Pris Graham

Meet Pris Graham

Sales representative at Vehrs Distributing

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Join us as we bring you this special series on the Grapevine, celebrating this community of Washington wine industry professionals, while learning what their culture and AAPI Heritage Month means to them.

Suman Kumar: How do you identify within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community? 

Pris Graham: I was born and grew up in Thailand. I came to the US right after I graduated from college in Thailand with a degree in finance. I originally immigrated as a student for the purpose of learning English. After attending Seattle Central and graduating from their culinary arts program, I became interested in wine, and I especially became passionate about food and wine pairing. Before I knew it, I got a job as a wine sale rep. I started my career working for a small wine importing company. My initial success in my career was because a lot of Thai restaurants helped by buying wine from me because of our shared heritage. Today, I have many Asian restaurants as my accounts, and our shared culture and understanding creates a mutual trust that is valuable in what can be an intimidating industry. 

SK: What is your role within the Washington Wine Industry? 

PG: I’m a sales representative. I am currently working at Vehrs Distributing. Even though I have a specific geographic territory, I also work outside of my specific area with Asian grocery stores and many Asian restaurants, most of which are Thai restaurants.

SK: What brings you joy about your heritage and culture?

PG: Thai culture is all about food, family, and friends. I am very fortunate to be able to work with a lot of Thai restaurants. In the process of working with those restaurants, I get to visit with the owners and eat authentic Thai food that I miss but is not typically on the menu. For these foods, I have to go back to the kitchen and the chef shares it with me. It always reminds me of my culture – kind hearts and a willingness to give and share. To take care of others.

SK: Does your family have any traditions that are especially important to you?

PG: My mom is a fantastic cook, and food is our tradition. Food is love. You give the best food to the ones you love. Growing up in Thailand, my mom was the owner and chef of her own restaurant. I remember when I was fairly young, I would watch the restaurant when my mom did her daily grocery shopping in the morning. If customers came in during that time, I would offer them meatballs – one of the only things I knew how to make! As I got older, I helped in the restaurant in other ways. I owe my appreciation of and interest in food to my family traditions. Food has always been a center-point of my life and was what spurred my interest in wine. Even though wine isn’t a specific part of Thai culture, the wine business has been a space where I have found I can combine my traditions with my personal interest, and both are part of what makes me who I am today. 

SK: Who are the role models or mentors that have influenced you or helped guide you?

PG: There are many people who have helped and influenced me along my journey. Samantha Agee, former owner of A&B imports, is the person who hired me to work in the wine business after trying to apply for over 2 years. None of the big companies wanted to hire an inexperienced person in sales, especially wine sales. She hired me and gave me an opportunity to follow my dream. 

David Muttillo is the person who taught me all about sales, specifically wine sales, and guided me through the ups and downs and how to handle it mentally, logistically, emotionally, and so many other ways. I have been in the wine business for almost 10 years, and without his guidance and support, I would not have made it this long. Through him, I have learned through my failures, struggles, and successes. 

SK: What does AAPI Heritage Month mean to you

PG: I’m proud to be Thai. I feel incredibly lucky that I was born in and grew up in Thailand. Because of my upbringing, I have a greater understanding of the culture, language, and traditions. As a mother, I want to teach my daughter the importance of our beautiful Thai traditions and customs, especially showing respect to others and the way we share our love of family and friends through good food. Celebrating AAPI Month is a great way to call attention to our heritage for the next generation. We can show the importance of our roots and the beauty of our different cultures – the way we all bring our past and present together and create what we have today.