By Kara Sherrer
Matt Gorella (MBA’18)
Matt Gorella (MBA’18) grew up on a vineyard in California. His family’s farm supplies raisins for Sun-Maid, the largest raisin and dried fruit processor in the world. After he graduates in May, Gorella will return to California as an associate brand manager for a corporation with a different type of vineyard: E&J Gallo Winery.
While working for a California winery almost brings him full circle, Gorella didn’t take a direct path to his new job. He played football at Humboldt State University and graduated with a degree in marketing, which he leveraged to get an on-campus marketing position at Fresno State University. After a few years, he decided to pursue an MBA to help transition into an industry and position he was more passionate about. The move paid off, and he’s excited to work for E&J Gallo.
“They have everything I’m looking for from a work-life balance perspective. They really care about their employees. They’re (usually) in the top 10 of Glassdoor’s best employers,” he said.
Click through Gorella’s timeline below to trace his brand management career search.
