Meet the Team
No Quarter originated as a joint venture between Co Founders John Hahn and Joe Vineis. Together, they shared a vision to create a connected community where unexampled experiences could showcase the art, science, and business of wine to friends, family, and beyond.
In collaboration with Napa Cult Winemaker, Bryan Page, a superb bottling was brought into existence exclusively for our Members. Armed with a tiny army of dedicated staff, No Quarter was born, a club founded by wine lovers, for wine lovers.
John Hahn
Co Founder
On the front lines of the insurance business for over 35 years, this seasoned veteran stands at the helm of EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants as CEO. His career is marked with accomplishments ranging from building well known platforms and brands, to successfully launching startup companies and co-founding products/programs that reinvent and disrupt traditional industry practices and models.
From 1985 to 2003 John was the founding member and CEO/President of Tri-City Brokerage. Under his leadership, Tri-City grew organically to become one of the nation’s largest and most successful wholesale and surplus lines brokers. From there, he partnered with his best friend to begin the journey of building EPIC. Today it is the 17th largest U.S. Retail Insurance Broker.
John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York Tech and a Master of Business Administration from Fordham University in New York.
John and Nancy (also an EPIC executive and principal) make their home in Marin County and have three adult sons; Alex, Will and Jonathan. John is an avid golfer, wine enthusiast, and traveler, with a passion for any and all New York sports teams, his beloved “Bronx Bombers” topping the list, backed up with the local flavor of the World Champion Golden State Warriors.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
“Most people assume I’m a Type A personality due to my business success, but I’m really a pretty chill person especially on weekends and vacations.”
What was your "A-ha" wine moment?
“I was living and working in London after I graduated from college and working in a Lloyd’s of London as an insurance broker. Even though I was 22 yrs old, I was dragged along to dinners a couple of nights every week to help host their American clients so I could assist the conversations of politics and sports. I never drank wine up until that point and was exposed to the world of French and Italian wines. I quickly discovered how much I enjoyed wine even though I had no knowledge or background. When I returned to the U.S. one year later, I learned how spoiled I was as I could only afford cheap Italian wine when I returned. When I moved to California a couple of years later (26 years old), I really began my exploration of wine as we went to Napa every other weekend and learned a lot about California wines. At that point, my full-on wine habit began.”
If you had to finish a bottle of wine while listening to a full album front-to-back, what would you choose?
“The bottle of wine I would finish would be any year of Sine Qua Non wine or almost any Brunello di Montalcino from 2010. The album I’d be listening to is Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John.”
Joe Vineis
Co Founder
Born and raised in Queens, New York, Joe spent most of his life in the tri-state area and graduated from Iona College in New Rochelle, before moving to San Francisco in 2009 to join EPIC. His 35+ years of experience underwriting, brokering, risk managing and consulting with Fortune 1000 clients positioned him as a valuable asset for his current role as a client advocate for EPIC.
Prior to joining EPIC as a Managing Principal and Director of Risk Management Group, he spent sixteen years with Willis/HRH/Hobbs Group. Throughout his career, Joe has made significant contributions to an impressive list of global companies to include SportsLab, the largest traveling show in the world, Gap Inc., and the Carl Icahn enterprise. A handful of his notable clients include Kimpton Hotels and Resorts, Federal Mogul, Tropicana Entertainment, Williams Sonoma, Deutsche Bank, Bunge Corporation, Bed Bath and Beyond, FootLocker, Raley’s, and American Eagle Outfitters.
Equipped with the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation, he has been an integral part of the creation of EPIC’s Real Estate Practice Group. Joe is currently working to establish the Hospitality Practice Group. In addition to his mastery of navigating the demanding insurance industry, he has a love for all things wine and a discerning ear for a wide scope of music.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
“I wanted to be a lead singer in a rock band. As a kid we used to charge neighborhood kids each a quarter to listen to “Joey and the Psychedelic Freaks” in our basement in Queens. Our go to song was Joy to the World by Three Dog Night. We had something in common with U2. None of us knew how to play any instruments just like when Bono, The Edge and Adam Clayton started out. We ended up on different paths though.”
What was your "A-ha" wine moment?
“We made wine at home when I was young. So I was exposed to wine very early on. My Dad was a sommelier. My a-ha moment was that he taught me value in wine. It doesn’t have to be expensive to be good. His example back then was comparing two Pinot Grigios: a bottle of Cavit sold for $4 a bottle retail while Santa Margarita sold for $14 a bottle. I actually thought the less expensive one was better, but the latter was more popular. I always look for value in wine, and not always go for the popular choice (i.e. Silver Oak, Opus and The Prisoner since it became popular).”
