Joseph E. Gallo, 68, is President and Chief Executive Officer of the E. & J. Gallo Winery, the world’s largest family-owned winery.  The company has a significant presence in the California wine, brandy and distilled spirits industries with seven wineries and more than 60 brands including table and sparkling wines, dessert wines and distilled spirits.

As President and CEO, Mr. Gallo has focused much of his energy on growing the company and has overseen a number of acquisitions including Barefoot, Louis M. Martini, Mirassou Vineyards and William Hill Estate. He has also directed the expansion of the company’s import portfolio with entries from nine different countries as well as the introduction of New Amsterdam Gin. 

Mr. Gallo joined the winery’s sales department in 1965, and was instrumental in the company gaining national distribution by 1970, applying lessons learned from working alongside his father, Ernest Gallo, and his uncle, Julio Gallo. Prior to becoming CEO in 2001, he focused most of his efforts on the company’s expansion into international markets, overseeing sales, distribution, marketing and operations. Today, Gallo International has various regional headquarters around the world.

In the United States, Mr. Gallo has served on the Board of Directors for the Wine Institute of California since 1972, and the Grocery Manufacturers Association since 2001. Mr. Gallo has served on the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Advisory Council since 1995.  Stanford University recognized Mr. Gallo with the Stanford Associates Achievement Award.

Born in Modesto, California, March 12, 1941, to Ernest and Amelia Gallo, Mr. Gallo spent his youth working in the family business. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1962, and earned his M.B.A. from the Stanford Business School in 1964.

He and his wife, Ofelia, are the parents of three children, Stephanie, Ernest and Joseph and have four grandchildren.

Mr. Gallo and the Gallo family are committed to helping grow wine consumption throughout the world and contributing to the long-term success of the global wine industry. The Gallo family considers family ownership its greatest asset and believes that the benefits of private ownership enable long-term business sustainability through investment back into physical assets, brand building, vineyard research and continued long-term relationships with winery employees, growers, distributors, retailers and customers.