RTDA Changes Name
After 75 years as the Retail Tobacco Dealers of America, the cigar industry's trade association has changed its name.
This year, at the industry trade show in Houston, the RTDA announced that it is officially changing its name to the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers association. [Click here to read David Savona's blog from the trade show where the name change was first mentioned on this site.]
Following the announcement at the show's opening breakfast in August, a letter was sent to the association's list of more than 2,350 members, which includes retailers, manufacturers and distributors, detailing reasons for the change.
"Your Board of Directors has taken this step to better define what our association and you our members represent in the marketplace," said Joe Rowe, executive director of the IPCPR, in the letter.
"The first 75 years of RTDA is the beginning chapter of your trade association. IPCPR begins a new chapter in the premium cigar and pipe industry."