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Our Alumni Leading out in the Wine Industry
At 15, the Wine Business Institute has aged well.
When we look back at what the Wine Business Institute has done over its 15 years, it is the strong interaction with the wine industry that stands out. It is not only about what we have done, but also about what our alumni have accomplished in the industry and what they are bringing back to campus.
Ian Cauble (Wine Business)
"Ian Cauble is an incredibly talented sommelier," said Steven Holt, Director of Public Relations for The Ritz-Carlton at HalfMoon Bay where Ian currently works as head sommelier. A review of Ian's accomplishment in only 10 years after graduating from SSU are quite astounding. In June of this year he was awarded Top Sommelier of the Western United States by the Guild of Sommeliers, and in 2008 he was voted one of the "Best New Sommeliers" in the U.S. by Wine and Spirits magazine.
"It was my wine classes at Sonoma State University that first got me interested in wine," says Ian. "I was especially hooked when I went on SSU's wine class trip to Chile." An International Business major at SSU with an emphasis in Wine Business and Spanish, upon graduation Ian took his skills to Portugal where he worked for 2 euros an hour at Royal Oporto in the Douro Valley, the country's oldest port house. Then after harvest Ian travelled for thirteen months throughout Europe, North Africa and India, exploring the wines and cuisines of these regions. Access a full story of Ian's latest accomplishments.
Nyk King (Wine Business, '09)
Since his start at Chateau Montelena Winery in 2009, Nyk quadrupled the e-commerce sales through email marketing, increased website traffic through SEO, SEM & social media, and optimizing the site's design. Prior to this, Nyk was at Rodney Strong where he transitioned their brand building website into a fully functioning e-commerce site and set up their first allocation club model, paving their way into the social media arena.
Currently, Nyk is the Direct to Consumer Marketing Manager at Terlato Wine Group. He manages email marketing, website content & design for Alderbrook Winery, Rutherford Hill Winery, Chimney Rock Winery, Sanford Winery, Terlato Family Vineyards, Uncorked.com, Bon Appetit Wine Shop and Jack Nicklaus Wines. He's currently managing the redesign and launch for each brands website. "I was given a huge advantage and great understanding of the industry because of the curriculum in my classes. All of the projects and assignments gave me a jumpstart in my career." Read more about Nyk as he prepares to present at the Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium this upcoming January.
Erica Hiller Harrop (MBA, '02)
In 2006, Erica started her own import packaging company, Global Package, LLC, where she holds the position of president. The jounrey that brought her to this place includes an MBA from the School of Business and Economics earned while working first as the president of an international import company and then as the US facility manager at Remy Martin. Erica's ability to embrace challenges such as rising fuel costs, exchange rate increases, and the consolidation of many of the suppliers and wineries with whom she works has resulted in a highly successful business. Along with the support of her family, she attributes her success to the education she received at Sonoma State University.
Roy Cecchetti (MBA, '89)
As president & CEO of Cecchetti Wine Company with production of 220,000 cases in 2010, Roy emphasizes the importance of business knowledge for those striving to be successful leaders in the industry. Despite 15+ years of experience in management, when Roy moved into the wine business in 1985, he knew he couldn't succeed without refining his skills in finance and accounting. This brough him to our MBA program. We're delighted that he agreed to bring his insights and experience to the Board of Directors of our Wine Business Institute this year.
"People entering the industry have to see beyond the romance and be prepared with a realistic approach to running a business. I would not be where I am today without the tools I gained in Sonoma State's MBA program," stated Cecchetti.