The renaming of Fresno State’s Vincent E. Petrucci Viticulture Building after the program’s late founder was celebrated April 20 by a crowd of 200 campus staff, faculty, students, alumni, friends and family.
The event began with presentations from Sandra Witte, dean of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, and Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro. They shared about Petrucci’s longtime impact on creating Fresno State’s viticulture and enology program that is highly regarded nationally for its applied grape-growing and winemaking focus.
Among other speakers, Harry Karle, one of Petrucci’s first students when he started the program in 1948, talked about the impact that Petrucci had on him and other students. Karle, a plant science professor emeritus and former campus farm director, related that Petrucci’s limited teaching experience was overmatched by his charisma and drive to educate Fresno State students so they could contribute to and lead the local industry.
Longtime local raisin grower Randy Rocca shared the impact Petrucci had on him and his late father, Earl Rocca, who was also a viticulture program alumnus. Rocca cited Dr. Petrucci’s restless passion for developing new grape management techniques and his support of the development of mechanized raisin harvest practices. The Central Valley currently supplies nearly all of the nation’s raisins, and exports to 50 countries.
Recent graduate Kelli Williamson extended Petrucci’s legacy to the current day and related how he served as an enthusiastic mentor to her and other students until he passed away in December 2016.
Petrucci’s son, Vincent E. Petrucci, Jr., a Fresno State agricultural business graduate, took many of his father’s viticulture classes and stressed his father’s commitment to excellence as an educator while unifying industry support. He added that his love of the grape growing was shared around the world by his students who helped make the California grape and wine industry an international leader.
The event also included tasting of the special edition Petrucci’s Crush Fresno State red wine that he helped to design and was blended by Fresno State winemaking staff and students in the fall of 2016. The wine also commemorated his wife of 69 years, Josephine, who supported him and his career.
The California State University Trustees approved the building renaming in March through a proclamation ceremony that was attended by Castro, Witte and Petrucci Jr.
Petrucci was conferred an honorary doctorate of science by the CSU system in 1994, a year after he retired after a 46-year career with the program.
