Founder, Koos Manufacturing Inc.

Ku moved to Los Angeles from Seoul in 1975 with his parents and launched Koos Manufacturing in 1985. At its beginning, the jeans company made clothing for Lucky Brand, Calvin Klein, Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, Banana Republic and J. Crew. In 2000 he developed his own jeans brand with designer Adriano Goldschmied, called AG Adriano Goldschmied. Goldschmied was a co-creator of Diesel. Ku bought out Goldschmied in 2004. The company runs a production facility in South Gate and employs more than 500. It operates 17 AG stores, which employ 250 staffers.

YEARS ON THE LA500: 4