International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Convene in New Orleans August 8-1
WHAT: 77th Annual Convention & International Trade Show
International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR)
WHERE: New Orleans Morial Convention Center (NOMCC)
WHEN: Saturday, August 8 – Wednesday, August 12, 2009
WHY: The IPCPR represents thousands of small business owners of smoke shops and manufacturers of premium, handmade cigars across the United States. IPCPR members generate tens of thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in federal, state and local sales and payroll taxes. Premium cigars are enjoyed with friends like fine wines. They make ordinary occasions special and special occasions extraordinary. With every tax increase on tobacco products and with every legislated smoking ban at local, state or national levels, those jobs and tax revenues are increasingly threatened, not to mention the chipping away of our individual rights.
DETAILS: The 77th Annual Convention & International Trade Show of the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) is the largest premium tobacco trade show in the world. The event is open only to members and guests of IPCPR. It is not open to the public.
The show features more than 300 exhibitors and more than 1,300 booths displaying, demonstrating, sampling and wholesaling new and traditional tobacco products and accessories exclusively for the 5,500 attendees who come from throughout the U.S. and 30 foreign countries to stimulate New Orleans’ economy with some $12 million in local expenditures.
Members of IPCPR include more than 2,000 premium cigar retailers, manufacturers and distributors of high-quality, hand-made cigars, pipes, premium tobacco and related accoutrements. Services of IPCPR provided to its members include legislative and marketing support such as the annual convention and trade show being staged in New Orleans this year.
For the most part, IPCPR members are small, family-owned businesses participating in the less than five percent of the tobacco market which is comprised of tobacco products other than cigarettes, which represent the remaining 95 percent.
The IPCPR staged last year’s show in Las Vegas and has already indicated that it expects to return to New Orleans for its 78th annual show next year.
Local media are welcome and encouraged to cover this important event but will not be permitted to walk the floor or attend events unescorted or without credentials.
For credentials and to discuss potential interview and photo opportunities, please contact IPCPR’s public relations agency, Tortorici & Randolph (see below), for specific times.
SCHEDULE:
Saturday, August 8
12:30pm – 2:00pm Seminar 1 – Cigar Rights of America
J. Glynn Loope, Executive Director
2:15pm – 3:45pm Seminar 2 – Tobacconist University
Jorge Armenteros, President & Founder
4:00pm – 5:30pm Seminar 3 – Legislative Update
Chris McCalla, IPCPR Legislative Director
6:30pm – 8:00pm IPCPR Opening Reception (No Media)
Sunday, August 9
8:00am – 10:00am Opening Breakfast and IPCPR Annual Meeting
10:00am – 5:00pm Trade Show Open
6:30pm – 8:00pm Private Reception (No Media)
Monday, August 10 & Tuesday, August 11
10:00am – 5:00pm Trade Show Open
Wednesday, August 12
9:00am – 1:00pm Trade Show Open
WEB SITES: www.ipcpr.org,
Media Contacts:
Tortorici & Randolph (for IPCPR)
Tony Tortorici, 678/697-3069 (cell), tony@tortoricipr.com
