DARRYL 'CHIP' WADE ’83, ’06 Hon.
Celebrating service, dining and diversity Darryl “Chip” Wade is senior vice president of Darden Restaurants Inc. Chip is responsible for Red Lobster’s Liberty Division and its 93 restaurants in seven states. A founding member of the MultiCultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance, Wade is a dedicated proponent of diversity and seeing others achieve their goals.

what brought you to jwu A mentor and friend who advised me to “learn how to cook.” My early aspirations were to be a restaurant manager; however, the above advice from my manager proved invaluable to me.

inspiration Gerry Fernandez ’86, ’98 Hon. was influential to me and played a key role in my externship at Walt Disney World. His tenacity, drive and personal commitment to lead has always been a source of inspiration.

hero in life My mother, Jeanne S. Wade.

book on your nightstand “Call Me Ted,” by Ted Turner.

Highest priority in life My goals are to raise my two boys to be intelligent, curious and value-driven young men. I hope that they both make meaningful contributions to all who come in contact with them.

CHARLES NAULT ’79
Helping those less fortunate Charles Nault ’79, founder and chairman of Atrion Networking Corp., led the company to $22 million in annual sales in the technology industry. In 2006, he stepped down to volunteer as executive director of The Arctic Mission, a nonprofit inner-city organization in West Warwick, R.I., mentoring life skills and helping the disadvantaged to find food, jobs, housing and educational opportunities.

lessons from jwu The importance of self discipline. The instructors were demanding, and they wouldn’t “hold your hand.” I actually did much better in that environment than in high school.

formula for work-life balance Establishing clear boundaries that you will not allow your work to encroach upon. Without them you become a workaholic, which is never a good thing.

career advice for new alumni Be a dedicated team player. Work hard for the team, and be interested in other people’s success as much as your own.

favorite quote “And in the end it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” —Abraham Lincoln

most important ingredient in life A good sense of humor. Laugh and you can not only get through, but enjoy the way.

BEN SALISBURY ’82
Branding the world’s fine wines Ben Salisbury ‘82 is vice president of National Accounts for Constellation Wines. Constellation Wines is the largest wine company in the world with over 80 brands in the portfolio. including Robert Mondavi Winery, Clos du Bois, Ravenswood, and Blackstone. Ben previously served the role as vice president of Global Account Development at St. Michelle Wine Estates, where he managed and developed a team of eight directors.

lessons from jwu The importance of having strong business writing and oral communication skills. These skills have made a big difference for me as I progressed through the ranks in the business world.

best advice Work when you’re supposed to be working; play when you’re supposed to be playing; otherwise you’ll spend all of your play time thinking about the work you didn’t get done.

career advice for new alumni There are no shortcuts to true success. Hard work is the key. You have to pay your dues. Success in business and in life is a get-rich slowly proposition.

vision for your industry’s future The wine business has a very bright future. Per capita consumption of wine continues to rise in the U.S. and consumers’ interest in food and wine is greater than ever.

most important ingredient in life Selflessness. So many people live only for themselves and their own satisfaction. True happiness comes from serving other people in whatever way that means for today.

NANCI GOLDBERG ’94
Passion for the environment and and advocate for change Nanci Goldberg ’94, a sustainability and event consultant, educates the community on conserving the earth’s natural resources. She was part of Denver’s Green Team for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, managing resource recovery and more than 100 volunteers. Recently, she worked on the Host Committee and in registration for Denver’s first annual Green Festival, which drew close to 22,000 participants.

role jwu played in your career JWU reminded me what networking is really all about, and what it takes to get to where you want to be. I continue to network both personally and professionally.

best advice Always try your best, and don’t give up. It’s okay to make mistakes; they’re only learning experiences to get you closer to your dreams.

career advice for new alumni Follow your passion to land your dream job. If it doesn’t exist, then create it. It’s okay to compromise, but never settle on what you really want in life.

qualities admired in others Respect for self; respect for others; and responsibility for your actions.

most importantingredient in life Be true to yourself and follow your dreams both personally and professionally. Remember the good things and people along the way that helped you get to where you are now.