Henry Preiss

Career
After a successful 34 years, in 2008 Henry Preiss sold his company Preiss Imports to the Griffin Group. The Griffin Group owned by Keith Greggor and Anthony Foglio. They saw an opportunity, which at the time was unique, in purchasing the company built by Henry Preiss.
Preiss Imports, through Henry Preiss, has been acknowledged to be a pioneer in developing small premium brands and placing them strategically with distributors in virtually every market of the USA. The decisions to veer away from wines in the early 90’s and concentrate on premium liquor specialties uniquely placed Preiss Imports at the forefront of what became the mixology revolution.
While Preiss Imports was an ICONIC company in the way it brought to market and managed 33 suppliers from Europe and Australia, it also managed to forge strong relationships in the entire supply chain from producer through to the end consumer. This relationship building process was a unique one and utilized Henry’s ability to connect with all levels of the trade.
1968 First taste of the business
Henry started his carrier at a tender age of 16 years old in the wine and spirits industry as a warehouse clean up boy. He went on to delivery and then explored other opportunities including earning his business associates degree at Rio Hondo College. Never one to sit around, Henry decided not to go on to a four year university but go headstrong into the wine and spirits business with his father Erich Preiss.
1974 Entering the Industry full time
Erich brought his family from Germany in March of 1961 along with a few German spirits, beer and food products. In 1974 when Henry became full time at Erich Preiss Co., the then importer of brands such as Jaegermeister, Verpoorten, Peter Nicolay and Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler wines, Pellerin Wines, Classified Bordeaux wines, Dortmunder Actien Beer and many other fine German, European, Argentinian and Australian products. The primary focus at Erich Preiss was spirits. It didn’t take long for Erich to send Henry out to meet suppliers, and it didn’t take Henry long to fall in love with wines. After several trips to Germany’s Wine Country, Henry came back from his travels to find a hungry group of retailers that clamored for him to give seminars; not something being done much in the 70’s. The seminars connected Henry directly with consumers which helped to develop the skill sets that would become one of the strongest traits Henry possessed: to be in touch with people and their desire to learn about products from faraway places. It also instilled a passion and never ending thirst for finding interesting products and helping them to gain a foothold in the vast American market.

1976 Erich Preiss Co is sold
In 1976 Erich Preiss sold his company to John Anderson, a successful Los Angeles entrepreneur. Henry became Vice President of the Erich Preiss Co. After four years Henry displayed his desire to expand in his career and left Erich Preiss Co. to form Preiss International.
1980 Henry forms Preiss International Co
After leaving Erich Preiss Co, Henry formed Preiss International Co which over the course of the next seven years imported beers such as Berliner Kindl Weisse, Hacker-Pschorr, many Germany specialties in both wines and spirits, Niepoort Ports, and Italian wines. The years at Preiss International helped hone Henry’s skills in running an import company.
1987 Preiss Imports is formed
In 1987 Henry formed what would become known as Preiss Imports and have a long run of success resulting with sale of Preiss Imports in September of 2008.
Nearly 300 products from 33 suppliers were brought to market during the building of Preiss Imports. Many have become mainstay brands for professional bartenders and aficionados looking for the best.
2008 until October 2012
After the sale of Preiss Imports Henry continued in the position of CEO/President until the merging of Preiss Imports and Anchor Brewers and Distillers in August of 2010, when Berry Bros and Rudd joined Keith Greggor and Anthony Foglio to create Anchor Brewers and Distillers. At this time Henry moved into the positions of Executive Vice President on the spirits side of the company.
November 2012
HPS Epicurean (later to take back the Preiss Imports name) will be formed on November 1, 2012. HPS Epicurean’s main focus in its first year will be Banks Rum. In addition to Banks, the firm will break ground in handling gourmet foods and specialty products.
Through a connection which started nearly 27 years ago, Henry has been asked to work with Arnaud de Trabuc as Senior Consultant to the CEO of Banks Rum and to help further develop the brand in the USA and to further include Canada in the future as well.
Organizations
1974 – Wine and Spirits Importers Club - until disbandment: An organization with members of all the great companies of the time, Seagram, Schenly, Jules Berman Associates (Kahlua), Heublein, American Distillers, Brown Forman and many others.
1978 – Hucksters: A group at the time that helped inner city children to see the job opportunities that exist with help from the spirits industry.
1978 – Henry becomes President of the Wine and Spirits Importers Club, the youngest person to ever be in the President’s position.
1975 – 1984 Les Amis du Vin
Wine and Spirits Guild as a supplier
1997 – 2008 WSWA – Silver Membership
Awards
2000 – Recognized by Fourcroy (the then owners of Mandarine Napoleon) as one of their leading importers
2008 – Preiss imports recognized by the Wine Enthusiasts as a Wine Star among 4 other companies under the category, Spirits Importer of the year.
2009 – Awarded the prestigious Merit de Agricole from the French Government for exceptional service to promoting and fostering French foods and beverages. Few Americans have ever been awarded this honor.
2009 – Henry Preiss was the guest speaker for the American Distilling Institute’s annual meeting
2009 – Henry Preiss named Who’s Who of San Diego, California Business Professionals
2010 – Henry Preiss was inducted into the Order of the Musketeers of Gascony
A Legacy
It could be said that Henry Preiss is part of legacy in America, continuing to carry forward the Preiss Family name in the Beverage Alcohol Industry. A legacy started in 1961 when Henry’s father brought the family to America. For the better part of Henry’s life, he has been a part off the industry and a pioneer in many ways.
Henry Preiss has had the pleasure of importing and marketing an incredibly long and rich list of specialty products in America.
Few people in the Beverage Alcohol Industry can say they have worked in every capacity from warehousing up to the executive suite. Henry has handled not only building sales, so crucial to any success, but customs brokerage work, IT applications, software application, marketing, people management, education, key note speaking for industry professionals as well as at local universities to business students.
Henry is always pushing the envelope to get to the next level and help further goodwill.