ANDREW DIAZ WINKELMANN

Author’s debut book takes a novel approach to telling his family’s story STORY: Amy Meadows

filled floppy disks full of stories and comic books he penned. Yet at 14, he stopped writing and instead focused on his budding interest in the family business: Atlanta-based Diaz Foods, a leading distributor of specialty foods for the retail and food service markets. After one semester at the University of Alabama, he returned home to attend Georgia State University and began working full-time in Diaz Foods’ purchasing department. Over the next several years, he took on a variety of roles, ultimately becoming executive vice president of development and sales.

He thrived in the business world, but about five years ago, at 26, something began to bother him. “I felt like there was something missing, and it was hard to pinpoint,” he says. One December day, inspired by Stephen King’s On Writing, he began writing himself. “It was like I found a lifelong childhood friend who I hadn’t seen in years.” The overwhelming satisfaction led him to the MFA in creative writing program at Reinhardt University, where he transformed “The Cuban Dream” into The Guava Tree that was released Dec. 13, 2022, and is being translated into Spanish.

Today, Diaz Winkelmann is working on his second novel and continues to pursue his career with Diaz Foods. He does so with the support of his wife, Melissa, and their 2-year-old daughter, Cataleya, and 6-month-old son, Zeph. He also dedicates time to encouraging the next generation of Latino leaders, serving as vice chairman of the Hispanic Organization Promoting Education, on the board of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and previously as a member of the board of trustees for Springmont School. And while his schedule is full, he gladly juggles the roles of husband, father, executive and budding author.

“I’m really happy with how things are right now,” he says. “When it comes to my writing career and my business career, I realize that I don’t have to choose one or the other.

The process of writing this novel has influenced everything in my life.” n andrewdiazwinkelmann.com