8 PCA The Magazine | JULY-AUGUST 2019 PREMIUMCIGARS.ORG W ELCOME to PCA The Magazine ! I, for one, am very excited that we are able to bring you this new resource. As you’ll have learned by now, PCA The Magazine is part of an overall rebranding effort of the organization, with a renewed energy and focus on how best to help our membership succeed. The rebranding of our organization, however, is not just a change of name or logo or the creation of a new publication. It’s a complete evolution and transformation that will offer a slate of new programs and services— over the course of the next several months and into next year—all with the goal of helping our retailers, manufacturers, service providers and industry partners thrive in today’s premium tobacco industry environment. The PremiumCigar Association, therefore, represents a modernization to a full-service association, focused on delivering 365 days of value to every participant in the premium cigar and pipe industry. This newmagazine, our new magazine, exemplifies what PCA stands for: an organization dedicated to growing your business and defending your industry. We look forward to bringing you articles that will inform retailers about the latest ideas and tools to run their stores better; delivering in-depth stories about new cigars and products from the makers themselves; offering insights on adjacent industries that premium retailers can learn from; and providing frontline analysis on our fight against regulations and taxes. 512 Capital Court N.E. Washington, DC 20002-7709 Ph: 202.621.8064 www.ipcpr.org Email:
[email protected] | PCA T H E M A G A Z I N E ILLUSTRATION BY : Joe DeLeon BY SCOTT PEARCE E D I T O R I A L EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Scott Pearce MANAGING EDITOR Greg Girard ASSOCIATE EDITOR Erin Holland ASSOCIATE EDITOR William C. Nelson ACCOUNT MANAGER David Wilson COPY EDITOR Rachel Dorrell DESIGN DeLeon Design; Omak Partners C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R S Curt Diebel, Kurt Van Keppel, William C. Nelson, Larry Wagner B OA R D O F D I R E C T O R S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Scott Pearce Washington, D.C. PRESIDENT Ken Neumann Libertyville, IL FIRST VICE PRESIDENT John Anderson Washington, D.C. TREASURER Greg Zimmerman Lemoyne, PA SECRETARY Scott Regina Virginia Beach, VA EX OFFICIO Craig Cass Charlotte, NC D I R E C T O R S Terry Gallager Boulder, CO Paul Groh Germantown, WI Marvin Holthouser Destin, FL George Koebel Richmond, VA Phil Ledbetter Chicago, IL Todd Naifeh Oklahoma City, OK Luz Normand Miami, FL Harris Saunders Birmingham, AL Randy Silverman New Castle, PA Mike Condor Nashville, TN A D M I N I S T R AT I O N SENIOR DIRECTOR, MEETINGS & EVENTS Lisa Cox FEDERAL AFFAIRS & OPERATIONS ASSISTANT Tori Ellington DIRECTOR, FEDERAL AFFAIRS Josh Habursky SENIOR DIRECTOR, STATE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Rachel Hall LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, WEST Tyler Henson MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Erin Holland FINANCE & ACCOUNTING Susan Jacobs LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, MIDWEST Brett Mecum ASSOCIATE MEMBER & OPERATIONS MANAGER Christine Morgan RETAIL MEMBER SERVICES MANAGER Greg Vickers PREMIUM CIGAR ASSOCIATION PCA © Copyright 2019. PCA The Magazine is a trademark of the Premium Cigar Association (PCA). All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents of this magazine without prior written permission from the publisher is prohibited. PCA The Magazine makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the content published. Neither the publisher nor the advertisers will be held responsible for any errors found herein, and the publisher accepts no liability for the accuracy of the statements made by advertisers in advertising and promotional materials. The opinions expressed by contributing editors are not necessarily those of the PCA, its directors, officers or staff. The information included and items promoted in this magazine are intended for an adult audience. We are also looking forward to extending the magazine out into a platform that will enable many industry voices to join in. Retailers, manufacturers and other stakeholders from across all sectors of the industry will share stories of their challenges, their successes and their tips on running a thriving business. Of course, we’re not stopping with a print version of The Magazine . By early fall, PCA will be launching an all-new website where you’ll be able to access even more content on our blog. The vision for this is to be a true platformwhere every member is able to add his or her thoughts and perspectives to help the industry. On behalf of all of us who have worked hard to bring you this first edition of PCA The Magazine , thank you for your support, and we look forward to many more issues chock- full of great ideas, insightful stories and valuable lessons learned. Happy reading! Scott Pearce
[email protected] [email protected] Editor’s Note