Today we’d like to introduce you to Charis Nunez.
Charis, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Finding top talent for the world’s largest winery, on paper, should have never been in the cards for me. I didn’t grow up with a lot of the assumptions that many people have when they hear I am in the Wine industry. It’s often assumed that I was brought up in privilege, volatizing esters around the dinner table with a silver platter offering me up the next best opportunity in life.
The truth is, I grew up being homeschooled in a dry (no alcohol), low income, multi-racial home as one of seven children who weren’t taught to expect life to be easy but rather to get up each day ready to give our best, no matter what. I can still hear my mothers’ words, “All hard work produces a profit.” But hard work only gets you so far. Without the opportunity and a platform to use one’s talents and gifts, hard work is often not realized. Our family had the blessing of receiving the platform of The Children’s Scholarship Fund, a fund that was put in place to give high achieving, low-income children an opportunity to receive a private school education. They paid a large portion of my private high school tuition, and in addition to a few anonymous donors, we worked off the difference. I distinctly remember my mom cleaning/ substitute teaching at the school while my brothers & I spread mulch one summer to cover the remaining portion of the tuition.
It was at that High School that my guidance counselor, Jodie Fox, encouraged me to apply for certain scholarships that would make it possible for me to attend college, knowing that I would have to fund higher education on my own. I applied, interviewed and received the Bob Allen Scholarship at Appalachian State University which paved the way for me to attend the 4-year University and ultimately meet The E & J Gallo Winery on campus my senior year.
I went into college wanting to be the Today Show. Not just on it, but who people thought about when they heard, “The Today Show!” After taking the necessary courses and speaking with some industry insiders, I found myself not wanting to stay in journalism & broadcasting which threw me into a semi-life crisis my Junior year. Switching over to Public Relations and Business, I found my passion for linking people, perceptions and products. It was shortly after I met a Gallo Recruiting Manager on campus who shared the Gallo Sales Leadership Development Program with me, a three-phase program that lays out the first three roles a candidate would have as the foundation to a not just a career in the Wine & Spirits Industry, but to being a future leader of the E. & J. Gallo Winery. I had never considered sales but quickly realized that I had been selling my whole life!
After working 3+ jobs throughout my college years to make ends meet, the idea of having a career and not just a good job was extremely appealing! Even though I knew nothing about wine or Sales for that matter, I was blown away by the unbelievable culture, growth potential & corporate values of the Winery. After graduation, I was ultimately given the opportunity to join the family-owned and operated company that has provided me a life I was not scripted for.
I began my career in the Wine & Spirits Industry as part of Gallo’s Sales Leadership Development Program which placed me inside Atlanta’s own Empire Distributors, Inc., where I started as a Merchandiser, worked my way to becoming a Sales Representative in the Retail Wine Division followed by a promotion to District Manager where I led two separate Sales Teams. In 2015, I had the opportunity to leave the Distributor realm and work directly for the E. & J. Gallo Winery as their Field Marketing Manager, where I served as the liaison between the Wineries’ goals & priorities and the execution in partnering Georgia Distributors. In 2018, I took my current role as Sales Recruiting Manager covering the Southeast Region, Atlantic Region in addition to what we consider the MEGA Region (all in all the territory covers 28 States).
This role has given me the opportunity to pair my background in sales and passion for people. Yes, finding the top talent and future Sales Leaders for the largest winery on planet earth is a great responsibility, but more than that, it is an opportunity to give a platform that has the power to change the trajectory of people’s lives! I LOVE THAT!
In addition to my role as Sales Recruiting Manager, I also the distinct honor of being a part of two Employee Resource Group (ERG) Leadership Boards. I am currently the Gallo African American Network (GAAN) Director of Recruitment & Mentorship. In this role, I piloted their formal Mentorship Program and have implemented multiple & measurable strategies in how Gallo recruits and retains diverse candidates. As part of GAAN, I also act as their Social Media Chair and launched the @diversityinwine platform in addition to launching Gallo’s first Black History Month campaign this past February. This platform opened doors for collaborations with some of the world’s most recognizable Social brands, such as Twitter. I also have the honor to be on the Leadership Board for Women of Wine (WOW), Gallo’s ERG for developing and supporting female employees through networking events, mentoring, and professional development. We are currently planning the 2020 WOW Evolve Event which will be held in Charlotte, NC this upcoming Summer.
Platforms are powerful! Looking back, I could have never scripted how any of my siblings lives have played out, and often, on the largest stages in the world! My oldest brother, Timon, played professional basketball in Italy. My brother Matthias just started his 4th year in the NFL, GO JETS! Another brother, Silas, dances in the New York City Ballet while other siblings are raising the bar of excellence in the world of Real Estate, Art, Staffing & Sales.
Passion for providing platforms for others to rise, continuing to raise the bar of excellence for myself both personally and professionally is at the core of what drives me forward. I am a wife, mother of 2, sister to 6 and a true believer that “The best is yet to come!”
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Roads, in general, are rarely smooth! Very few get a fresh pave or an all out do over. For me, the road hasn’t always been the smoothest, but it has been good.
