Company Profile
Founded in 1981 by Proprietor Jess Jackson, Kendall-Jackson remains a family-owned winery. Although Kendall-Jackson wines are exported to more than 30 countries around the world, the ideas that began the winery remain front and center in its day-to-day operations. That focus is on quality and value, with an eye on innovation in both production and marketing.

Challenge
Jack Ryno, general manager of Kendall-Jackson’s Lakeport Winery and Vinwood Cellars, learned about SRJC’s Workforce Training - Employment Training Panel (ETP) program from his human resources staff.

To meet the increased labor demands during the wineries’ harvest and crush season, Ryno wanted to cross train employees and instill a high-level of teamwork.

Long-time employees, who cherished their status as specialist, were skeptical. Ryno knew his support and that of other top management was essential to making the program work.

Solution
The Workforce Training staff, working with Jack Ryno, developed a customized 40-hour training program in Teambuilding. Because of the personnel diversity, the Teambuilding instruction was developed in both Spanish and English, where bi-cultural and bi-lingual issues were addressed. Jack enrolled in the training program, which served as a model for the teamwork approach he wanted to implement. The program was taught at both the Lakeport Winery and Vinwood Cellars locations.

Impact
At the conclusion of the training the wineries were gearing up for harvest and crush. Ryno said that there was a marked improvement in communication and response between departments and functions. Concentrating on team skills paid off. Kendall-Jackson processed an extra large harvest that year with the improved professional and personal interaction among the employees.

“ETP would have been much more difficult if we’d done this on our own. The Workforce Training office got us through the bureaucratic side of the program,” said Jack Ryno, “and we were able to focus on creating the best program for our employees.”

“The ETP program paid for 50-70% of Kendall-Jackson’s training costs,” Ryno said.

“The commitments are big, but the benefits are bigger.”