FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- As part of the newly assigned Altadis U.S.A. Premium Cigar Division, Javier Estades, general manager of premium cigars, recently announced the following changes, which he said are designed to strengthen the company's operations in the United States as one of the key markets for the ITG Premium Cigar Division. Rob Norris has been appointed sales and trade director. Rich Ivancic has been appointed key account and private-label director reporting to Norris.
Norris will be responsible for the sales of the Premium Cigar Division in the U.S. market. [image-nocss] He will also start to develop a newly created trade marketing function that will play a significant role in the trade strategy of the Premium Cigar Division.
Prior to this position, Norris was the head of travel retail business and extension markets for cigarettes and mass market cigars and was based in Spain. He has extensive sales experience and has assumed various responsibilities during his career within ITG.
Rob reports to Estades and joined the company full time on May 12.
Ivancic, previously director of national accounts/sales development for the Altadis U.S.A. Mass Market Cigar Division, has extensive experience in the U.S. market. He has been with the company 14 years and has knowledge of premium cigars.
Gene Tipton remains in his current position as vice president of premium cigar sales, playing a significant role in the development of the company's brick-and-mortar strategy. He will report to Norris.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Altadis U.S.A. is a leader in the U.S. premium cigar market. The company manufactures and markets brands such as Montecristo, H. Upmann, Romeo y Julieta, Trinidad, Vega Fina, Onyx Reserve, Don Diego, Saint Luis Rey, Gispert and many others.
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