Javier Estades, Chairman of our Board of Directors and CEO and President of Tabacalera USA (Tobacco Business)

By: Craig Williamson

There are some people in life who just get it. We call them naturals.

For naturals, it just clicks – whatever it is. The long days, hard work, and often tiring tasks of whatever it is they do comes easily.

Like watching Ken Griffey, Jr. swing a baseball bat or seeing Michael Jordan hit a jump shot, you know a natural when you see one.

For the past five years, the Cigar Association of America was helmed by a natural – Chairman Javier Estades of Tabacalera USA. Javier’s caring personality, willingness to serve others, and deep understanding of our industry all contributed to his success as Chairman.

And make no mistake – Javier served as our Chairman during a rough and tumble time for our industry, while simultaneously running one of the most successful premium cigar companies in the world. His affable demeanor and steady hand have been critical to our continued efforts.

As his time as Chairman comes to a close, we owe him a great deal of gratitude.

Excelling at a challenging post

The Cigar Association of America is a national trade association representing cigar manufacturers, importers, and distributors, as well as other major suppliers to the industry. The organization takes pride in working on behalf of the entire industry.

Originally founded in 1937, the CAA can trace its roots back to other predecessor organizations founded before the turn of the last century. CAA is the oldest advocate for the cigar industry.

But being an organization with a deep history and a diverse set of members can bring its challenges.

There are strong, opinionated leaders at every company we represent. Each with its own perspective and particular business needs. Many of our major companies are old, family-run businesses where sons have taken the reins from the fathers, who took the reins from their fathers before them.

The roots run deep, you could say.

During his time as Chairman, Javier has navigated all these challenges with ease, in large part simply because of the kind of person he is.

He always makes time for you. He always greets you with a smile. His personality is infectious and charming. And no detail is too small for him.

Many times over the last five years, I have seen Javier dive deep into the details of planning our industry’s annual retreat in Florida.

But rarely is he preoccupied with his own role or remarks.

Instead, he is always focused on making sure the members are welcomed, comfortable, and ready to enjoy their time together. Whether he’s passing out cigars or making sure a cocktail is topped off, Javier takes care of the people he loves, and no task is menial.

That level of commitment and care helped him build deep relationships that allowed him to navigate the demanding personalities of our industry. It’s also what makes him such an effective advocate for us in Washington.

Throw the script out the window

Not unlike dealing with the industry, dealing with the top brass in Congress can be challenging. You must be able to read the room, know the environment, and adapt to the differing personalities you meet. I have never seen anyone do this as flawlessly as Javier Estades.

It starts with his willingness. Despite running a global company, Javier always makes time to come to Washington. He will meet with anyone and fiercely advocate for our industry while doing so.

And to be honest, he did not need much help in doing so.

A lot of work goes into preparing for congressional meetings. There are briefings and talking points, frequently asked question documents, and carefully thought-out responses to key questions. But with Javier, you could often count on him to throw the script out the window and just speak from the heart.

I recall walking into the office of a Congressman with Javier once. The Congressman had a map of Spain on his wall. That was all Javier needed, and off we went. He spoke passionately about Spain and what it meant to him. He talked about how proud his mother was of him. You could tell he was genuine and passionate. Those kind of moments made him an effective advocate.

Right for the moment

The last five years have challenged our industry in many ways. We’ve fought several battles on a number of fronts.

Whether it was dealing with federal legislation, the fraught and ongoing legal and regulatory fight, or the never-ending state legislative battles we face, CAA has been operating in high gear for so long, we’ve forgotten what normal used to feel like.

Javier Estades has been key to that effort.

He is deeply knowledgeable of every aspect of our industry. He is well-versed and can go toe-to-toe with just about anyone on any issue.

And over the last five years, I’ve seen him put his own time and money on the line for the entire industry, investing heavily in legal resources necessary for us to fight back. He made sure CAA was prepared to wage complex and lengthy litigation involving the FDA.

His leadership is paying off, too, with recent wins that benefit our entire industry.

Gratitude

On behalf of CAA, we are grateful for Javier’s friendship and leadership over the past five years.

Whether it was his relentless promotion of CAA, the fierce advocacy work on Capitol Hill, or his commitment to leading us through challenging times, Javier has been a natural leader in so many ways.

For that, we are thankful.

While his time as Chairman may be ending, I know he will never stop fighting for our industry.