HOME / OUR FOUNDER
Sir Gary Kong is the Founder and CEO of The 1 Wine, a wine distribution company bringing premium California wines from Lodi and Napa Valley to markets for the past decade across the United States. Under his leadership, the company represents a wide range of brands across hospitality, retail, and wholesale channels, while also expanding a direct to consumer digital platform. His wine initiatives reflect a bold vision, creating rich, memorable experiences for wine enthusiasts.
A pioneer in the industry, Sir Gary is among the first Asian Americans to hold an ownership stake in a U.S. wine vineyard, blending wine, culture, and entrepreneurship. In 2018, he was formally knighted as a Knight of Winery Excellence in Monaco, recognizing his contributions to both business and the wine industry.
Sir Gary’s journey began at age 16, when he immigrated to the United States with limited financial resources and knowing very little English.
He started his career in the culinary world, working his way from dishwasher to head cook in Manhattan’s five-star restaurants. These early experiences instilled in him a relentless work ethic, resilience, and a firm belief in the pursuit of the American Dream.
Alongside his culinary career, Sir Gary developed expertise in real estate, identifying undervalued assets and executing strategic investments that grew into a diversified portfolio. After leaving the culinary industry, he expanded this portfolio into an active rental business serving both residential tenants and business owners, while also supporting philanthropic initiatives.
For more than two decades, Sir Gary helped grow Michael Diamond, Esq. into a multimillion dollar firm. His impact was driven by strategic client acquisition, relationship based business development, and disciplined long term growth planning, supporting sustained revenue expansion while continuing to scale his real estate holdings.
