Sonoma State Hosts Oracle and Top Wine Companies

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Sonoma State Hosts Oracle and Top Wine Companies

Rohnert Park, CA - Sonoma State's Wine Business Institute joined with Oracle and its technology partners to host Oracle's 4th Annual Wine Business Industry Summit at SSU. The event demonstrated how the latest software technology can improve wine agriculture as well as support innovation and profitable growth of some of the leading wine and agriculture companies based in California and around the world.

During the Summit, Oracle presented their updates on relevant agribusiness functionality within its portfolio of best-of breed business applications. Companies such as Kendall-Jackson, Treasury, Constellation, E&J Gallo Winery, Grupo Peñaflor, Wente Family Estates and the Wine Group heard Oracle and its partners present on a wide variety of subjects including technology updates on JD Edwards and Oracle's Human Capital Management and Social Media platforms.

"The Wine Business Institute's innovative programs of wine business research, education and public engagement are helping the wine industry in many impactful ways," said Oracle's Director of Wine Industry Solutions Charles Karren. "Sonoma State provides exceptional wine business courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels and Oracle is very proud to collaborate with the Wine Business Institute as it addresses some of the important global business challenges and issues that wine companies face today."

The Wine Business Industry Summit keynote consisted of an all-star panel of Sonoma State wine professors: Steven Cuellar and Tom Atkin. Cuellar presented his research on the relationship between modern companies and social media, emphasizing the difference between social media as a sales channel and social media as a marketing channel. Atkin demonstrated examples of how other industries verify that quality doesn't suffer when being shipped to the customer and went on to discuss potential options for California wine in foreign markets, particularly Asia.

"We appreciate the partnership with Oracle and the opportunity to share research with the technology leaders of the wine industry," said Ray Johnson, Wine Business Institute director.

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For more information contact Annemarie Brown, annemarie.brown@sonoma.edu or 664-2221.

About Sonoma State University's Wine Business Institute

Sonoma State University's Wine Business Institute is located in the heart of California wine country and was created through a public-private partnership between the university and the wine industry. Founded in 1996, it is the first program in the United States to offer undergraduate and graduate degrees focused exclusively on the business aspects of the wine industry. In addition to its academic programs the Wine Business Institute offers an array of seminars and certificates. Its faculty members are published experts, active researchers, and requested presenters on pressing industry topics.  The Wine Business Institute operates within Sonoma State's School of Business and Economics, a fully accredited AACSB institution.  Learn more at sonoma.edu/winebiz.