Veritas Cigars has named Jason Lois as its new ceo.

The company announced the move today, though Lois told halfwheel that he has been working with Veritas since mid-June, specifically on brand creation, but the company wanted to wait until he could get to the company’s factory in Nicaragua and begin working on blends and production.

Chris Weber, owner of Veritas Cigars, said that responsibilities for the company’s U.S. will transfer to the new role.

“Bringing Lois on allows me to concentrate on production in the factory to ensure our products are hitting the market both efficiently and meeting demands,” said Weber, via a press release. “Jason also brings a certain swagger to the table that I really enjoy. Together we will both allow something special to occur in the creative and production process and let Lois do what he does best out on the road.

Among Lois’s immediate tasks will be a focus on the mid-Atlantic region, as well as brand creation, marketing and operations.

Lois returns to the cigar industry after previously working as the national sales manager for Crossfire Cigars, a position he departed in July 2016. Prior to that, he was the owner of Executive Cigar, LLC, a tobacco retailer in Simpsonville, Ken., and has also worked as a cigar broker and sales representative.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity and looking forward to getting out on the road to visit retail partners both new and old,” Lois said.

The pair are currently at Tabacalera Nuevo Nica, the company’s factory in Estelí, Nicaragua working on new projects for the company, with two lines already being given names and slated for release later this year: Chateau Manifesto and Castellum, though no further details have been announced about either.

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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 and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, 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.