Education

MBA, Florida International University
B.A., Business Administration, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET), Certified Educator and WSET Level 3 in Wine & Spirits

Background

Emilio Guerra joined the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of South Carolina in January 2020 as an adjunct instructor and has been teaching Wines and Spirits in Food Service Establishments (HTMT 475) since then. He is also teaching a new class called Global Business of Beverage Distribution (HTMT 574) which gives students a detailed understanding of how different beverages are produced and sourced for the hospitality industry.

Guerra was asked to join the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management on a full-time basis prior to the 2024-25 academic year and is currently the director of the Beverage Education Lab in the Close-Hipp building. His duties include the proper maintenance and use of the facility, inventory and equipment management, along with seeking ways for the local beverage industry to use this great facility.

With his MBA, Guerra worked in various industries and corporations as a commercial banker, accountant, credit analyst, financial analyst, maritime shipping operations, dedicated contract leasing, financial planning, sales and marketing, and as a business consultant. During the first half of his business career, Guerra’s hobby was to learn about wine and took various university classes on the subject to become a certified sommelier.

After 20 years in business and finance, he decided to turn his hobby into his job and began working in the industry in 2002 selling wine and spirits to key accounts in the Miami market with Southern Wine & Spirits.

Since then, Guerra has worked in the alcoholic beverage industry for a large importer/supplier, for several wine and spirits producers, for major beverage distributors and as a wine professor and consultant. More recently, Guerra and his business partner established their own importing company in Shenzhen, China, and ran it successfully for four years.

Guerra enjoys teaching the Wine & Spirits class to students since it was at the age of 22 that he was introduced to the wine dinner that changed his life.

My goal is to share my knowledge, passion and experience with students so they can fall in love with the hospitality industry like I did.

Awards / Honors

• WSET Certified Educator Certificate, 2023
• WSET L3 Award in Wines – Wine & Spirits Education Trust, 2017
• FINE VINTAGE LTD – Sensory Master Class, 2017
• WSET L1 Award in Sake – Wine & Spirits Education Trust, 2017
• WSET L2 Award in Wine & Spirits – Wine & Spirits Education Trust, 2016
• Advanced Sommelier Certificate – United States Sommelier Association, 2005
• Mastery of Wines Certificate – FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 2002
• Foundation Level Sommelier Certificate – Johnson & Wales University, 2001

Teaching

• HTMT 475 – Wines and Spirits in Food Service Establishments
• HTMT 574 – Global Business of Beverage Distribution

Media Presentations and Publications

• 2012 – 2015: Wine Writer, VENUE Magazine – bi-monthly Spanish publication geared towards upscale Hispanic consumer (distributed in New York, Miami and Puerto Rico)
• 2014 – 2015: Appearances on NBC’s South Florida Today & Telemundo’s Cada Dia - promote wine consumption in growing Hispanic market
• 2012: Appearance on TV Oppenheimer Presenta (seen in 20 Latin American countries) – member of panel invited to discuss the wines of Chile and Argentina
• 2012 – 2013: Guest-host with Jimmy Cefalo on Miami Radio 610-WIOD’s EatThisDrinkThatGo where top chefs/restaurateurs discussed food and wine

Professional Travel: Education and Business

• France – Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone Valley, Champagne and Paris
• Spain – Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Penedes, Salamanca, Bilbao, Vigo, Barcelona and Madrid
• Italy – Milan, Venice, Alba, Valdobbianede & Balzano – Attended VinItaly wine fair
• Chile – Santiago, Curico, Valparaiso, Limari Valley and Maipo Valley
• Argentina – Mendoza and Buenos Aires
• Barbados – Mount Gay Rum distillery
• Germany – Dusseldorf – Attended ProWein wine fair
• China – Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hong Kong
• USA – Napa Valley, Willamette Valley, Columbia Valley, Paso Robles and Long Island