Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/551222
august 2015 / the tasting panel / 95 G rowing up the daughter of pioneering winemaker Jerry Lohr, Cynthia Lohr spent much of her childhood skipping through the vineyard and playing hide-and-seek in the J. Lohr Vineyard & Wines barrel room. But when it came to pursuing a career, she explored many other avenues before circling back to the wine industry. A deep love of languages led Lohr to major in French at U.C. Davis, where she also developed a passion for performing Eastern European vocal music with sev- eral renowned ensembles. Directly after college, she dabbled in social services, as well as non-profit arts administration. But Lohr's career is defined by her tenure as a public relations and marketing executive in the booming tech industry of the mid-90s. "It's a driving force of my life to reach for poten- tials, whether that's for organizations or people," says Lohr, whose initiatives included the develop- ment of brand messaging for Yahoo!, as well as taking the company public. "Those were the heavy days, when you couldn't work enough hours or achieve enough for your clients; the more success- ful you were, the more impact you had." Lohr decided to apply to business school when she discovered she was pregnant with her daugh- ter, prompting her eventual return to J. Lohr and the wine industry. "I'd always known I would return to work at the winery, but I'd wanted some time under my belt first. Coming from technology, I had fresh eyes." As Vice President of Marketing for J. Lohr Vineyard & Wines, Lohr and her team have lifted the brand's visibility across the marketplace in both traditional and new media. Fortunately, she says, she's never knowingly experienced gender discrimination. "Entering the wine industry, I might have been underestimated, but I was probably blind to it because I came in confidently from the tech industry, where they're looking for ambitious, driven people [regardless of gender]." She shares that at J. Lohr, "every employee has to prove them- selves because we hire based on merit," citing the recent hiring of Kristen Barnhisel as Winemaker, White Wine. Lohr values a deep connection to her community and volunteers on several boards, including the advisory board of the recently launched Women of the Vine trade alliance, which supports profession- als and companies to bring greater gender diversity to the alcohol beverage industry. "It spurs such an important dialogue that deserves to be at the forefront: How can we move forward to achieve the potential of women in the wine and spirits industry to have greater impact?" When asked how she finds balance between home and work responsibilities, she says, "As women, we're all navigating the territory out there. We learn from one another how to do it. Frankly, I think I just compartmentalize. When I'm in business mode, I give it my all. When I'm home, I'm not on my computer after six o'clock unless my daughter's having a sleepover or isn't around. That's how I survive." Lohr is also a firm believer in rising early to sneak time, usually as early as 5 or 5:30 a.m., and bypass- ing peak traffic hours when heading in and out of the office. "I believe in having face-time with my teams and setting expectations, but, for working women, it's more important to demonstrate impact than to be in the office eight-to-five," she says. "I beg, borrow and steal time. It's always a challenge, but I feel grateful for the opportunities I have." About Women of the Vine ® Women of the Vine is a membership-based alliance that empowers and equips women worldwide to advance their careers in the alcohol beverage industry, fostering gender diversity and talent development across the industry at large. The Women of the Vine Global Symposium is scheduled for April 4–6, 2016 in Napa, CA. For more information, visit www.WomenoftheVine.com. Cynthia Lohr: A Woman of the Vine by Jaime Lewis / photo by Doug Young