Written by Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association
From Serving Our Country to Serving Livermore Valley: Honoring the Veterans Behind Our Wines
Pictured Above: Thomas Lemmons
Service takes many forms.
Sometimes it means putting on a uniform, leaving behind everything familiar, and answering the call to serve your country.
Other times, it means planting roots in a community, building something meaningful, and dedicating yourself to the people and places you call home.
For some members of the Livermore Valley wine community, these two chapters of life are connected by a shared sense of purpose.
Behind the tasting room doors, among the vineyards, and throughout our local wineries are men and women whose stories began long before their first vintage. They served in the United States Armed Forces, carried out missions around the world, and returned home with experiences that would shape the rest of their lives.
Today, they bring that same commitment, determination, and spirit of service to Livermore Valley Wine Country.
This Veterans Day, we’re proud to recognize these individuals, share their stories, and honor the contributions they’ve made, both to our country and to our community.
Thomas Lemmons: A Lifetime of Leadership and a Legacy Rooted in Livermore
U.S. Army Veteran | CEO, Lemmons Family Vineyards, Concannon Vineyard & Cuda Ridge Wines
For Thomas Lemmons, service, leadership, and a deep connection to Livermore have been defining parts of his life.
A Livermore resident for 50 years and a 1992 graduate of Livermore High School, Thomas spent more than two decades serving in the United States Army before bringing his leadership experience home to the community where his roots have always been planted.
From 1992 to 2014, Thomas served as a Captain and Black Hawk helicopter pilot, completing three overseas tours and conducting combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. His military career included serving as a company commander in Balad, Iraq, and a team leader in Bagram, Afghanistan.
His distinguished service earned numerous honors, including the Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with Valor, Meritorious Service Medal, Combat Action Badge, and several additional military decorations.
While his military career took him around the world, his connection to Livermore never wavered.
After leaving the Army, Thomas knew exactly where he wanted to build his future.
“I knew my roots would be planted in Livermore,” he shares.
Today, Thomas is CEO of Lemmons Family Vineyards, which owns both the historic Concannon Vineyard and Cuda Ridge Wines, now located together at the Concannon Estate.
His family’s journey in the wine industry began nearly a decade ago with the purchase of 40 acres of vineyards in Livermore’s Crane Ridge community. What started with that investment has grown into an ambitious vision for the future of one of California’s most historic wine properties.
Thomas is currently overseeing the replanting of approximately 160 acres of vines at Concannon, along with the restoration and renovation of existing estate structures and the development of new hospitality and event spaces.
Plans include an outdoor wedding venue to complement the property’s new indoor event space, additional food offerings, and the possibility of a future hotel.
For Thomas, these projects represent more than business development. They are an opportunity to preserve an important piece of Livermore Valley’s history while helping shape its next chapter.
And much of the confidence and experience he brings to that responsibility can be traced directly to his military service.
“As a commander in the military, the structure that they teach officers is how to run organizations,” Thomas explains. “The leadership skills learned from my time in the military prepared me to run businesses in the civilian sector.”
He credits much of his success to the values instilled during his years of service, particularly hard work, integrity, and dedication.
Those values also influence the people he chooses to work alongside. Several of the vice presidents across his companies are fellow military veterans, individuals whose shared experiences and commitment to leadership continue to play an important role in his businesses.
For Thomas, the transition from military service to business leadership wasn’t simply a change in career. It was an opportunity to apply the lessons of a lifetime to something he believes in deeply.
And today, that means helping ensure that Livermore Valley’s remarkable winemaking legacy continues for generations to come.
Steve Ziganti: From Military Communications to a Life in Wine
U.S. Air Force Veteran | Owner & Winemaker, 3 Steves Winery
For Steve Ziganti, the journey from military service to winemaking began with a few friends, some homemade wine, and an interest that would eventually become a second career.
But long before 3 Steves Winery became part of the Livermore Valley wine community, Steve was serving his country in the United States Air Force.
Steve enlisted on January 24, 1972, and served until August 12, 1976, finishing his military career as a Sergeant with the 3rd Mobile Communications Group.
His service took him across the United States and around the world.
