Throwback Thursday - A Diva for all Seasons, Jennifer Turton Molgat
Remember this? Kelowna's Jennifer Turton Molgat graced the cover of Okanagan Woman Magazine in the Spring of 2013. We loved the photo of her in an elegant formal gown and gum boots! Comfortable hauling cases of wine, driving a forklift, or attending community and fundraising events, Jennier is a renaissance Okanagan Woman. For throwback Thursday, here's that story again
A DIVA for all Seasons
Story by Angela McManus
It’s undeniable in business that the only way to legitimately carry the title of “Head Diva” is to absolutely not be one. Meet Jennifer Turton-Molgat, President and Head Diva of The View Winery. Here you will find a successful woman, who despite the cheeky title (the tagline for the winery is ‘serious wines with a sense of humour’) is in fact the antithesis of the classic diva. She hauls hundreds of cases of wine each year to events around the province, negotiates a forklift with ease and grace, sports black rubber boots (designer ones of course!) on the crush pad and manages three dynamic and diverse teams: her family, The View Winery and WARDs Cidery. Add to this her dedication to the community via The View Cares: Red Shoe Program (which raises funds and donates thousands of bottles to charity and community events) and you truly have a renaissance Okanagan woman.
If success can be measured by the demand for your time, then Jennifer Turton-Molgat is a success. She is admired greatly by her staff team as they support her in finding the right balance while she negotiates the demands of a busy public relations schedule for the winery, her children’s sports and artistic endeavours and her dedication to her equine companion Lazaro.
Hard work comes naturally to a woman whose Great Grandfather George Ward settled the very land on which the winery is located in 1922. The ties to her agricultural heritage are deeply rooted and fuel her passion for the orchards and vineyards that have sustained the Turton-Ward families for five generations.
It takes a courageous woman to leave her comfortable and happy career as a teacher and dedicate herself to the family business. And while she and her husband Kent had the dream of one day developing a winery, the dream was realized sooner than anticipated when her Father Chris suggested Jennifer make a start of this in 2006 on the family property. She embraced the opportunity. The Winery dream was quickly underway as was the resulting work-load which she tackles with an energy reminiscent of ‘wonder woman’.
If success can be measured in units of energy, then Jennifer is a success. Her typical day starts at 6 a.m. getting her family ready for the day. From then on her daily agenda is non-stop including over-seeing winery and vineyard operations, marketing and PR, attending events, tending to customers and the needs of her team and when time permits sneaking in her solace time at the end of the day with Lazaro.
Jennifer is an inspiring woman in that she, like so many modern women whose ‘cup runneth over ‘ (with work!) manages to do all these things with a particular panache and grace and never without a smile. She has an effervescent energy combined with a modest and approachable style which translates noticeably to the brand that she has created for The View Winery and its wines: quality, fun, approachable and flirty.
Under her leadership, the 2012 season at The View Winery launched its newly renovated wine shop and tasting room alongside its charity umbrella, The View Cares: Red Shoe Program. The season was an incredible success with thousands of visitor’s flocking to the ‘sexy winery’ known for its flirty Red Shoe label and hand-crafted Pinotage and aromatic white wines. The feedback from visitors was consistent. Not only did they find the wines approachable and enjoyable, so too did they enjoy the entire winery experience complete with its rich history and historic packinghouse cleverly juxtaposed to sexy red shoes. Add to this View Couture merchandising (ladies buzzing around the Red Shoe Red lipstick and nail polish display) and welcoming wine shop divas and one can quickly see why guests were enchanted.
If success can be measured by creating something truly unique, then Jennifer Turton-Molgat is a success. In a BC marketplace now dotted with more than 200 wineries, Jennifer has carved a stand-out brand that sets itself apart from the pack with its perfectly balanced marriage of Okanagan agricultural roots in the historic fruit packinghouse and a fresh and modern sexy Red Shoe label. Add to this the burgeoning sales (in BC and the USA) of Wards Hard Apple cider, and it is clear to see that this dynamic Head Diva will have no time for putting her Red Stiletto heels up on the desk any time soon.
