John Miller Succeeds Javier Estades as Cigar Association of America Chairman

Javier Estades has ended has term as the chairman of the Cigar Association of America (CAA), one of the main cigar lobbying groups.

Estades—whose day job is ceo of Tabacalera USA—is the organization’s longest-serving chairman, serving since November 2015.

He is being succeeded by John Miller, who is the president of Swisher International.

“I believe I am passing a financially sound and strong association to my successor, John Miller,” said Estades, in a press release. “During my tenure, we faced a perfect storm of unprecedented regulatory intervention by the FDA, increases in taxes at state and federal level, a divided industry, the Covid-19 pandemic and more. Despite it all, here we are – alive and kicking and very proud of what we have accomplished.”

CAA started in 1937 as Cigar Manufacturers of America, though the group claims its roots exist prior to 1900. It represents both premium and mass market cigar manufacturers, as well as importers and suppliers.