Boating, Wine and Family Time

By Rachel Forrester

Boating in the middle of the desert ... a luxurious, historichotel ... a pumpkin patch and winery combo. It’s a groupof attractions you might not expect to have a commondenominator, yet each one is owned and operated by theBalzano family out of Carlsbad, New Mexico.

Part of a family of entrepreneurs who are constantlylooking for a risk to take or a gap that needs to befilled, Dale Balzano (BS 75) started the first of theirlocal family attractions with Carlsbad Cruises 30 yearsago. The company offers guided boat tours along thebeautiful Pecos River, as well as pedal boat, kayak andpaddleboard rentals. He and his wife Janie (attended)also own the historic Trinity Hotel, which they boughtwith their son Derek (attended) in 2007 and fullyrenovated into what is now Carlsbad’s finest diningestablishment and hotel. The couple is also responsiblefor Balzano Winery where, so far, four generations ofBalzano family members have been seen tending toand pruning the vines.

Dale and Janie Balzano with their daughter, Toni and her husband, Johnny Chandler. All four of them are ENMU alumni.

Dale and Janie’s daughter, Toni Balzano (BS 97), startedher first company when she was just 6 years old, sellingsheep to other 4-H kids. Toni took over managingCarlsbad Cruises seven years ago and also recentlytalked her parents into letting her open a pumpkinpatch on the winery property.

The pumpkin patch has become a huge hit, completewith a petting zoo, hayride, fishing pond andmore. Today, Toni spends her days juggling herresponsibilities in Carlsbad with imPRonta, her PRcompany based out of Albuquerque.

“Sometimes I’m dealing with a media crisis for animPRonta client, and the next I’m talking to employeesabout boat motors or the latest drama with one of thepumpkin patch animals,” Toni explained. “I live and workin Albuquerque, but from boat season to pumpkin patchseason we spend a majority of weekends in Carlsbad.”

Toni Balzano most recently pursuaded her father, Dale, to let her open a pumpkin patch on the winery property.

Toni’s husband, Johnny Chandler (BS 02), is also aGreyhound, along with all of Dale’s siblings, RickBalzano (attended), Gary Balzano (BS 77) and DebbieBalzano (BBA 85). All three brothers belonged tothe Sigma Chi fraternity, and Dale and Gary still gettogether with several of their fraternity brothers everyyear in Las Vegas over Super Bowl weekend.

“I always tell kids to choose Eastern,” Dale said. “Some kids think they want some big, fancy, expensive school, but nothing will prepare you for life like ENMU. Eastern gives you a big education for a fraction of the cost. And being a smaller school means you can really get involved and get to know people.”

To Dale and Janie, success has meant working together as a family. And with a new generation of Balzanos contributing to current projects and forming their own entrepreneurial dreams, it looks like continued success is on the horizon.

Carlsbad Cruises opens each year after Easter. Balzano Winery is open daily from Memorial Day until Labor Day, when they make the switch to opening the pumpkin patch at the beginning of October.