Mary Szarmach Joining PCA Executive Committee

Smoker Friendly’s Mary Szarmach will join the Premium Cigar Association’s (PCA) Executive Committee later this year.

Szarmach, who serves as the svp of governmental and external affairs for Smoker Friendly, has been on PCA’s regular board since 2021. She has now been elected to the Executive Committee, which ultimately controls the organization’s major decisions. As part of the process, Szarmach will serve a 12-year term beginning July 11, 2023.

“It is I truly an honor to be elected to the executive committee at this time at this great organization,” said Szarmach in a press release. “The advocacy work PCA does is a critical element to keeping our industry alive and thriving. For the past several years, I have been the VP of External Government Relations at Smoker Friendly and I am looking forward to using my experience to help lead PCA’s advocacy work to new heights.”

While most of the PCA board and executive committee members tend to be owner/operators of one or a handful of cigar stores, Szarmach works for Smoker Friendly, a decidedly different kind of store than most PCA members. Many of the more than 800 Smoker Friendly locations are franchise stores owned by independent operators though Smoker Friendly owns a number of these stores. Furthermore, most Smoker Friendly locations are focused on selling all different types of tobacco products instead of the majority of PCA members, which tend to be cigar-focused stores. Szarmach previously served as the president of the National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO), another tobacco trade group.

As part of this process, each board member will “move up” a position, meaning the PCA’s new executive committee will be:

• Scott Regina (Emerson’s) — President
• Todd Naifeh (ZT Cigars) — Vice-President
• Paul Groh (Metro Cigars) — Treasurer
• Mary Szarmach (Smoker Friendly) — Secretary
• Greg Zimmerman (The Tobacco Co.) — Ex-Officio

That means John Anderson of W. Curtis Draper will rotate off the board, Anderson is currently the ex-officio.

Mike Conder of Crowned Heads is the final member of the six-person executive committee. He serves as the associate liaison, a role created last year that allows one cigar company official to serve on the executive committee. Previously, the executive committee has been made up exclusively of retailers. With the exception of Conder’s role, which will rotate in 2024, the new positions will remain in effect until July 2025 when the next rotation takes place. That rotation will mean Naifeh will succeed Regina as president, Groh will be promoted to vice-president, etc.

The Premium Cigar Association is one of three major cigar trade groups, the only one that is controlled by and targeted for cigar retailers. It is best known for its annual trade show—the most important cigar event in the U.S.—which takes place July 7-11 in Las Vegas. Beyond the trade show, the organization is involved in legislative efforts related to cigars.

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.