Consumer >> CEO Interviews >> June 21, 1999
JEFFREY B. O'NEILL is President and Chief Executive Officer of Golden
State Vintners. G.S.V. is the fourth largest winery in California and
the state's largest contract wine processor and vineyard owner. Mr.
O'Neill attended the University of the Pacific School of Business and
Public Administration and earned a B.S. degre in 1978. He joined Golden
State Vintners in 1983. Mr. O'Neill is credited with shifting the
unprofitable operations of California Growers Wineries (the predecessor
company to G.S.V.) from a small proprietary label wine producer into
California's leading grower and processor of wines. Today, Golden State
Vintners operates five wineries in all major grape growing regions of
California, including Fresno, Tulare, Napa and Monterey counties. It
owns 10,000 acres of vineyards and ships wine to more than 30 countries
around the world. In 1997, the company's sales exceeded $100 million.
Mr. O'Neill's industry activities include; Chairman of the American
Brandy Association; Director and Officer of the California Wine
Institute; and Young Presidents' Organization, Barbary Coast Chapter.
Additionally, Mr. O'Neill sits on the Board of Directors of Fresh
International, California's largest producer of prepackaged lettuce and
vegetables. He is also a Director of Woolf Farms, a leading grower and
processor of tomatoes, almonds, cotton and pistachios. Mr. O'Neill is a
member of the Bohemian Club, Pacific Union Club, The California Vintage
Wine Society and The Meadow Club. He and his wife, Darice Drobnick
O'Neill, have two children and reside in Marin County. sector - Profile
historical summary on the company, enough information to put us into
context, what you see as your business and what you see as
