Ricky Somoza Joins A.J. Fernandez as U.S. Director of Operations
Enrique “Ricky” Somoza has a new job at A.J. Fernandez, as he was recently promoted to director of operations after being production manager at the Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua Factory since 2013.
“Ricky Somoza is not only an integral part of the company but is part of the Fernandez family,” A.J. Fernandez said in a statement. “Ricky has the passion, dedication, and expertise to carry on my vision for the future of the company. He will work alongside my sister Yarai Fernandez and other key family members to further solidify and strengthen our distribution in the U.S.”
Somoza welcomes the challenge of being a key brand representative in the United States. “I look forward to working with AJ on new, innovative projects which will excite cigar aficionados in the U.S. and international markets,” he said via a press release.
It will be a homecoming for Somoza, as he was born and raised in Miami, where he will now be working at the company’s U.S. headquarters. He replaces Kris Katchaturian, who departed the company in Nov. 2015.
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.
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