If you had to finish a bottle of wine while listening to a full album front-to-back, what would you choose?
“Wow, both the wine choice and the music choice is impossible. Ok, if you put a gun to my head… Because of my Piedmontese ancestry, I would have to say a Massolino Nebbiolo or Barolo. I had the privilege to visit with the winemakers and they were great people and the wine tastes like the equivalent of silk. The album would have to be Led Zeppelin. Drinking a whole bottle might take a while, so I would go for the double album Physical Graffiti, their penultimate body of work.”
Jessica Im
General Manager
Born into the music industry in Sydney, Australia, Jessica “Jess” was raised in an artist’s home outfitted with a recording studio which sparked her love for music and a need for creativity. In 2004, she moved to San Diego, CA and began working for a boutique retail shop where she assisted the owner in opening five new locations. This experience built the foundation for her laser-focused work ethic and the fortitude to keep learning. She began her studies at the University of California, Berkeley where she majored in Business and Sociology. Following graduation, she worked several jobs, none of which spoke to her passion for hospitality and events. John and Joe brought Jess to No Quarter knowing her strengths in creating unique guest experiences. Jessica moonlights at the newly-established, Virgin Hotels in the San Francisco SoMa area, where she reigns as the “Life of the Party”, and operates as VIP Manager for the hotel. Her eye for seeking out new ways to enhance guest experiences is an approach that she brings to No Quarter.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
“I set off the smoke alarm making a grilled cheese because I was such a horrible cook. It motivated me to become better, and now I make the perfect steak - which is always served with a glass of red wine!”
What was your "A-ha" wine moment?
“I fell in love with the memories made while enjoying wine… romantic dinners in the city, lively conversations over bottles (and bottles) with friends, sitting in the sun with a glass of Chablis.”
If you had to finish a bottle of wine while listening to a full album front-to-back, what would you choose?
“Robert Sinskey Four Vineyards Pinot Noir paired with Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here.”
Will Salmen
CFO/COO
Born and bred in Marin County, a young Will left the San Francisco Bay Area to pursue academia after being accepted to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. After hitting the books for four years straight, he graduated and returned home to begin a rewarding career in public accounting. He began his tenure at EPIC in 2015 and has worked in a variety of corporate development roles, now holding the position of Assistant Vice President. When he’s off the clock he enjoys hitting the greens for a game of golf, has a deep appreciation for all things basketball, and is self-proclaimed to “eat, sleep, and breathe the San Francisco Giants.”
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
“I majored in Agricultural Business and have always had a fascination of where our food (and drink) comes from.”
What was your "A-ha" wine moment?
“My friend Marc invited me to work the 10-year anniversary of the movie Sideways, which was held at his employer's winery, Au Bon Climat. I got to pop these cool, old ABC wines for Paul Giamatti along with others from the cast, and make sure they weren't corked. I had no idea what I was doing, but I loved it!”
If you had to finish a bottle of wine while listening to a full album front-to-back, what would you choose?
“Littorai, 'Les Larmes' Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, preferably the 2016 and Anderson Paak’s, Malibu."
Veronica Rauch
Sommelier
Veronica grew up in the Salinas Valley, before leaving the agricultural wonderland to pursue her studies in Criminal Justice and Forensic Science. She worked in a crime lab for nine years before putting a cork in law enforcement to pursue her passion for all things wine. She began her wine career as a retail grunt hauling cases and working behind a wine bar. After earning her Certified Sommelier credential with the Court of Master Sommeliers, she left the retail side of wine and began to work on the restaurant floor. She has since worked as a Sommelier for Addison Grand Del Mar, Southern California’s only Five-Star, Five Diamond restaurant, and as a regional wine manager. Aside from wine, her next love is cheese as she is formerly trained as a Fromager and has been published as a contributing cheese writer for Nabisco and Culture Magazine. She has additionally earned the credentials of French Wine Scholar, the WSET Advanced Level 3 Award, and is a Certified Sherry Wine Specialist.
Something people would be surprised to know about me.
“I was a Certified Crime Scene Investigator for nine years. Obviously, it led to drinking a lot of wine.”
