Rhonda Motil
Vice President, Marketing
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 agency 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 marketing and 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 analyst 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. 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. The area was named as “Wine Region of the Year” under her tenure.
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 Cynthia Lohr’s handpicked successor for the role of VP of marketing for J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines. In this position, she works closely with 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 evolution of the wine industry landscape. Her focus has included new product launches and wine tier expansions, packaging innovations, and in-depth consumer segmentation. Additional initiatives have included working with the team to oversee the way J. Lohr engages with its customers, with digitally optimized consumer and trade tools, holistic campaign initiatives, 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 has been recognized as a 2024 Silicon Valley Top 100 Women of Influence, a 2023 Bay Area Woman of Impact and led the marketing efforts behind the 2023 Stevie Award Best Marketing Campaign in Beverage & Alcohol for the #JLohrWomen initiative. She advocates on behalf of several industry associations serving as a board member for the Arroyo Seco Winegrowers Associations, Marketing Chair of the Paso Robles CAB Collective, Advisory Council member for the National Breast Cancer Foundation, and as a member of the Wine Institute marketing communications committee and Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation committee.