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Las Vegas Big Smoke
Personal Histories
Posted: Tuesday, November 16, 2004
By Michael Moretti
Theo Folz, president and CEO of Altadis U.S.A. Inc., at the podium.
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The Saturday seminars at the Las Vegas Big Smoke played host to decades of combined experience in the cigar business as Theo Folz, president and chief executive officer of Altadis U.S.A. Inc., and Edgar M. Cullman, chairman of General Cigar Holdings Inc., shared their personal histories in the cigar business.
An audience of 400 packed the ballroom to listen as Gordon Mott, executive editor of Cigar Aficionado and the weekend's master of ceremonies, introduced the speakers. He also took the time to point out the cigarmakers and tobacco men present in the audience, and a standing ovation was given to them as they stood in recognition for their dedication to cigars.
Folz was the first to speak. He grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of a cigar salesman. His official entry into the industry came in 1964 after a short stint in the construction business and working as a door-to-door salesman dealing pots and pans. Folz joked that he came back to the cigar industry because it was the only place to go.
Folz detailed how he has seen many sides and fluctuations in the business in his 40-year tenure. "I came in, in '64, and that was the peak year for large cigars, nine billion large cigars were sold in 1964." He was nose-deep in the industry up to and during the 1990s cigar boom and has stayed in it since rising to the top. Today, he said he sees the consumer benefiting most as the market now is producing the best quality cigar for the best value that he has yet seen.
To celebrate his history and several anniversaries of Altadis brands, Folz gave the audience a surprise gift made solely for the Big Smoke Las Vegas. "The parent company of Altadis U.S.A. has been in the tobacco business for 500 years and has been involved with cigars for over 250 years. Our company, Altadis U.S.A., has been in the cigar business for over 100 years -- some of our brands for much longer. This year is the 160th anniversary of H. Upmann, 130th anniversary of Romeo y Julieta, 40th anniversary of Don Diego and my 40th anniversary in the cigar business." The three cigars, which came in a three-pack wooden box, were an H. Upmann Anniversary Robusto, Romeo y Julieta Aniversario Robusto and Don Diego Anniversario Lord Rothchilde. The crowd gave a standing ovation once again.
Sherwin Seltzer of General Cigar introduces Edgar Cullman's video presentation.
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Edgar M. Cullman is not only an integral part of the cigar business, but has played a part at every Yale-Princeton football for many years. (The ref doesn't start the game without getting a wave from Cullman, he says.) He could not be in Vegas to share his story in person, due to the game taking place that same day. So Sherwin Seltzer, himself a longtime veteran of the cigar world and an executive at General Cigar, introduced Cullman, who appeared via a video produced by his grandson especially for the show. It was a personalized account of his life in cigars and an inside look at the workings of General Cigar.
"I want to tell you a few things about the cigar business, how I got into the business -- more importantly how I believe in what we do and how much cigars mean to me," began Cullman.
Cullman was born into the tobacco business. His grandfather sold tobacco and his father started to grow Connecticut-shade tobacco in the Connecticut River Valley, working off the knowledge that the cigars wrapper was most important for the taste of a cigar. After the Second World War, said Cullman, he wanted to get into the cigar business, and worked half the week at a manufacturer in New York City and the other half at the family's land in Connecticut. He soon took over the company and had the ambition to expand. Once again, he did, buying General Cigar with a group of investors.
The audience was taken through the inner sanctum of General Cigar Holdings Inc., as it exists today, with Cullman as a tour guide. The audience followed him through the towering tobacco plants on the family farms and through the company's Dominican Republic factory as he joked with workers there rolling Macanudos, Partagas and, most recently, Diablos, along with a host of other General brands.
And Edgar is still going strong. "I'm not ready to retire, I'm a young man," said the 86-year-old, with an ever-present smile. Cullman still comes to the office every day for work.
Click here to go to the next Saturday seminar, From Seed to Shelf.
Photos by Camilla Sjodin and Jeff Scheid
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