MINNEAPOLIS -- The National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO) will be celebrating the association's 10th Anniversary and launching the organization's inaugural NATO Show at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. The dates for the first NATO Show are April 12-14, 2011. The NATO Show will feature educational seminars for retailers, the NATO Annual Awards Dinner, along with evening parties and special show deals.
The NATO Show has already received commitments to exhibit from more than 30 manufacturers and distributors.
Companies include Nat Sherman, New Image Global, Smokey [image-nocss] Mountain Chew, Zander-Greg and K. K. International Corp. Also Arango Cigar Co., Carolina Tobacco, Dom Rey Cigar, Inc./Cusano Cigars, Drew Estate, Harold Levinson Associates, House of Oxford, King Maker Marketing, Renegade Tobacco/House of Windsor, Smoker Friendly International, U.S. Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers and Zippo Lighter Co. And Altadis USA, Swisher International, Swedish Match, Republic Tobacco and National Tobacco Co.
Greg Martin, manager of the NATO Show, stated, "The outpouring of excitement over the selection of the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, has been incredible. Not only have our exhibitor partners told us we made a great choice in the Rio, but our retail advisory panel has told us we couldn't have made a better choice than to go back to the Rio for NATO's 10th Anniversary celebration."
Although NATO has been a marketing partner for the Tobacco Plus Expo since the association first formed, it has decided to strike out on its own. "Our organization is a nonprofit, and we spend all of our energy and resources on fighting for the tobacco industry, so everyone is happy to support our organization," Steve Sandman, chairman of NATO's tradeshow committee, recently told CSP Daily News. "Having our own trade show allows us to generate more resources to fight for the survival of tobacco."
Steve Sandman is also vice president sales and marketing for Republic Tobacco LP, Glenview, Ill.
"It's designed to be a retailer-friendly show, with free seminars, free admission for all NATO members and great deals," Sandman added. "We expect this to eventually be the biggest tobacco-only show in the country."
Toward that effort, NATO has brought on Suwanee, Ga.-based Renaissance Association Management, run by Martin, who also serves as CEO of the Southern Association of Wholesale Distributors. "Greg brings a lot of experience, he's well-known in the industry and he's had experience with tradeshows and association organizations," Sandman said.
Minneapolis-based NATO is a national retail trade association that focuses exclusively on state and federal tobacco legislative issues and leads the fight for all tobacco interests in the United States.
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