{"id":66326,"date":"2024-01-19T16:30:28","date_gmt":"2024-01-19T15:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/?p=66326"},"modified":"2024-01-19T16:30:28","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T15:30:28","slug":"boutique-cigar-association-announces-strategic-board-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/de\/boutique-cigar-association-announces-strategic-board-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"Boutique Cigar Association Announces Strategic Board Changes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The Boutique Cigar Association (BCA) recently convened for a private Board Meeting on January 10, 2024, marking a significant moment in the association&#8217;s history. During this meeting, key decisions were made to shape the future of the BCA, including the election of new board members and adjustments to leadership roles.<\/span><span class=\"s1\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">One of the primary goals of the BCA is to foster diversity and representation across the board. With a commitment to inclusivity, the Board now includes members representing brand owners, distributors, retailers, and other industry experts. This strategic move aims to bring a variety of perspectives to the decision-making process and better serve the diverse needs of the BCA membership.<\/span><span class=\"s1\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">They are delighted to announce the newest addition to the BCA Board \u2013 Mr. Pete Shultis. Pete, a respected industry professional, will be filling the position previously held by Jamie DeViese.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Pete currently serves as Operations Manager of SZ Wholesale (a wholesaler for a number of premium cigar brands, as well as cigar accessory companies.) The association extend their gratitude to Mr. DeViese for his instrumental contributions to the BCA in prior years. Understanding the demands of his current commitments, Mr. DeViese has stepped down, making way for fresh perspectives on the board.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Furthermore, they are thrilled to share that Mr. Chet King, a dedicated Board Member of nearly two years, has assumed the role of Vice President of the BCA. Mr. King&#8217;s hard work and commitment have been instrumental in the association&#8217;s growth, and they look forward to his continued contributions in this new capacity.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The current BCA Board lineup includes:<br \/>\n<\/span><span class=\"s2\">&#8211;<\/span><span class=\"s3\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><span class=\"s1\">President: Armen Caprielian (owner of DAV Cigars)<br \/>\n<\/span><span class=\"s2\">&#8211;<\/span><span class=\"s3\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><span class=\"s1\">Vice President: Chet King (GM of Over the Rhine Cigars)<br \/>\n<\/span><span class=\"s2\">&#8211;<\/span><span class=\"s3\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><span class=\"s1\">Secretary: J.J. Jordan III (Owner Mountain Smoke Premium Tobacco)<br \/>\n<\/span><span class=\"s2\">&#8211;<\/span><span class=\"s3\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><span class=\"s1\">Treasurer: Dr. Gaby Kafie (Owner of Kafie 1901 Cigars \/ Coffee)<br \/>\n<\/span><span class=\"s2\">&#8211;<\/span><span class=\"s3\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><span class=\"s1\">Dr. Garo Bouldoukian (Owner of Garo Cigars)<br \/>\n<\/span><span class=\"s2\">&#8211;<\/span><span class=\"s3\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><span class=\"s1\">Alan Rouleau (Owner of Alan Rouleau Couture)<br \/>\n<\/span><span class=\"s2\">&#8211;<\/span><span class=\"s3\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><span class=\"s1\">Pete Shultis (Operations Manager at SZ Wholesale)<\/span><span class=\"s1\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">In 2024, the BCA is set to embark on an ambitious agenda aimed at enhancing the experience for its 55+ member companies. Plans include active participation in prominent trade shows such as TPE, PCA, and InterTabac, with an emphasis on networking and showcasing the diverse offerings of boutique cigar makers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Last year the BCA was thrilled to partner with PCA by forming the BCA Pavilion at the world&#8217;s largest premium cigar trade show, and they are excited to confirm their participation once again this year. The BCA Pavilion serves as a unique platform, specifically designed for smaller family-owned premium cigar companies to showcase their products and offers a cost-effective venue for brands. The association\u2019s primary goal is to support both their industry and retailers, and in return, they kindly ask for the same support and love. To all retailers, distributors and cigar media attending this year&#8217;s PCA Trade Show, they invite you to visit the BCA Pavilion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Additionally, the BCA is exploring exciting initiatives such as the development of a Boutique Cigar Festival in a new location and the possibility of organizing a cigar cruise for its members. These endeavors underscore the association&#8217;s commitment to innovation and creating memorable experiences for its members.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">As the new Board structure takes shape, the BCA is eager to build on past successes and work collaboratively towards a successful and vibrant future. The entire BCA team is enthusiastic about the opportunities that 2024 holds and is dedicated to making this year a hallmark for the boutique cigar industry.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Boutique Cigar Association (BCA) recently convened for a private Board Meeting on January 10, 2024, marking a significant moment in the association&#8217;s history.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":66327,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[177,49,2808,44],"tags":[6950],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66326"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66326"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66326\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66330,"href":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66326\/revisions\/66330"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cigarjournal.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}