Distinguished International Wine Business Authorities Lead Curriculum for New Hybrid Executive MBA in Wine Business

Rohnert Park, CA - The School of Business and Economics (SBE) at Sonoma State University (SSU) today announced the roster of faculty for its inaugural Hybrid Executive MBA in Wine Business program and the addition of five new faculty members starting Fall Semester 2018. Core academic and professional faculty members of the Hybrid Executive MBA in Wine Business program include Dr. Armand Gilinsky, F.J. Korbel & Bros. Professor of Wine Business; Dr. Liz Thach, Master of Wine and Distinguished Professor of Wine; Dr. Damien Wilson, Hamel Family Faculty Chair in Wine Business; Tim Wallace, Wine Business Institute Executive in Residence and former CEO of Benziger Family Winery; Jolene Yee, Vice President and General Counsel at Delicato Family Vineyards; and Julien Cadot, Professor of Finance and Chair of the Finance and Economics Department at the Institut Superieur de Gestion. In addition, new full-time faculty hires Dr. Naga Damaraju and Dr. Angelo Camillo will join the SBE faculty as assistant professors of business administration. Lana Coil, Jeff Labitzke, John Hinman, and Rebecca Stamey-White will join as professional faculty.

"We have enlisted an esteemed group of scholars and professionals with diverse expertise that will enhance students' classroom and experiential learning in our new Hybrid Executive MBA in Wine Business program," Dr. Karen Thompson, Interim Dean of the School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University said. "Across all our programs, Dr. Naga Damaraju's expertise in strategic management and entrepreneurship will revitalize our commitment to entrepreneurial learning and leadership in the North Bay and beyond. Likewise, Dr. Angelo Camillo's extensive background in global enterprise and hospitality management will build on and expand our management program offerings."

The Hybrid Executive MBA in Wine Business faculty will lead the online and class-based curriculum, including the four 10-day onsite residential "Leadership Intensives" in California wine country, France, and Australia, launching in November 2018. View their bios here: http://web.sonoma.edu/mba/faculty-hybrid-executive-mba-in-wine-business.

Dr. Naga Damaraju is an expert in strategy and entrepreneurship. Dr. Damaraju received her Ph.D. in Strategic Management from Ohio State University, and her M.B.A. and M.S. in Strategy were from the University of Texas in Dallas. Her research interests include entrepreneurship and firms' governance choices under uncertainty.

Dr. Angelo Camillo, an authority in hospitality, global enterprise, and business policy, will be teaching hospitality management. Dr. Camillo received his doctorate degree from Oklahoma State University and his MBA from San Francisco State University, and he brings significant experience in academia as well as 35 years of international industry experience as an expatriate in 10 countries and four continents. His research interests are in the areas of competitive advantage, international business, hospitality and tourism management, and wine business.

New adjunct faculty member Lana Coil is an alumna of the SBE and an attorney at Silver Key Legal & Compliance Services. She will be teaching in the Sonoma Executive MBA in Wine Business degree program. Jeff Labitzke, a Master of Wine and director of sales and marketing at Kistler Vineyards, will teach in the Certificate for Wine Industry Finance and Accounting program. John Hinman and Rebecca Stamey-White, partners at Hinman & Carmichael LLP, will teach in the Sonoma MBA in Wine Business program.

For more information regarding new faculty appointments and faculty research, or for information regarding undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the School of Business and Economics, please contact (707) 664-2377 or visit www.sonoma.edu/sbe.