On August 5, 2016, in the presence of his family in Tampa, Florida, Carlos Fuente Sr., passed away. Carlos Fuente was 81 years old and succumbed to cancer. Until the very end, Fuente was chairman of Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia.
As the son of the Cuban immigrants Arturo und Cristina Fuente, Carlos entered the business of his father, who, prior to a devastating factory fire in 1924 employed 500 workers in Tampa. In 1956, at the age of 68, Arturo passed on the leadership of his company to his son Carlos, who, as the new head led the family company through turbulent times. Following numerous setbacks, among them Nicaragua, where the factory was burned to the ground during altercations during the Sandinista uprising, and Honduras the following year, where the production facility also fell victim to fire, Carlos Fuente once again dared to make a new start in the Dominican Republic – together with his son, Carlos Jr. and daughter, Cynthia. This decision laid the foundation for the rise of the Fuente name as a synonym for excellence in the cigar industry.
Hard work, unwillingness to compromise, and an innovative spirit made Fuente one of the most respected names in the branch and the man Carlos Fuente a veritable great, a role model for many. Fuente’s sense of responsibility toward society and for all those who worked for him, will touch the lives of many, through his children and the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, even after his death.
A memorial service will be held on August 13, 2016, at 10 am in St. Joseph Catholic Church (3012 W. Cherry St., Tampa, 33607). Afterward, the Fuente family extends an invitation to join them in the Fuente headquarters (1310 N. 22nd St., Tampa, 33605) from 6 pm to a gathering that celebrates life.
The family requests, instead of sending flowers, making a donation to the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation or to consider the Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay.
Cards can be sent to the following address: 1310 N. 22nd St., Tampa, 33605. The family asks to refrain from making any personal visits to the house.
