Our Story

David was born and raised in Atlanta and started working for Empire at a young age. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and his MBA from Emory University in Atlanta. Before joining Empire, he worked at Wachovia Bank for three years as a loan officer. In his time at Empire before becoming President of the GA operation in 1994, he worked in operations, customer service, marketing and sales. In 1998, David and his brother Michael purchased the company and devised a strategy to grow into other markets. Outside of the business, David has served on the boards of the Atlanta Speech School, The Lovett School, Shepherd Center and Fernbank Museum. David and his wife Jennifer are proud parents of three sons and two Labrador retrievers. Outside of work, David enjoys saltwater fishing, watching football, Braves games and playing golf.

Jim was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, and earned an undergraduate degree in Accounting from the University of Northern Iowa. He moved to Atlanta in 1982 and joined Empire in 1986. He has been active in the Atlanta community, serving as Treasurer on the boards for the Center for Puppetry Arts and Ansley Golf Club. Jim and his wife are the proud parents of three daughters. His other interests include golf, tennis, skeet shooting, hunting and cycling.

Prior to his time with the Kahn Ventures network of distributors, Gary worked with E&J Gallo Winery for 10 years and Johnson Brothers for 3 years. Since joining Empire, he has held several positions and been responsible for handling the budgeting process for the sales divisions, brand development and supplier relationships. Gary earned a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University. In addition to spending time with his wife and two sons, he is a member of the executive committee for WSWT and current President of the WSWG (’20-’21). Gary’s interests include hiking, skiing, hunting and golf.

Bill has over thirty years of experience in the IT field specializing in product and software development. He holds Master of Science degrees in Computer Science from Mississippi State University and Management of Technology from Georgia Institute of Technology. Bill was responsible for completing our SAP implementation, created a sales order entry strategy to replace an aging PC client system, and developed a network strategy that improved stability, secondary and tertiary backup while boosting network speed by 10 to 20 times.

Chanika is originally from Detroit, Michigan. She earned a Masters of Accounting from Georgia State University in Atlanta before becoming a CPA. Chanika then gained 10 years of experience in auditing in public accounting before joining Empire. Outside of work, she volunteers with the Make A Wish Foundation and is the proud parent of a toddler.

Originally from Bethel Park, PA, Ted earned a degree in Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Army as an officer in the Adjutant General Corps for 20 years, during which time Ted also received his Master of Education from Boston University. Prior to joining Empire Distributors, Ted was employed as the Training and HR Manager at the Georgia World Congress Center and Georgia Dome; as well as the Director of HR for an Atlanta based property management company. Ted and his wife Cathy are proud parents of three children. In his spare time Ted performs with, and leads, an Atlanta based Big Band.

During his 27 years in the spirits, wine and beer industry, Greg has had numerous roles and responsibilities managing sales, operations, purchasing, administration, finance and technology. Prior to the merger with Empire Distributors, he was the COO of Horizon Wine and Spirits. Before starting his career, he attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Worcester State College. Greg is married with three children and enjoy spending time with family, traveling, playing golf and hiking. He also volunteers for local youth and children’s charities and has coached youth sports for 15 years.

Michael’s grandfather founded Empire Distributors in Atlanta, GA, circa 1940. Michael began working in the warehouse and delivery as he worked his way through school. Michael attended both the University of Georgia and Kennesaw State College. After working for three years at Republic Land & Investment Co., he joined the family business in 1984. Working in sales and sales management Michael made the move to Charlotte, NC, in 1988 when Empire expanded in to the Carolinas and has made that his home since. He lives with his wife Wendy, two teenage boys and several dogs. Michael is an avid UGA Football fan, along with enjoying golf and fishing.

As our Attorney, Wendy is our primary strategic legal advisor on transactional and operational matters. Wendy received her J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law and previously worked in private practice in Charleston, SC. Wendy volunteers with the First Tee of Greater Austin and with the Carolina Youth Development Center, including serving as Chair from 2007-9.

Wendy Lewis, a native of Baton Rouge, LA, has more than two decades of marketing and public relations experience at high-growth entrepreneurial CPG and fashion companies. She joined Empire in 2020 to focus on expanding the company’s marketing and communications strategy across the network as well as develop digital, social and e-commerce programs. Wendy holds an MBA in Marketing from Georgia State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University. When she’s not busy chasing after her four children and rescue pup, she enjoys riding her Peloton and volunteering with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Eric S. Crane, a Georgia native, joined Empire in 2002. He held many roles at Empire before taking over the Training Department in 2007. He has achieved the title of Certified Wine Educator from the Society of Wine Educators and the title of Advanced Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Eric also serves on the Board of Directors for SommSouth, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting Wine Professionals throughout the South Eastern United States. In his spare time Eric hangs out with his family and dogs, enjoys live music, cooks, and learns about things to drink.

Shane Wilson, is a native of Arlington, Texas and has called Georgia home since 1996. He has over 20 years of distribution and safety experience with Mohawk Industries and now Empire. He joined Empire in 2013 as our Safety and Fleet Compliance Manager and then as our Director of Operations for Atlanta in 2017. Shane has been married to his wife Stacy since 2010 and has three children, with one on the way in December 2021. He enjoys spending time with his family at soccer, golf and basketball and is a big Atlanta Braves and Georgia Bulldogs fan.

Originally from Montreal, Quebec, Alan, his wife Cathy & their rescue pups, have called Georgia home since 2013. Alan pursued studies in Biochemistry & Business Management at Concordia and McGill Universities and brings over 25 years of Purchasing and leadership experience to the Empire Distributors Team from multi-national CPG organizations in the beverage and food industries. Alan & Cathy are the proud parents of a daughter & son. Outside of work, Alan is an avid football fan and has coached for many years. His other interests include cooking, creating cocktails, watching hockey, playing golf, and reading.