RICHMOND, Va. -- Swedish Match North America has announced that Richard “Dick” Pokorski, 61, died on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008.
Pokorski began working for Swedish Match in 2000 and most recently held the position of senior manager of customer service and sales administration. In this role, he oversaw fleet management, field sales operations and a team of customer service personnel. Prior to that, he spent more than a decade in the cigar business.
Richmond, Va.-based Swedish Match is a global group of companies with a variety of brands in smokeless tobacco, cigars and pipe [image-nocss] tobacco, matches and lighters. Brands include Red Man, Timber Wolf, Longhorn, Macanudo, Partagas, Cohiba and Borkum Riff.
Dan Carr, senior vice president of sales and marketing for General Cigar Co., Swedish Match's premium cigar business, hired Dick in 1997. He said, “Dick 's warmth and character endeared him to everyone with whom he came in contact. He had a talent for developing relationships with his colleagues and with customers. His personality shined in everything he did. This was Dick 's life and his way. He will be greatly missed.”
Pokorski is survived by his wife, Susan; two sons, Chaz and his wife Justine, and Michael and his wife Alexis; his mother Regina; three brothers and a sister; and many nieces and nephews.
CSP offers condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.
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