When I first moved to Atlanta, one of the biggest roadblocks I faced, personally, was finding a group of people I connected with. I am a social butterfly by all definitions and had no problem meeting people. However, Atlanta posed a unique challenge with finding “my tribe” as the population of the city is just so vast. I am a firm believer that people make a place. You can be in the sexiest of places and miserable or lonely without the right people around. I’d say it took about a year for me to settle in. Advice for anyone out there going through something similar: Put yourself out there! Get involved with what you loved at the place you just left. Odds are you’ll connect with similar people here too!
Professionally, I wasn’t fully prepared to be one of the only women in my distributor, let alone the only African American woman (or otherwise) in the room. People generally think wine is a woman’s world, but it is not. Women are the number one target in marketing but, in the Retail world of wine, it’s still very much male-dominated. I was one of the only, if not the only women in all five roles I have had over the past ten years. Navigating that hasn’t always a smooth ride!
However, what I found was that if you do what I grew up being taught, “Get up and give your best, no matter what,” respect & success will come. I always encourage people coming into the industry to do whatever it is they need to do before they leave their house to forget about themselves. Take the time to work out, do your makeup/hair, have quiet time- whatever it is that makes you confident so that when you go out into the world, you’re able to fully give yourself to the day, people and tasks at hand. We are all less productive when we are worried about ourselves. Go confidently into your day, prepared and armed in what you know you are capable of. Confidence to me is putting your best foot forward, and not having to question which one is which.
As the gatekeeper, of sorts, to this industry for the Gallo Winery, I have a unique opportunity to once again, lean into giving platforms to top talent looking to raise the bar of excellence and exercise their talents in a company that seeks to hire a reflection of its consumer base. And guess what, that’s a little bit of everybody! I am extremely proud to be part of that process.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about E. & J. Gallo Winery – what should we know?
The E. & J. Gallo Winery is the largest winery in the world, currently doing business in over 90 countries. Our impressive portfolio of products includes such brands as Barefoot Cellars, Apothic Red, Frei Brothers, Ecco Domani, William Hill, Edna Valley, LaMarca, J Vineyards and Louis Martini to name but a few. The Gallo Winery also has award-winning distilled spirits brands as well including E. & J. Brandy and New Amsterdam Gin and Vodka. Founded in 1933, Gallo remains one of the largest and most successful privately held companies in America. An innovative approach to developing and marketing new products (along with a commitment to existing brands), allows Gallo to constantly offer new and exciting choices to consumers in a growth industry. Thanks in large part to the efforts of the E. & J. Gallo Winery, the wine business in the US is stronger than ever, and California has received recognition worldwide as a premier wine-producing region.
Of the over 600,000 companies ranked on Glassdoor, we have recently been ranked the #14 Best Place to Work, #11 Best Place to Interview, and #18 Top CEO on Glassdoor and the #1 in our industry. Since 1933, we’ve never stopped challenging what was possible. Our founders, Ernest and Julio Gallo, had a vision to make wine enjoyable for all, shared at celebrations across America. We honor that spirit today by championing new concepts, investing in people, and not shying away from big, bold ideas. Our portfolio holds 90+ wine and spirits brands and we are continuing to expand and grow. Our passions run deep and what unites us is an incredible culture of teamwork, sharing knowledge and collaboration.
I say all the time that it one thing to be big, and another thing to be great! What makes the Gallo Winery great, by far, is the people that we have and will continue to invest in. We all carry our six corporate values on the back of our business cards as a physical reminder that integrity, innovation, respect, commitment, teamwork and humility are the Lasik vision by which we live, breathe and do business. In my opinion, it our competitive edge and why I am extremely proud to represent this amazing company. Their investment in my personal and professional growth is parallel to none and I am honored to offer the same opportunities to others.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I claim no success in my life as solely my own. The list of those who have poured into me is too long for any publication on the market!
However, I would like to thank a few that have left unmistakable marks on my life and my career. First and foremost, I thank God for putting his unique fingerprint on me that others read as my gifts, talents and abilities. I thank my parents, Mark and Falinda Farley for their tireless sacrifice to give us EVERYTHING that money cannot buy. I thank my siblings for sharpening me along the path as I watch them, to this day, raise the bar in their respective fields. Timon, Nathan, Kenan, Joy, Matthias & Silas- You guys make me want to step up my game, without ever saying a word! You are the definition of support in times of need and in plenty and make me proud to bear your name (FARLEY). I want to thank Jodie Fox and Berta Cauvel, my guidance counselors in both Highschool & College for going above the call of duty in your jobs to invest in my life personally. There is a reason you were both at my wedding in 2015! You both saw in me the possibilities and not just the realities that have allowed me to soar to new heights. Thanks to all those at the Children’s Scholarship Fund for understanding that economic circumstances should not define a child’s opportunities. Your investment in my family has been the platform of a lifetime.
Joe Schoeneck, thank you for making the exception to interview me on campus and giving me the chance to prove I had what it took to be a future leader of the Gallo Winery! Without you, I literally would not be here today! To the Gallo family, thank you for continuing to give me bigger opportunities professionally, no matter my stage of life personally. I am honored to represent your name as much as your company. And finally, a big thanks to my husband, Jose Nunez, for supporting me in the trenches while working full time as well. I could not travel and do this job I love so much without your support at home with our girls. I love you.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gallo.com
- Email: charis.nunez@ejgallo.com
- Instagram: charis_nunez
- Facebook: Charis Nunez
- Other: www.linkedin.com/in/charisnunez
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