Universal’s Fritz Bossert Retiring Next Summer, Richard Wood Named Successor at Lancaster Leaf

One of the most important behind-the-scenes men of the cigar industry has announced that he will retire next year.

Friedrich “Fritz” Bossert, the ceo of Lancaster Leaf Tobacco Co. and regional director of the dark air-cured region for Universal Leaf Tobacco Co., Inc., will retire on July 1, 2024. Upon his retirement, Bossert will have spent 22 years at the company after joining Gebrüder Kulenkampff, a German subsidiary of Universal, as vice president in 2002. In 2005, he was promoted to svp of international operations and sales for Lancaster Leaf, a Universal subsidiary that focuses on dark air-cured tobacco, i.e. the tobacco that is used for cigars.

While not a widely-known name among consumers or retailers, Universal is a massive agriculture business with a focus on tobacco. In its most recent fiscal year which ended in March 2023, the company reported more than $2.5 billion in revenue.

Bossert has led the company’s operations related to dark air-cured tobacco, which includes operations in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Paraguay, the Philippines and the United States. Lancaster Leaf’s multi-faceted operations range from growing tobacco, sourcing, fermentation, sorting, stripping and more.  It also works with cigarette, mass-market cigar and chewing tobacco companies.

Drew Estate specifically credited Bossert with helping the company develop its MUWAT Kentucky Fire Cured line, which uses fire-cured tobaccos from companies. Bossert was also one of the people the company turned to when it needed help with the Connecticut tobaccos used for Liga Privada.

“The Dark Air-Cured market has seen much volatility over the many years Fritz has been with Universal. Fritz’s expertise and professional approach has fostered trusted partnerships with our customers, particularly during the recent years of growth in the cigar industry,” said George C. Freeman III, chairman, president and ceo of Universal, in a press release. “He has demonstrated continuous optimism and enthusiasm for the industry and has supported our customers through offering creative solutions and opening new markets in support of their initiatives. Fritz has always been a great resource to me, and I will miss his wisdom, sense of humor and his courteous manner. I want to thank Fritz for his many accomplishments and his dedication to achieving success, and I wish him happiness in retirement.”

Richard G. Wood, currently the Indonesia Country Manager for Universal, will take over Bossert’s roles beginning April 1, 2024. Wood has been at the company since 1996, starting in the Philippines, and has worked in his current position since 2018. Universal has also announced that the Indonesia operations will now fall under the Dark Air-Cured operations, also effective April 1.

Martijn Schaap has been named as the next Indonesia Country Manager.

Update (Aug. 16, 2023) — An earlier version of this story included a picture of George Welch, not Bossert.