Tobacco Business

[ 56 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ MAY / JUNE | 21 ] to round out the roster of brands, we truly have something to offer every retailer and every cigar smoker. We have an impressive lineup of brands to work with right out of the gate, and my team and I are ready to take each brand to the next level.” “To grow Forged, we will invest heavily in our priority brands as we identify the next tier of brands that will become future priorities,” says Broersma. “This winning strategy will benefit both the STG brands as well as the brands of other manufacturers that will join the Forged roster in the future.” Forged Cigar Company is also pursuing production and distribution relationships as well as partnership and collaborations with other cigar brands and producers within the cigar industry. Given that Forged is an entity of STG, other cigar brands and producers are expected to be drawn to the company’s ability to secure distribution and receive a level of support that’s unprecedented within the industry. Additionally, partnering brands will be able to tap into STG’s extensive tobacco library and the cigar making expertise of its factories in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Honduras. In return, Broersma sees Forged benefitting from these collaborations and partnerships that will ultimately lead to innovation as well as a high level of excitement from retailers and consumers. Team Building STG has always been focused on its employees and building high- performing, effective teams, something that was key during the development of ForgedCigar Company. To lead this new company, STG chose Sean Hardiman for the position. Hardiman is a cigar industry professional with over 11 years of experience that includes multiple roles within General Cigar and other cigar manufacturers. His background includes roles in retail and sales management across several U.S. markets, and he has specific experience in working with various brands within General Cigar’s portfolio and making them a success in the competitive premium cigar category. “We chose Sean because he brings a unique sensibility to the role of national sales manager for The Forged Cigar Company,” says Broersma. “Having spent more than a decade working in various positions on both sides of the aisle so to say, both in retail and sales management in the premium cigar category, he has a deep knowledge of tobacco and a strong passion for the industry, a firsthand knowledge of what makes brands a success at the retail level, and he knows how to drive consumer pull. Sean is also nimble, creative, and lives and breathes the STG motto, which is, ‘Think big, get shit done and have done.’ He’s been trained in the STG way and has all the makings of a successful leader. I’m looking forward to seeing the contributions he’ll make to Forged Cigar Company.” Forged’s dedicated team of sales professionals is focused on being responsive and attentive to the needs of retailers. They are also committed to delivering support for the brands in its portfolio that exceeds expectations, much like retailers have experienced from General Cigar over the years. “Throughout my time in the industry, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know the people that we recruited for Forged, having seen them in action over the years. Every single member of the Forged sales team has significant industry experience, with a strong work ethic, passion for the business and a deep commitment to their retail partners,” says Hardiman. “I’m genuinely excited about the team we’ve built, and I’m confident that we’ll be a force in the industry for years to come.” Hardiman understands retailers want and need business partners that will be focused and committed to helping them build a better business. Forged’s team will provide hands-on support to help grow its brands within retail stores while striving to offer creative, innovative programming activations for cigar consumers. Though Forged Cigar Company andGeneralCigar are setup to runas separatebusiness entities, working together to capture the attention and business of retailers and consumers is a common goal. Both teams are focused on supporting their product portfolios with unique programming, innovative releases and impactful executions that will generate consumer engagement on the retail level. Each company will have its own set of customized tools and teams that will be working toward expanding STG’s overall position as leaders in the handmade cigar category within the U.S. Sean Hardiman was chosen to lead Forged Cigar Company due to his many years of experience working with various brands within General Cigar Co. and his creative approach to business.