BOULDER, Colo. -- Smoker Friendly International has announced the lineup of speakers for the 17th Annual Smoker Friendly Tobacco Festival & Conference, to be held Aug. 22 to 23 in Boulder, Colo.
The general session on Aug. 23 will feature:
Tobacco Wall Street to Main Street
- Bonnie Herzog, managing director of beverage, tobacco and convenience store research at Wells Fargo Securities LLC.
- Michael Cellucci, president of Drew Estate.
- Bill Sherman, executive vice president of Nat Sherman.
- Dan Gallagher, vice president of operations for The Cigarette Store Corp., Smoker Friendly.
It will be moderated by Farrell Delman, president of the Tobacco Merchants Association.
Legislative Updates & Discussion
- Thomas Briant, executive director of the National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO).
- Greg Wilson, director of regulatory affairs engagement and enforcement for Altria Client Services.
- Seth Gold, legal council for Republic Tobacco.
- Glynn Loope, executive director of the Cigar Rights of America.
- Ron Tully, vice president public affairs for National Tobacco.
Both of these groups will provide informative dialogue and debate about current issues within the tobacco industry.
On Aug. 22, Smoker Friendly retailers from around the country will participate in operation and marketing meetings throughout the morning. The afternoon will feature special guest speakers:
- David Sneed, owner of Alpine Fence Co., is the author of several books including Everyone Has A Boss. He is a frequent contributor to Colorado Biz magazine and a nationally recognized speaker.
- Peter Hyatt, director of McKay Shared Living Ltd., is the author of Maine's Department of Health & Human Services training manual for investigators. He is a nationally known expert on statement analysis.
Smoker Friendly also offered details on the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival, which will take place at the Millennium Harvest House in Boulder on Aug. 24. The event is now in its fourth year.
Created to cater to the niche audience within the premium cigar industry, the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival attracts more than 1,500 consumers and more than 80 vendors within the premium cigar, craft beer, micro-distillery, fine wines and lifestyle arenas.
Premium Cigar vendors include Padron, Perdomo, Drew Estate, Liga Privada, Tatuaje, Casa Magna, La Aroma de Cuba, La Flor Dominicana, Ashton, Nat Sherman, Camacho, Joya de Nicaragua, Padilla, Oliva, Cain, Gran Habano, Villiger, Rocky Patel, Gurkha, Brick House, Saint Luis Rey, CAO, H. Upmann, Montecristo, Kristoff, Asylum, Diamond Crown, Room 101, Debonaire, Ortega, Plasencia, Outlaw, Iconic Leaf, Ventura Cigar, Esteban Carreras, C&C, JM Dominican, Black Label, Core Zero, Providencia, Havana Time & Bloodline.
Craft beer will be featured from companies including Oskar Blues, Left Hand Brewery, Bristol Brewing Co., Fate Brewing Co., Breckenridge Brewery, Walnut Brewery, Sanitas Brewing Co., Boulder Beer, Asher Brewing Co., Buffalo Beer & AC Golden.
Wine and spirit vendors include Breckenridge Distillery, Patron Tequila, Peach Street Distillers, Pyrat Rum, Feisty Spirits, Ultimat Vodka, Woody Creek Cellars, Blue Nectar Spirits, RJR Spirits, Redstone Meadery, Slim Lizzy's Cocktail, Black Canyon Distillery & J&L Distilling Company.
Lifestyle vendors include Cigar Snob magazine, Cigar Press, Colibri, S.T. Dupont, Harley Davidson, Tommy Bahama, Xikar, Armored Humidor Systems, Operation: Cigars for Warriors, Lighters Direct, Boveda, General Snus, The Cigar Authority, Wicked Audio, e6 Energy, 4th Generation Pipe Tobacco, Front Range Anglers, Smokey Mountain, Colorado Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, White Owl, Boulder Lifestyle Magazine, Smoke magazine, Tobacco Business, Social Smoke, Grassroots Radio, J. Hilburn Custom Clothier, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco, True Kustom Motorcycles, Angel of Billiards, Boulder County Republicans, Havana Manor, Cigars on Sixth, Casa De Palma, The Robusto Room and The Clip Joint.
Following the festival, there will be an afterparty hosted by Drew Estate Cigars at the Lazy Dog in Boulder.
Boulder-based Smoker Friendly is America's largest cigarette and tobacco store retailer. It designed the Smoker Friendly Authorized Dealer Program for existing retail tobacco store and convenience store operators who wish to market a competitively priced private-label product within an exclusive protected territory. This program is for the tobacco retailer who wants the advantages of a private label; more interaction with other tobacco retailers including information and idea sharing; clout with manufacturers; and the greater synergies that a nationally known private-label brand like Smoker Friendly provides.
Currently there are more than 800 stores across the United States with The SF Private-Label Tobacco Family.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.