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10 Questions for Clay Gregory President, Jackson Family Wines
Clay Gregory of Jackson Family Wines. Jennifer Huffman/Register | Buy photos
Each Wednesday the Napa Valley Register’s Business Focus asks “10 Questions” of a local entrepreneur or businessperson. Readers are welcome to suggest business people to be profiled.
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Clay Gregory of Jackson Family Wines was in wine country when he took a call on his cell phone Monday, but not the same wine country you might think.
Gregory is in France, one of his favorite places to visit both for work and fun.
Gregory is in France, one of his favorite places to visit both for work and fun.
“I’d like to live for at least a year in Paris and become fluent in French,” he said.
“The whole country of France treats wine and food like Napa Valley treats wine and food.”
“The whole country of France treats wine and food like Napa Valley treats wine and food.”
“It’s part of everyday life – it’s not something that has to be a special occasion. And that just feels right,” he said.
How is his French?
How is his French?
“My best French is around the table,” said Gregory with a laugh.
What three people would you most like to have dinner with?
Thomas Jefferson, Bob Dylan and Woody Allen. It would be an interesting mix of characters.
How did you get into this business?
I was very lucky to be hired by Robert Mondavi Winery as a marketing manager in 1989. I left a great job in Silicon Valley with Motorola to pursue my dream career in wine — so far, so good.
What’s the worst job you ever had?
Pot washer at Little Bit o’ Sweden smorgasbord, in San Jose in 1972. Every pot had five or six inches of burned food on the bottom — not fun.
I can’t live without ...
My wife, Tersilla and our three basset hounds – Penelope, Beatrice and Annabelle.
Who do you most admire in the business world?
The late Robert Mondavi, Jess Jackson, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett (the latter two for their incredible contributions to charity)
What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?
I’ve ridden off-road motorcycles for the vast majority of my life. Unfortunately that stopped about 10 years ago when I fractured two vertebra in a stupid accident on a motocross track. That was horrible timing. It was the weekend Tim Mondavi announced I would be promoted to be general manager at Robert Mondavi Winery. I missed the first week of my new job. And I stood for two months. I could either stand or lay down because of my back.
What is your favorite charity?
Napa Humane. They do fantastic work in helping ensure that every adoptable pet has a loving and appropriate home. I admit to some bias as I’m president of the board of directors for the organization this year, but even if I weren’t, Napa Humane would still be my favorite charity.
What was your childhood ambition?
To be a radio broadcaster for the San Francisco Giants — just like Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons.
What’s the most significant project you’ve been involved with in your career?
The renovation of Robert Mondavi Winery in the late 1990s. It was about a $30 million project that significantly improved the quality of the wines and the visitor experience. Amazingly, we finished it on time and within $100,000 of the budget.
What other business person(s) would you like to see featured in “10 Questions?”
Jane Albert, executive director of Napa Humane
Steve Carlin, founder and CEO of the Oxbow Public Market
Mark Pope, proprietor of Bounty Hunter Rare Wine and Provisions
Carmen Policy, proprietor of Casa Piena winery
More from Clay Gregory
What’s your favorite gift to give?
Books and wine, of course.
What was your first job?
Paperboy of the San Jose Mercury News. My friend Neil Boyle would help me almost every morning at about 5 a.m. In return, I would take him out to breakfast at Sambo’s and we’d spend more than I made for the day.
What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Finding ways for our wines to break through the clutter of thousands and thousands of other wine offerings.
What’s one thing Napa could do to help local business?
Stream line governmental processes such as permitting.
If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
At our home in Napa with Tersilla, Penny, Bea, Annabelle, the sheep, goats and hens. But on holiday virtually anywhere in France would be nice too.
What’s on your to-do list?
Make a to-do list.
If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I would move our headquarters from Santa Rosa to Napa.
To suggest a candidate for “10 Questions” e-mail: jhuffman@napanews.com
What three people would you most like to have dinner with?
Thomas Jefferson, Bob Dylan and Woody Allen. It would be an interesting mix of characters.
How did you get into this business?
I was very lucky to be hired by Robert Mondavi Winery as a marketing manager in 1989. I left a great job in Silicon Valley with Motorola to pursue my dream career in wine — so far, so good.
What’s the worst job you ever had?
Pot washer at Little Bit o’ Sweden smorgasbord, in San Jose in 1972. Every pot had five or six inches of burned food on the bottom — not fun.
I can’t live without ...
My wife, Tersilla and our three basset hounds – Penelope, Beatrice and Annabelle.
Who do you most admire in the business world?
The late Robert Mondavi, Jess Jackson, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett (the latter two for their incredible contributions to charity)
What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?
I’ve ridden off-road motorcycles for the vast majority of my life. Unfortunately that stopped about 10 years ago when I fractured two vertebra in a stupid accident on a motocross track. That was horrible timing. It was the weekend Tim Mondavi announced I would be promoted to be general manager at Robert Mondavi Winery. I missed the first week of my new job. And I stood for two months. I could either stand or lay down because of my back.
What is your favorite charity?
Napa Humane. They do fantastic work in helping ensure that every adoptable pet has a loving and appropriate home. I admit to some bias as I’m president of the board of directors for the organization this year, but even if I weren’t, Napa Humane would still be my favorite charity.
What was your childhood ambition?
To be a radio broadcaster for the San Francisco Giants — just like Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons.
What’s the most significant project you’ve been involved with in your career?
The renovation of Robert Mondavi Winery in the late 1990s. It was about a $30 million project that significantly improved the quality of the wines and the visitor experience. Amazingly, we finished it on time and within $100,000 of the budget.
What other business person(s) would you like to see featured in “10 Questions?”
Jane Albert, executive director of Napa Humane
Steve Carlin, founder and CEO of the Oxbow Public Market
Mark Pope, proprietor of Bounty Hunter Rare Wine and Provisions
Carmen Policy, proprietor of Casa Piena winery
More from Clay Gregory
What’s your favorite gift to give?
Books and wine, of course.
What was your first job?
Paperboy of the San Jose Mercury News. My friend Neil Boyle would help me almost every morning at about 5 a.m. In return, I would take him out to breakfast at Sambo’s and we’d spend more than I made for the day.
What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Finding ways for our wines to break through the clutter of thousands and thousands of other wine offerings.
What’s one thing Napa could do to help local business?
Stream line governmental processes such as permitting.
If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
At our home in Napa with Tersilla, Penny, Bea, Annabelle, the sheep, goats and hens. But on holiday virtually anywhere in France would be nice too.
What’s on your to-do list?
Make a to-do list.
If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I would move our headquarters from Santa Rosa to Napa.
To suggest a candidate for “10 Questions” e-mail: jhuffman@napanews.com
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