Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

17 hours ago

US Air Force will Offer Military Funeral Honors to Slain Capitol Rioter

19 hours ago

US Republican Senator Joni Ernst Will Not Run for Re-Election, CBS News Reports

20 hours ago

Wall Street Falls as Dell, Nvidia Drive Tech Losses

20 hours ago

US Denies Visas to Palestinian Officials Ahead of UN General Assembly

22 hours ago

Minneapolis Children Revealed Courage, Absorbed Fear During Church Shooting

2 days ago

Ford Recalls Nearly 500,000 Vehicles Over Brake Fluid Leak

2 days ago

Fresno-Bound Passenger Says Delta Attendant Slapped Him, Seeks $20M

2 days ago
He Never Attended Fresno State, but His $4.66M Bequest Will Boost Wine, Irrigation Efforts
GV-Wire-1
By gvwire
Published 5 years ago on
May 13, 2020

Share

Contributed by Fresno State News

Donald Emil Gumz was a Valley native, who like many lifelong residents, had a love and passion for the region, including Fresno State.

He came from a family of grape farmers but worked with numbers, in an accounting career that started with a local entrepreneur and developer, and ended with the Vie-Del Company, which produced brandy, wine, and juice concentrates, where his love for wine and the winemaking process began.

portrait of Joseph Castro

“We are deeply grateful for Mr. Gumz’s generous and impactful gift, which aligns perfectly with his passion in winemaking while also broadening the university’s national reputation for research in the fields of viticulture and enology.” — Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro

He also developed an interest in water education through his second cousin, Dr. David Zoldoske, who oversaw Fresno State’s Center for Irrigation Technology and the university’s water initiatives for 35 years.

Gumz Bequeathed the University $4.66 Million

Gumz, who died in September 2018 at the age of 84, left $4.66 million in his estate plans to support the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. His generosity will provide $3.7 million toward the renovation of the research winery while the other $933,000 will be used to support the Center for Irrigation Technology.

To recognize this transformational gift, the enology building at Fresno State, which includes the research winery, will be named the Donald E. Gumz Enology Building. The California State University Trustees approved on Tuesday, May 12, the naming of the building in his honor.

“We are deeply grateful for Mr. Gumz’s generous and impactful gift, which aligns perfectly with his passion in winemaking while also broadening the university’s national reputation for research in the fields of viticulture and enology,” said Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro.

Enjoyed Learning About Wine

About a decade ago, Gumz started attending yearly wine-tasting events hosted by the Ag One Foundation at the Fresno State Winery. There, he met many enology students over the years and enjoyed learning about wine. His first cousin and Zoldoske’s father, Robert, would often accompany him to the wine tastings. It was through Dr. David Zoldoske that Gumz learned about the importance of water for growing grapes.

Gumz’s father grew grapes, and his maternal grandfather was Henry Engelman, who started farming grapes near Biola in the early 1900s. The family continues farming wine grapes today and produces local wines at Engelmann Cellars and LoMac Winery.

Gumz had many interests, which led him to make annual gifts that would improve the student experience in Jordan College programs that included horticulture, the Center for Irrigation Technology, and the Viticulture and Enology Research Center.

“While Don never personally attended Fresno State, he knew superior educational opportunities would help build a strong community,” Zoldoske said. “His many significant gifts will leave a lasting legacy here in the San Joaquin Valley.”

Gift Will Bridge Gap Between Research and Winemaking

Gumz’s generosity will help the winery bridge the gap between laboratory-scale wine research and commercial winemaking, said Dr. Stephan Sommer, director of the Viticulture and Enology Research Center.

Gumz’s father grew grapes, and his maternal grandfather was Henry Engelman, who started farming grapes near Biola in the early 1900s. The family continues farming wine grapes today and produces local wines at Engelmann Cellars and LoMac Winery.

“By enhancing our abilities to make wine in small batches while still using modern technology, we enhance learning opportunities for our students and the potential for state-of-the-art research in the same space,” Sommer said. “This will build on Fresno State’s national reputation to provide students with an applied and hands-on learning experience. It will also intensify our collaboration and partnership with the grape and wine industries.”

