Throughout a career spanning more than 25 years, Rhonda Motil has established herself as a highly respected and dynamic wine industry marketing executive. As vice president, marketing for J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Rhonda directs J. Lohr’s globally admired in-house marketing program, while managing the winery’s key communications, design and digital media partners. At the same time, leveraging her extensive background in the technology sector, Rhonda has played a pivotal role in establishing J. Lohr at the forefront of wine industry internet marketing and new media strategy—helping to create visionary programs that have earned J. Lohr accolades for its effective approach to consumer engagement.
Raised in Pennsylvania, Rhonda earned bachelor degrees in management and marketing from Gannon University, before receiving a master’s in business administration from the University of Dayton. Rhonda began her career in the Outstanding Scholars Program for the Department of Defense’s Logistics Agency, before going on to work as a product marketing and market analysis manager for Sterling Commerce. In 1998, she moved to California to become vice president, product marketing for Advanced Data Exchange, and later vice president, corporate marketing for iPIN, where she managed digital payment product launch activities in the U.S., France, England and Hong Kong.
During her years in Silicon Valley, Rhonda developed a passion for wine and spent weekends exploring wineries and tasting rooms. In 2002, this appreciation of wine inspired Rhonda to accept Jerry Lohr’s offer for the position as the executive director of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association (MCVGA), where she spent more than a decade managing all aspects of operations, and increased membership programs by over 85%. In this role, Rhonda also oversaw the association’s regional branding efforts, hosting national media and trade tours, and acting as an advocate and spokesperson for the Monterey grape industry.
In January of 2013, Rhonda joined the J. Lohr team as senior marketing director. Rhonda established herself as an integral part of the J. Lohr leadership team, making significant contributions to the winery’s marketing program. In 2016, Rhonda was named Cynthia Lohr’s handpicked successor as VP of marketing for J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines. In this position, she works closely with President/COO Jeff Meier and the entire Lohr family to establish and execute the long-term marketing vision for J. Lohr.
Most recently, Rhonda has led marketing efforts in the rollout of two new wine tiers for J. Lohr. These have included the highly-regarded J. Lohr Signature and J. Lohr Pure Paso™ tiers. Additional initiatives have included working with the team to oversee the rebranding and repackaging of the J. Lohr Estates and J. Lohr Vineyard Series wines, developing key on-premise and off-premise campaign strategies, managing the winery’s social media and influencer programs, and working to facilitate upwards of 175 J. Lohr events annually around the country. Rhonda has also helped to transform the way J. Lohr engages with its customers, with digitally optimized consumer and trade tools, and a social media and influencer program that has cemented J. Lohr’s status in the top echelon of consumer engagement rates in the industry.
Rhonda also advocates on behalf of several industry associations serving as a board member for the Arroyo Seco Winegrowers Associations, and as a member of the Wine Institute marketing communications committee, Women of the Vine & Spirits, and the Chief Marketing Officer Council.