IPCPR Restructuring to Better Address Legislative Efforts

The International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association is about to embark on a bit of restructuring as they seek to better address their legislative efforts.

In a post on their Facebook page from April 5, the IPCPR announced that they are looking for a D.C.-based Director of State Government Affairs who would “serve as an advocate for member interests and direct the state government affairs for IPCPR,” among other responsibilities. The move caused speculation as to the future of IPCPR’s current director of state legislative affairs, Chris McCalla.

On Thursday, McCalla posted the following to his personal Facebook page:

Ok, with quite a few phone calls explaining what’s going on, I will share with you all here; my position here with IPCPR is being dissolved and a new state director position created and operated out of D.C. Please know while no one is more disappointed than me, I am not bitter, and look forward to what may lie ahead. At this point, I do not know my last day, so I should be around for a couple or months (best guess). Lots of moving parts involved in this process. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege serving as IPCPR’s first Legislative Director. More to follow…

“You have to have boots on the ground where the action is happening, and the action is happening in Washington, D.C.,” said Bill Spann, Chief Executive Office of the IPCPR. McCalla has been working from Columbus, Ga.

“Chris has done a great job for us for the past six years and we wish him all the best in all his future endeavors,” Spann added.

The news comes just a few months after the IPCPR announced the hiring of Kevin “Kip” Talley to be their Senior Director of Federal Legislative Affairs, a position which opened up when it was relocated to Washington, D.C.

Spann said he has received a significant amount of interest in the position and is currently reviewing applications.