Gumz Supported Many Community Groups

In addition to Fresno State, Gumz also supported a number of community organizations to help fight hunger, abuse, children’s health, and the arts. Recipients include Valley Children’s Healthcare, Marjaree Mason Center, Poverello House, Fresno Art Museum, Ronald McDonald House, and Hinds Hospice.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Gov. Newsom Launches New Task Force To Clear CA Homeless Encampments

DON'T MISS

Fresno Supervisor Nathan Magsig Says Crews Gaining Ground on Garnet Fire

DON'T MISS

Judge Allows Release of Accused Arsonist Bobby Salazar on $1M Bond

DON'T MISS

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Curtis Wayne Recek

DON'T MISS

Fresno Area Schools Prep for Football With Stout Security Measures

DON'T MISS

Fresno Blaze Damages Yosemite Falls Café, Restaurant to Remain Closed

DON'T MISS

Florida Man Indicted for Fentanyl Smuggling Scheme Using Drones

DON'T MISS

Egypt Rounds up Teenaged TikTokkers in Crackdown on Social Media

DON'T MISS

Fresno Shelter Helps Homeless Recover from Hospital Stays. It’s Also a ‘Good Neighbor’

DON'T MISS

Drive-Thru Debate Heats Up at Fresno City Council Meeting

UP NEXT

Fresno Area Schools Prep for Football With Stout Security Measures

UP NEXT

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

UP NEXT

U.S. News Releases Best High School Rankings. How Did Fresno Schools Do?

UP NEXT

Who Did Fresno Unified Hire to Succeed Nikki Henry as Communications Chief?

UP NEXT

Fresno vs. Clovis: Which City Is Cheaper to Live in Right Now?

UP NEXT

Kim Harvey Named Executive Producer of ‘CBS Evening News’

UP NEXT

US CDC Director Ousted Weeks Into Job

UP NEXT

Second-Highest Unemployment Rate Still In California

UP NEXT

Fresno Unified Set to Hire Deputy Superintendent With Impressive Credentials

UP NEXT

Poll: Californians Overwhelmingly Reject Trump’s Immigration Policies

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Curtis Wayne Recek

14 hours ago

Fresno Area Schools Prep for Football With Stout Security Measures

14 hours ago

Fresno Blaze Damages Yosemite Falls Café, Restaurant to Remain Closed

14 hours ago

Florida Man Indicted for Fentanyl Smuggling Scheme Using Drones

15 hours ago

Egypt Rounds up Teenaged TikTokkers in Crackdown on Social Media

15 hours ago

Fresno Shelter Helps Homeless Recover from Hospital Stays. It’s Also a ‘Good Neighbor’

16 hours ago

Drive-Thru Debate Heats Up at Fresno City Council Meeting

16 hours ago

Judge Blocks Enforcement of Texas Law Restricting DEI and ESG Advice

16 hours ago

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

17 hours ago

Trump Cancels $4.9 Billion in Foreign Aid, Escalating Spending Fight with Congress

17 hours ago

Gov. Newsom Launches New Task Force To Clear CA Homeless Encampments

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Gov. Gavin Newsom launched a new homeless response task fo...

12 hours ago

City worker in protective gear removes belongings near a yellow tent during a homeless encampment cleanup at an urban transit stop.
12 hours ago

Gov. Newsom Launches New Task Force To Clear CA Homeless Encampments

Fresno County’s Garnet Fire has burned 17,159 acres with 8% containment as of Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, prompting evacuations while officials confirm the cause and some areas remain open for Labor Day. (U.S. Forest Service)
13 hours ago

Fresno Supervisor Nathan Magsig Says Crews Gaining Ground on Garnet Fire

Bobby Salazar motorcycle gang fire restaurant Blackstone fresno insurance fraud
13 hours ago

Judge Allows Release of Accused Arsonist Bobby Salazar on $1M Bond

Curtis Wayne Recek is Valley Crime Stoppers' Most Wanted Person of the Day for August 29, 2025. (Valley Crimes Stoppers)
14 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Curtis Wayne Recek

14 hours ago

Fresno Area Schools Prep for Football With Stout Security Measures

Fire at Yosemite Falls Cafe on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (Fresno FD)
14 hours ago

Fresno Blaze Damages Yosemite Falls Café, Restaurant to Remain Closed

The seal of the U.S. Justice Department is seen on the podium in the Department's headquarters briefing room before a news conference with the Attorney General in Washington, January 24, 2023. (Reuters File)
15 hours ago

Florida Man Indicted for Fentanyl Smuggling Scheme Using Drones

Abdulrahman Hisham, 20, an Egyptian social media content creator, looks at his page with several videos, amid a wave of cases prompting Egypt to consider tighter regulations on social media platforms at his residence in n Cairo, Egypt August, 20, 2025. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
15 hours ago

Egypt Rounds up Teenaged TikTokkers in Crackdown on Social Media

Search

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Send this to a friend