Rick Tigner, the former president and chief executive officer of Jackson Family Wines, has joined the executive leadership team of El Tequileño, a Jalisco tequila brand owned by Paradise Spirits, the companies announced on October 5, 2026.
Paradise Spirits confirmed the move in a statement distributed through PR Newswire, and the appointment was reported by The Drinks Business, The Spirits Business, Shanken News Daily and Global Drinks Intel. El Tequileño, founded in 1959 by Don Jorge Salles Cuervo, is one of the few tequila brands that operates its own dedicated distillery, according to The Spirits Business.
Who Rick Tigner Is and What He Did at Jackson Family Wines
Tigner joined Kendall-Jackson, the California wine brand that grew into Jackson Family Wines, in 1991 as its western division manager, according to The Drinks Business. He was named president of the company in 2010 and added the chief executive title in 2015. During his tenure, he helped grow the family-owned business into a global wine portfolio that came to include more than 40 wineries, The Drinks Business reported, with operations extending to Chile, Europe, South Africa and Australia, according to a company statement cited by Just Drinks sister outlet Yahoo Finance. Jackson Family Wines announced Tigner's retirement on February 12, 2026, naming former Upfield and Nestle executive Tim Brown as his successor, according to Wine Industry Advisor. Tigner was named Wine Enthusiast's Executive of the Year in its 2025 Wine Star Awards, an honor marked in New York in January 2026, Wine Industry Advisor reported.
What Paradise Spirits and Tigner Said About the Move
Paradise Spirits founder and president Wayne Henuset said in the company's statement that Tigner is one of the most accomplished and respected commercial leaders in beverage alcohol, and that his experience would be invaluable as El Tequileño enters its next chapter of global growth. Tigner, in the same statement, said El Tequileño has the qualities that distinguish brands with enduring international potential, citing its ownership and its history rooted in place and family. He added that he was excited to expand the brand's commercial reach and deepen its global partnerships.
What Tigner's Title Actually Is
Accounts of Tigner's exact role differ. The Drinks Business reported that El Tequileño told the outlet Tigner does not have a more specific title to share at this time, describing him broadly as a member of the executive leadership team. Global Drinks Intel, however, reported that Tigner began this week in a newly created role as president of US sales and distribution. Across outlets, the stated scope of the job is consistent: strengthening commercial capabilities and distributor partnerships as El Tequileño expands in the United States and in other international markets, per the company statement carried on PR Newswire.
Where Tequila Fits in Tigner's Career Shift
Drinks Retailing News noted that Tigner's move comes as the tequila category grew by 2 percent in volume worldwide in 2025, a modest expansion compared with the double-digit growth tequila posted in prior years. No financial terms of Tigner's arrangement with Paradise Spirits have been disclosed, and neither company has said whether the hire involves an equity stake or an advisory arrangement beyond the leadership role described in the announcement.
What This Means
El Tequileño carries a TW Score of 71 of 95 in this publication's database, a rating based on the four-pillar method independent of today's personnel news. What remains unverified is the practical scope of Tigner's authority, given the conflicting title reports, and whether his wine-industry playbook translates to a spirits category with different distribution and import dynamics in the US market. Readers watching for signal should look for Tigner's name on future distributor announcements or export filings, which would clarify the role faster than any press statement has so far.