Amy Prosenjak was managing inventory for a billion-dollar furniture company in Ohio when her husband suggested a career change that would eventually put her at the center of Oregon's wine industry. Today, she is the woman behind one in every four bottles of Oregon wine sold in America.
Prosenjak and her husband were in their early 30s and had fallen in love with wine tourism, traveling to Napa and Italy whenever they had the chance. One day, her husband asked why she didn't get a job in the wine business.
"I said, 'Well, who would hire me?'" Prosenjak recalled. "And he said, 'I don't know.'"
How a Whim Application Changed Her Career Path
WineJobs.com answered that question for them. A to Z Wineworks, then a small Oregon winery owned by two couples and in the process of buying Rex Hill, happened to be looking for a chief financial officer. Prosenjak said she sent her resume "kind of on a whim."
The gamble paid off. What started as a casual application from someone with no direct wine industry experience turned into a leadership role at one of Oregon's most significant wineries.
From Ohio Inventory to Oregon Wine Leadership
Prosenjak's journey stands out because she did not come from a traditional wine background. Her experience was in corporate inventory management for a billion-dollar furniture company — a skill set that translated well to the business side of winemaking.
Her rise at A to Z Wineworks mirrors the winery's own growth. When she joined, the company was small and owned by two couples. It was also expanding, taking on Rex Hill as part of its portfolio. That growth trajectory continued, and A to Z Wineworks now accounts for a remarkable share of Oregon wine sold across the country.
"You're always right with wine." — Amy Prosenjak
What This Means for Oregon's Wine Industry
The fact that one person's leadership touches one in every four bottles of Oregon wine sold in America shows how concentrated the state's wine market has become. A to Z Wineworks is not just a boutique label — it is a major player that shapes what consumers across the country associate with Oregon wine.
Prosenjak's story also highlights a broader point about the wine business: it is not only about winemaking. The financial and operational side matters just as much, and people with sharp business instincts can find a place in the industry even without a traditional wine education.
Our Take: A Lesson in Taking Chances
In our view, Prosenjak's story is a reminder that career paths are rarely straight lines. She did not plan to work in wine. She did not study it. But when her husband asked a simple question — why not try? — she took a chance and sent a resume on a whim.
That willingness to step outside her comfort zone did more than change her own life. It put her in a position where she now helps drive a significant portion of Oregon's wine sales nationwide. For anyone considering a career change, her story is a practical example of how transferable skills — like managing inventory for a large company — can open doors in unexpected industries.
The wine business, like any other, runs on numbers as much as on grapes. Prosenjak brought the numbers. A to Z Wineworks brought the grapes. Together, they built something that now defines a large share of Oregon wine in the American market.
