To allow members to have a greater voice in the organization, the Premium Cigar Association has added five manufacturing spots to their board.

“Business has changed and PCA needs to change with it,” Executive Director Scott Pearce said. “In terms of transparency and member participation, this allows members to have a voice. We want to develop these mechanisms and have more participation in order to navigate. Our goal is that if we have this forum for participation misunderstanding doesn’t happen and the industry thrives.”

Three of the new spots were invited by the board but will be an elected spot beginning 2024 and the other two spots will be voted on by the membership in May. The three who began serving earlier this month are Mike Condor of Crowned Heads, who was already involved in PCA, Christian Eiroa of CLE Cigar Co., who was involved with CAO and Alan Rubin of Alec Bradley Cigar Co., who was involved in CRA.

“We want friction because that’s how diamonds are made,” Pearce said. “We were looking at representation across the business. We want to really let people hash out ideas. We felt this was the right amount and the right balance of representation. To do the work and the right ratio.”

Nominations will begin March 1 and the election will be May 1-31 on the membership portal. The new members will be presented at the July 4 meeting and will serve for three years.

“Make sure the representatives elected represent you on the board,” Pearce said. “Get a cross section of perspectives to have that diversity and have a voice.”

The board also has fourteen retailer members and an executive committee of 5 retailers and one manufacturer. They have been making changes to provide more means of access to their membership.

PCA was founded in 1933 and is the oldest and largest trade association representing premium tobacco retailers and suppliers. They represent nearly 3,000 retails stores.