Dave Deao Memorial Scholarship
ABOUT DAVE DEAO
David Deao was one of the founding members of the vinNEBRASKA Foundation, and was active in the organization from its conception in 1989 through his death in 2019.
Fully self-taught with his knowledge of wine, Dave began his career in 1974 at a local grocery store, Food City 132nd and Center Street. He opened his wine shop, The Winery, in 1986. Dave looked to increase the opportunities of the Omaha wine drinker with his expanded inventory.
In 1989 he and Art Meyers set forth to create an event to bring wine makers and new products into the market. The first vinOMAHA event was in 1990 to also raise money for local charities – initially American Cancer Society, Easter Seals, All Our Kids and with Ronald McDonald House. We lost Dave shortly after the 2019 event but his legacy – love of wine, educating wine drinkers and cherishing family – lives with all of us today as we continue as vinNEBRASKA.
To honor our founder and friend, the vinNEBRASKA Foundation is proud to offer the vinNEBRASKA Dave Deao Memorial Scholarship at Metropolitan Community College.
SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA
First time students
Financial need may be considered, but is not required
Full-time student (12 or more credit hours)
Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5
Status must be maintained during the scholarship
Pursuing a degree/major in any Culinary Arts program
Culinary Scholarship Recipient
Sawyer Patzer
is pursuing a degree in Baking and Pastry at Metro’s Culinary Institute. After MCC, he intends to attend Amaury Guichon’s Pastry Academy in Las Vegas in order to accomplish his culinary dreams.
Ever since a young age, the culinary arts have fascinated Sawyer. He will never forget those days where he would pour over recipes like a picture book, consistently entertained by the idea of new knowledge. Soon, however, that intrigue became a passion, and that passion blossomed into an obsession. Before he knew it, he was enrolled in a variety of cooking classes. He owned his own business dubbed “Muggedbakery,” and even placed fourth at the 2023 National FCCLA Baking Pastry Competition in San Diego.
Sawyer is thankful to all who have gotten him this far. Although, in his own words, he may simply be a smalltime barista working at a Starbucks and beginning the trek through Culinary School, but the person that will emerge a few years from now will never forget those small moments which made him the grateful, ambitious person he hopes to became.