My "Aha" Wine Moment
“In college while waiting tables in a local restaurant, one of my guests gifted me the remainder of a bottle they had brought from their personal collection, an unfinished 1990 JL Chave Hermitage to thank me for my service. I didn’t know much about wine then, much less producers. When I arrived home after the long shift, I poured it into a glass. Its savory and beefy character punched me in the face. It was so concentrated and powerful with intense fruit. There was something very primal about it. It was nothing like the young, fruit forward styles I was pouring at the time. The layers began to somersault over one another in my mouth, and it was the first time I understood what “complexity” in a wine really meant.”
If you had to finish a bottle of wine and listen to a full album front-to-back, what would you choose?
“My juice jams can vary wildly depending on my mood or my food. Given a warm, summer evening and my wide musical palette, I’d much enjoy a heavy pour of a well-aged, chilled Condrieu. Ideally, Guigal’s La Doriane, paired with a full-length vinyl play of Nina Simone Sings the Blues. It’s a very special Viognier, a floral garden of pretty with stonefruits, honeysuckle, orange marmalade, and roasted oak. Richly textured, elegant, opulent, endless. Both are equally sophisticated on all fronts. A real after dinner winner.”
Frani Smith
Ambassador
Frani is one half of our sister duo. Convinced she was originally dropped off in the wrong part of the state from birth, she’s a happy transplant from Southern California. At the tender age of 19, she fell in love with the Bay Area during her first experience of crossing over the Golden Gate Bridge. It was then, that she vowed to eventually make this region her home. She spent the next ten years chasing what seemed like a pipe dream, living a nomadic life before her vision finally came to fruition, and she finally settled down. Frani began working for John sixteen years with his Tri-City company before he formed EPIC. As a valuable resource to the organization, she was enlisted to hit the ground running for EPIC from its onset, and has since advanced her career significantly. Today, she has now contributed to the EPIC company for twelve years and has taken post as Senior Vice President of Corporate Services and Facilities. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, art, music, gardening, and of course, drinking Champagne and wine.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
“I’m not sure that there is anything about me that would actually surprise anyone! Scary, I know. The only thing I can think of is my gypsy resume since most people have only known me since I began working with John in the early 90’s and most likely assume that that’s the only thing I have done, career-wise. I have been a caterer, short order cook, real estate broker, first grade teacher, florist, and a few more, but I’m trying to keep this brief!”
What was your "A-ha" wine moment?
“My first bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape quickly led me from the “vines” of Lancers and Mateus labels to much richer, flavorful fields, and a big beautiful world of bubbles and grapes of all flavors.”
If you had to finish a bottle of wine while listening to a full album front-to-back, what would you choose?
“It all depends on the weather and the mood. A rainy night with a bottle of soft, full-bodied Pinot or a deep, rounded Zin would be accompanied by Billie Holiday, Leonard Cohen, Amy Winehouse or Astor Piazzola. A cheery spring or summer mood would move me to revel in something light and crisp. I would most likely share my Champagne or Sancerre with Bruno Mars, Brandi Carlyle, K.D. Lang, James Bay, or Tom Waits. This is a tough one since I love both wine and music – in the broadest sense!”
Mary Smith
Ambassador
Mary is the other half of our sister duo. Also a native of California hailing from the Long Beach area, she was positioned strongly in the middle of a seven sibling birthing order, including our team member Frani. She was fifteen years old when her family relocated to San Francisco as a result of her Father’s job transfer and has since made the Bay Area her home. Mary has spent the last twenty years working in the field of Human Resources, twelve of which have been her most recent work for EPIC.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
“Prior to my foray into Human Resources, I was an Owner/Operator of a Party Rental Company, called Sharpe Illusions. I was also a wedding and event planner for my company’s clients.”
What was your "A-ha" wine moment?
“I’ve come a long way from my ‘Blue Nun’ days, but I have to say I really became interested in tempting my taste buds when the Principals of a company I used to work for had an affiliation with Cuvaison Winery. I was part of a promotion as a ‘grape stomper’ donning all the garb, including headscarf of a winery maiden, and participated in the actual crush. It was then that I decided to further explore a more mature path to the many varietals that were awaiting me.”
If you had to finish a bottle of wine while listening to a full album front-to-back, what would you choose?
“There are so many wonderful wines with scores of compatible music, that it’s difficult to narrow it down to a single incident however, I can say given a festive garden party, I’d enjoy a Sauvignon Blanc accompanied by the First Lady of Song, the iconic Ella Fitzgerald.”