Terry Gallagher Jr. Elected Chairman of CAA

Last week, the Cigar Association of America (CAA) held its annual meeting, where it elected a new board.

Terry Gallagher Jr., the ceo and chairman of the board of the company that owns Smoker Friendly, has been elected as the new chairman of the CAA. He succeeds Javier Estades, the head of Tabacalera USA, who has served in the role for nearly a decade. Smoker Friendly is a Colorado-based company that includes a few different verticals, most notably, its more than 350 eponymous Smoker Friendly tobacco outlets. It also owns gas stations, liquor stores, some cigar-focused retail locations, and the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival.

“Javier’s leadership, vision, and steady hand have strengthened CAA and helped unite the industry through years of significant change,” said Gallagher Jr. in a press release. “I’m honored to follow in his footsteps and look forward to working closely with our members as we continue protecting and promoting the interests of the entire cigar industry.”

In addition, the CAA elected the following officers:

• Vice Chair — Eric Newman (J.C. Newman Cigar Co.)
• Treasurer — Carrie Freed (ITG Brands)
• Secretary — Henry Roemer (PT DJARUM)

“On behalf of the entire cigar industry, I want to express our deepest gratitude to Javier Estades for his extraordinary leadership, wisdom, and unwavering dedication over the past nine years,” said Scott Pearce, the CAA’s president. “Javier leaves the association stronger, more focused, and better positioned to protect and promote the cigar industry.”

The CAA is one of three main cigar-related trade groups. Its membership is unique in that it includes company that sell handmade and mass-market cigars. Some of those companies, like Scandinavian Tobacco Group and Swisher, produce both types, though other companies, like CLE Cigar Co. or ITG, produce only one type of cigar. In addition, some of the largest cigar retailers are also CAA members.