J. Matt Nickels

Corporate Wine Manager @Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment

Sales ManagerTutorPartnerships ManagerSales & BizDevProfessorCustomer Success ManagerEducationLecturerBusiness OwnerAssistantExecutive Assistant🎓 StudentAccount Manager

J. Matt Nickels is a seasoned educator and dynamic professional with over two decades of diverse experience spanning hospitality, education, business-to-business sales, and military service. With a unique blend of leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills, J. Matt brings a versatile and people-centered approach to every role he undertakes. J. Matt’s career in hospitality, which began in 1998, includes extensive experience in fine dining, hotel management, and restaurant operations. He has served in nearly every capacity—from Sommelier to General Manager to Owner/Operator—gaining deep insight into team leadership, customer service, inventory management, and strategic planning. In parallel with his hospitality career, J. Matt has spent nearly a decade as an educator. He has taught at the high school, college, and corporate levels, including roles as an Adjunct Professor of English at Cincinnati State Technical & Community College and a corporate trainer for Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment. His teaching spans subjects such as language arts, social studies, and professional development, where he is known for mentoring, curriculum oversight, and instructional design. From 2014 to 2020, J. Matt excelled in B2B alcohol wholesale sales, quickly rising to become the #2 companywide in gross sales by his second year. His success stemmed from his ability to build lasting client relationships and deliver tailored solutions that consistently surpassed targets. A U.S. Army veteran, J. Matt served in infantry, food service, and human resources roles, including a deployment to Baghdad, Iraq. His military experience honed his adaptability, resilience, and leadership under pressure. J. Matt holds a Master of Education from Xavier University, with a focus on Language Arts and Social Sciences, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Loyola University Chicago, where he also pursued minors in History, Jewish Studies, Women’s Studies, and Medieval Studies. Through every chapter of his multifaceted career, J.