Jeff O’Neill SACRAMENTO, CA, December 12, 2019 – The 2020 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium is set to open on Tuesday, February 4, at Cal Expo in Sacramento, with three days of networking, learning about the latest technological advances, and critical trends and information required to plan for the year ahead. The 2020 Unified Symposium opens with a luncheon featuring keynote speaker Jeff O’Neill, CEO of O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, the 7^th largest winery in California. Mr. O’Neill has led his company on a path of dramatic growth in the past six years by entering the consumer branded business that has surpassed one million 9L cases sold in 2019. His candid talk will explore the many challenges and opportunities facing the wine industry today, including consolidation, consumer trend shifts, increased competition and more.

Mr. O’Neill entered the wine business in 1985 when he founded Golden State Vintners with a private equity group and served as the CEO for 19 years. He launched O’Neill Vintners & Distillers in 2004 as an innovative, privately owned California winery that produced premium quality wines and spirits through vertically integrated operations. The business has grown to become one of the largest premium varietal wine and brandy producers with a reputation for producing high quality wines from the North Coast, Central Coast and Central Valley. O’Neill’s growing portfolio includes the company’s fast growing Line 39, as well as the other brands in the company’s national brands’ portfolio that include Robert Hall, Harken, Exitus, Day Owl and Intercept.  

“At this year’s Unified, industry members will undoubtedly be talking about the unprecedented challenges and many complexities facing the wine business,” says O’Neill. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to contribute to that discussion and to share our perspective at O’Neill Vintners & Distillers on the many challenges and opportunities confronting wineries and grape growers.”

Registration for the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium is online at www.unifiedsymposium.org or by calling (888) 529-9272. The Keynote Luncheon is a separate fee. For more information about registration, visit the website or click here. The 2020 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium will be held on February 4-6, with exhibits open on February 5 and 6, at Cal Expo in Sacramento. Cal Expo is located at 1600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815.

 Built with the joint input of growers, vintners and allied industry members, the Unified Symposium serves as a clearinghouse of information important to wine and grape industry professionals. The Unified Symposium also hosts the industry’s largest trade show of its kind, with 700 vendors displaying their products and services.  For more information, go to www.unifiedsymposium.org.

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