In a Glass by Itself

Inside Alumni Relations

BY ABIGAIL HOLMES

Attending Richard Bland College was foundational for Mario Mastroeli, class of 1990. After graduating from Thomas Dale High School, Mastroeli ended up at RBC because he wanted to continue playing the keyboard with his high school band. Mastroeli says, “I did studio musician work, and I thought I was going to be a professional song writer.” 

His love for music is still very much alive, but Mastroeli’s initial dream changed over time. One of RBC’s economics professors was particularly influential, and Mastroeli decided to study Business Management. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from Radford University in economics and studied for his master’s degree in economic development at both Virginia Tech University and Virginia Commonwealth University. 

He and his ex-wife, Larissa Mastro met at RBC and teamed up to accomplish their academic and professional goals. They finished up at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where Mastro completed her

Doctor of Dental Surgery degree (DDS) and Mastroeli completed his Juris Doctor degree (JD). 

While in graduate school, the couple began brewing their own beer because it was less expensive. Mastroeli recalls, “We were 26 years old, and we started brewing beer together. Before I was interested in law school, I wanted to be a chef.” Little did they know, their little hobby would transform into a huge company. 

After moving to Hickory, North Carolina, Mastroeli decided to purchase a 119-year-old soda bottling factory and open a brewery in the neighboring town of Granite Falls. “I had practiced law for 16 years and was looking for an investment,” says Mastroeli. In 2012, Granite Falls Brewing Company (GFB) was opened to the public. 

The business expanded quickly and became a destination brewery, drawing people in from as far as California and Florida. For the locals, “Granite Falls is a little oasis in the midst of a dry county,” relates Mastroeli. When Mastroeli founded GFB, he wanted to serve the Caldwell County community by creating jobs and providing a place to congregate. 

The company is a huge source of income for the county, paying out 3.6 million in payroll over the last 10 years. Mastroeli adds, “The town of Granite Falls really had no where to gather. I have had employees and patrons who have met here and are now married with children or their own businesses.” With a dog friendly patio, arcade for kids, and cigar lounge, there is a place for everyone. The brewery fosters and gives back to its surrounding community. 

Mastroeli is a proud alumnus of RBC and attributes the college to giving him his start. He says, “If I could go back in time, I would do it all over again. RBC was the best education I got, and my professors at RBC were better than the ones I had in graduate school.” Across the five schools that Mastroeli attended, he looks back the most fondly on RBC because it taught him how to be a life-long learner. 

“The most important thing in life is not knowing what you do know, it’s knowing what you don’t know. RBC taught me to love learning new things,” reminisces Mastroeli.