After completing basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, he received technical training at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi and satellite communications training at Fort Monmouth in New Jersey.
He was subsequently stationed at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, with additional assignments and temporary duty taking him to Florida, Hawaii, Thailand, Turkey, the Azores, and the Philippines.
His work in military communications placed him in the middle of significant international events, including the evacuation of Saigon and tensions between Turkey and Greece over Cyprus.
During one assignment, Steve and his unit were sent to a remote communications site in Turkey, where they took over communications operations and monitored the developing conflict.
It was an experience that required adaptability, responsibility, and the ability to work effectively under challenging circumstances.
When Steve completed his military service in 1976, he returned to his hometown of Healdsburg, California, where an entirely different interest began to take shape.
That same year, he and a group of friends made their first batch of homemade wine.
What began as a hobby continued for several years before life took him in other directions. Around 2000, Steve returned to home winemaking with another group of friends, rediscovering the enjoyment and satisfaction of creating wine.
Then, in 2008, after retiring from his previous career, he decided to turn that passion into something more.
3 Steves Winery was born.
Today, Steve is the owner and winemaker at 3 Steves Winery and serves on the board of directors for the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association, helping support the continued growth and success of the region.
While his career has taken him from military communications to the vineyards of Livermore Valley, the lessons he learned in the Air Force have remained constant.
“Lots of lessons about responsibility, work ethic, always giving back to your community and treating your fellow man like you’d like to be treated,” Steve shares.
For him, those values are more than words. They are principles he continues to live by, both personally and professionally.
Steve also remembers a time when returning veterans weren’t always met with the appreciation and respect they deserved.
“When I got out of the service veterans were not respected,” he recalls. “Today people thank veterans for their service, which I always do.”
That experience has shaped his perspective on the importance of recognizing those who have served.
“I’m proud to have served and believe we don’t do enough for those who have,” he says. “A veteran will always be welcomed at 3 Steves and treated with respect.”
It’s a sentiment that speaks volumes about the man behind the wine.
For Steve, service didn’t end when he left the Air Force. It simply took on a different form, through his work, his winery, and his ongoing commitment to the community around him.
A Shared Commitment to Something Greater
Every veteran’s journey is different.
Some return home with a clear plan for the future. Others discover an unexpected passion or find themselves on a path they never could have imagined while serving.
But as these stories remind us, the values developed through military service often remain long after the uniform comes off.
Leadership. Integrity. Perseverance. Responsibility. Camaraderie. A willingness to work hard and contribute to something greater than oneself.
These qualities are also at the heart of a strong wine community.
Winemaking requires patience, dedication, trust, and teamwork. It brings together people with different skills, backgrounds, and experiences, all working toward a common goal.
And in Livermore Valley, that spirit of collaboration extends well beyond the vineyard.
Our wineries are more than places where exceptional wines are produced. They’re family businesses, gathering places, community partners, and the realization of dreams that often take years of dedication to achieve.
The veterans who are part of this community bring with them experiences and perspectives that enrich it in countless ways.
Their contributions remind us that service isn’t necessarily defined by a single chapter of life. It can become a lifelong commitment to making a difference wherever you find yourself.
With Gratitude, Today and Every Day
Veterans Day is an opportunity to reflect on the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of the men and women who have served in our nation’s Armed Forces.
It’s also a chance to recognize the lives they’ve built after their military service, the families they’ve raised, the businesses they’ve created, and the communities they’ve helped strengthen.
Here in Livermore Valley Wine Country, we’re fortunate to count veterans among our winery owners, winemakers, growers, hospitality professionals, and neighbors.
Their stories are an important part of our community’s story.
To Thomas, Steve, and all the veterans who call Livermore Valley home, we offer our sincere gratitude.
Thank you for the years you dedicated to serving our country.
Thank you for the lessons, leadership, and experiences you continue to share.
And thank you for the many ways you contribute to the community we’re so proud to call our own.
From serving our country to serving Livermore Valley, your commitment to making a difference continues to inspire us.
This Veterans Day, we raise a glass in your honor.
With gratitude, respect, and appreciation for your service.
Happy Veterans Day from the Livermore Valley Wine Community.