Student Spotlight: Perry Reyes
Perry Reyes is the controller of accounting and finance at Korbel Winery in Guerneville, California. While Reyes has always had a love for wine, it was not always his profession. After a long and successful career as a CPA, he realized that he needed a change. “I endeavored to get into an industry that I could wake up every day excited and passionate about,” Reyes says. He eventually decided to marry his love of wine with his experience in finance and accounting to enter the wine business. “I knew that I didn’t want enology experience, I wanted experience in the business of wine,” explains Reyes. “I had no knowledge of the wine industry or even of consumer product goods, so I needed a strong foundation. That is how I discovered the OIV Program.”
“What I needed from the course, I got in spades in just a two-week period.”
Reyes completed UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education’s OIV Wine Marketing Program with a new wealth of knowledge of the wine industry. Reyes says he received a comprehensive education on the legal, financial and marketing aspects of wine, from the vineyard to the table. “I got a great takeaway of different business models that exist in the wine industry and in-depth knowledge of supply chains—on the bottle, in the bottle, inside and outside the box,” he elaborates.
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Discover from top industry experts how to successfully create a brand, market and sell wine in the OIV Wine Marketing Program.
Growing Roots
Aside from gaining a new understanding of the wine business itself, Reyes also had the opportunity to connect with his classmates. “One of the most important things I gained was the strength of my cohort. The people I was in class with were a phenomenal mix of up-and-coming and established wine professionals. I walked away from this program with a network that rivals my MBA program,” he reminisces with a smile. “That was a very important takeaway for me, because to this day I turn to folks in my cohort for advice, counsel, ideas and even just friendship”.
“The network I gained was one of the most important takeaways from this program.”
Reyes began working at Korbel Winery after completing the OIV Wine Marketing program, succeeding in his goal of combining his passion for wine with his accounting experience and proving that dedication is the most valuable tool in any industry