The Craig Williamson era at the Cigar Association of America (CAA) is coming to a close. Today the CAA announced that David Ozgo will become its new President effective December 6th, 2021. Ozgo comes to the CAA from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) where he served as the Senior Vice President. […]
President Joe Biden has announced he has nominated Dr. Robert Califf to return as U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner. Califf served as Deputy Commissioner of the FDA’s Office of Medical Products and Tobacco from January 2015 through February 2016. He was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to […]
Gabriel Alvarez, a long-time cigar industry veteran, passed away suddenly on October 25, 2021. Alvarez worked on the retail and brand side of the cigar business. He was best known for his reputation as a brand launcher. In his career, Alvarez would introduce three separate cigar companies to the U.S. market. Few get the unique […]
Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) has formally announced that Justin Andrews, senior brand manager for Diesel, has been promoted to New Business Development Manager of the company’s North American Branded and Rest of World divisions. Andrews will also continue to oversee the Diesel brand. The move becomes effective November 1st. Andrews mentioned the promotion on Take 186 […]
Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S (STG) has announced it is expanding the sales team for Forged Cigar Company. This includes a naming a new regional manager for the Southern Region and the addition of new sales representatives. In a press release, Sean Hardiman, national sales manager of Forged Cigar Company said, “In the eight months since […]
Javier Estades Saez, President and CEO of Tabacalera USA Inc. has once again been elected as Chairman of the Cigar Association of America (CAA). Estades previously served as Chairman from 2016 to 2020. Last year Estades stepped down as Chairman of the CAA and was succeeded by Swisher CEO John Miller. This past month, it […]
Southern Draw has announced that Ethan “Jacob” Holt will be joining Southern Draw Cigars full-time in a new role of Manager of Insider Sales & Retail Partner Engagement. Ethan is the son of Southern Draw owners Sharon and Robert Holt. Ethan was best known as being the inspiration behind the Jacobs Ladder line. He also […]
The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) has announced that Ryan Parada has officially joined PCA as the full-time manager of government affairs. Parada had been working as a contractor over the past year for the PCA. Parada’s role will involve focusing on grassroots and political operations including Premium Cigar PAC, assisting both federal and state government […]
Limitless Cigar Company, a new cigar brand, has announced that a cannabinoid-infused premium cigar will be its first offering. The cigar is scheduled to hit the market in January 2022. As a part of its launch, the company also announced it has hired premium cigar industry veteran Todd Vance as its National Sales Director. “Our […]
Industry veteran Rick Ardito is the new National Sales Director at Veritas Cigars. Ardito is best known for his tenure at Drew Estate, 7-20-4 Cigars, and Foundation Cigar Company. In a press release the company stated: “The market needs to experience these sticks.” With almost 25 years in the cigar industry and a plethora of […]
