| Agriculture

Vinícola Aurora elects new president for the 2026-28 term

Tiago Fronza Frare assumes leadership of the cooperative; Moisés Cavalleri and Amanda Lerin also take office.

08.04.2026 | 16:15 (UTC -3)

Cassiano Farina

From left to right: Amanda Lerin, 2nd Vice President, Tiago Fronza Frare, Chairman of the Board, and Moisés Cavalleri, 1st Vice President; photo: Eduardo Benini

The Aurora Wine Cooperative has elected Tiago Fronza Frare as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the 2026-2028 term. The winegrower and agricultural engineer is 38 years old and is the youngest person to assume the top position at the largest Brazilian wine cooperative in the last six decades.

Along with him, the board is composed of 1st vice-president Moisés Cavalleri (64), an Aurora advisor for several terms since 2003, and 2nd vice-president Amanda Lerin (24). For the first time in history, a woman is appointed to the board of directors of Aurora. Amanda participated in the Rural Cooperative Apprentice program, which encourages rural succession.

The trio will represent the 1,1 associated families and the more than 500 employees that make up the workforce of Vinícola Aurora. According to the cooperative's bylaws, all members of the Board of Directors must be associated winegrowers. The bylaws allow up to two re-elections for each board member, but require a 1/3 renewal rate.

"The election of our slate represents the continuation of the legacy of the three previous administrations. We have always acted with transparency and with open doors for our members. For the next two years, our main objective is to maintain Aurora at its current level and further improve results for the company and returns for our members," anticipates the new president.

Tiago Fronza Frare adds that among the projects for the next two years are the purchase of a new bottling machine for the main unit, which should expand production capacity, and the construction of a new winery next to the Vale dos Vinhos unit. The president-elect also guaranteed the continuity of programs such as Good Agricultural Practices and the cooperative's ESG agenda.

In addition to the Board of Directors, four new Fiscal Council members were also sworn in, out of the six that make up the group, and another 20 Administrative Council members (see below for details), representing each of the 20 nuclei in the 11 municipalities where Aurora has associated winegrowers. The groups, elected by the cooperative members, will assist the presidency in decision-making and in overseeing activities.

Who are the new leaders?

Representing the community of São Valentim, in Bento Gonçalves – South Wing, Tiago Fronza Frare, 38 years old, assumes the presidency of the cooperative. A member since 2012, he cultivates the Niagara White and Pink, Isabel, Early Isabel, Riesling, Bordô and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties. With experience in Aurora's management, he served as secretary in 2020/2022 and 2nd vice-president in 2024/2026, consolidating his trajectory of leadership and active participation in the cooperative.

Moises Cavalleri, 64 years old, assumes the position of 1st vice-president. He is from Monte Belo do Sul – South Wing and has been a member of the cooperative since 1985. He has extensive experience in viticulture, cultivating varieties such as Isabel, Tannat, Couderc, Ancellotta, BRS Magna, Isabel Precoce, Cabernet Sauvignon, BRS Carmem and BRS Cora. Throughout his career, he has participated in the board of directors in the 2003/2005, 2005/2007, 2010/2012, 2012/2014, 2014/2016, 2022/2024 and 2024/2026 terms, contributing consistently to the development of the cooperative.

At 24 years old, Amanda Pelizzer Lerin represents the new generation of the cooperative. Originally from São Pedro, in Bento Gonçalves, she has been a member since 2020 after participating in the Rural Cooperative Apprentice program, which promotes cooperativism and rural succession at Aurora. She dedicates herself to cultivating varieties such as Viognier, Bordô, Merlot, Riesling, Isabel, Malvasia di Candia, and Pinotage, reinforcing productive diversity and the continuity of the work of cooperative families through young winegrowers.

Renê Tonello's Legacy

Renê Tonello served as president for three terms, between October 2020 and March 2026. A cooperative member since 1980 and a winegrower in Linha Buratti, Bento Gonçalves, Tonello led Aurora through a cycle marked by sustainable growth, modernization, and the strengthening of the cooperative movement.

Under his leadership, the company achieved significant results, such as the highest revenue and leading the two largest harvests in the winery's history. His management also advanced governance practices, ESG, and social development, with initiatives focused on encouraging rural succession, valuing female participation through the "Women for Co-op" committee, the work of the Sustainability Committee, and the dissemination of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).