Revolution Moto man likes to give back

Roy Gattinella teaches his Introduction to Marketing class at Santa Rosa Junior College. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)

Roy Gattinella of Santa Rosa describes himself as a “marketing guy, professor and troubadour” on his LinkedIn profile.

But most everyone knows him as the charismatic co-founder of Revolution Moto in Santa Rosa, where he and his wife, Johnna, sell a line of Italian Vespa scooters that has injected Wine Country with a whiff of la dolce vita.

But the engine that really drives this multi-faceted marketing maven is his desire to give back.

“I have strong beliefs in social responsibility,” said Gattinella, who has worked as a marketing instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College for the past 12 years. “I teach five courses every semester, and I’m challenged by it every day.”

Most recently, Gattinella has been challenged by SRJC President Frank Chong to come up with a new advertising campaign for the campus.

“Roy is a force of nature,” Chong said. “He brings great energy, ideas and creative juices that inspire our students.”

Chong also asked Gattinella to reinvigorate the college’s 30-year-old Small Business Management program.

“I have designed an Entrepreneurship Program, not just to teach about how to be business owners but to find that spark of creativity where great ideas come from,” Gattinella said. “It will tie together the junior college, the county, local high schools, private industry, investors and innovators.”

According to Sonoma County Economic Development Board Director Ben Stone, self-employment is the wave of the future, especially in Sonoma County, where the median size of a company is six employees.

“Since Roy is an entrepreneur himself, he can speak with experience about the opportunities and the challenges,” Stone said. “It takes vision and courage and being able to execute successfully.”

Born in 1958, Gattinella grew up in an Italian-American family in a suburb of Philadelphia. His father worked as an engineer for Sun Oil and his mother was a “Life Master”-level bridge player.

Gattinella started jazz piano lessons in 9th grade. By the time he was a junior, he was playing music professionally.

“I made a ton of cash,” he said. “That’s when I learned how to eat, and what good food was.”

While studying political science at Widener College in Chester, Pa., he opened his own retail music store.

“I always wanted to be in the business of music,” he said. “We sold drum sets and guitars.”