for and am excited to see what's to come.