Biography
Ginny Mariani-Kitt ’82 is a family proprietor of Castello Banfi, a premier vineyard estate in Tuscany, and a former director of hospitality for Banfi Vintners, founded by her grandfather, John F. Mariani Sr. She is the daughter of the late Harry F. Mariani, president emeritus of Banfi Vintners.
After graduating from the School of Hotel Administration (now the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration) at Cornell University, Mariani-Kitt joined Banfi Vintners’ in-house public relations team, promoting the company’s wines to trade and media. She later transitioned to the national sales division, where she expanded Banfi’s presence in luxury hotels and restaurants across the United States, and subsequently served as marketing manager for the company’s premier wines.
In 1993, Mariani-Kitt became director of hospitality at the company’s headquarters in Old Brookville, New York, a 60-room Elizabethan manor on Long Island’s Gold Coast. In that role, she hosted wine dinners and led planning for business events and international delegations until her retirement in 2019.
The Mariani family was named “Hotelie of the Year” in 2003 by the Cornell Hotel Society’s New York City chapter and received the Cornell Icon of the Industry Award in 2014. Mariani-Kitt is a former member of the Cornell University Council and serves as a trustee and board member of Northwell Health.
She lives in Lloyd Harbor, New York, with her husband, Errol Kitt ’81.