Justin Andrews Departs Lou Rodriguez Cigars
Justin Andrews, vice president of Lou Rodriguez Cigars, has announced that he will be leaving the company.
Andrews sent the following e-mail to halfwheel on Monday afternoon, which was also sent to members of the media and cigar industry:
To my Friends
I have informed Lou Rodriguez of my decision to resign as the Vice President of Lou Rodriguez Cigars.
This decision was not an easy one; I have poured my heart and soul into LER Cigars over the last five years. I cannot thank Lou enough for the opportunity he gave me as a young college graduate to come work, and grow with his new business. The experience of starting with a business from the ground floor, and building that business into a national brand, with retailers across the country has been invaluable. I am very proud of the accomplishments, and success that we have experienced along the way.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the wonder people that have supported the brand and myself along the way.
As the saying goes, “All good things must come to an end” I have nothing but love and respect for the LER Cigar brand, but it is time to go our separate ways. I am excited to pursue a new endeavor in the cigar industry, and see what the next chapter of my life has in store.
-Justin Andrews
Andrews had been instrumental in one of Lou Rodriguez’s most recent creations, the Double Nickel, which was announced in mid-July before being unveiled at the 2014 IPCPR Convention and Trade Show.
Andrews’ resignation comes amid a flurry of similar moves that have happened following the trade show in July, with Callie Pullen leaving Total Flame, Nathan McIntyre leaving House of Emilio for Cubanacana and Grace Sotolongo leaving CLE Cigar Company.
(Photo via Facebook)
Patrick Lagreid
I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, the G-League's Valley Suns, and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.
Related Posts
-
July 9, 2013 -
February 4, 2014
