The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) has appointed George Rico of Gran Habano to its Board of Directors, filling the associate member position vacated by Max Bichler, who recently resigned from both the PCA board and Rocky Patel Premium Cigars.
Todd Naifeh, President of the PCA Board of Directors, commented, “George brings a deep experience of the industry with him and has been working with the board already on several projects. He will be a great addition to the team.”
Joshua Habursky, Executive Director of the PCA, added, “George is always willing to step up and do more for the organization and will push forth new ideas. He will be a great complement to our existing associate members on the board. I am confident that his ideas will have a lasting impact on the association and industry.”
Rico, selected by the PCA Board to serve the remainder of the 2025–2028 term, expressed his gratitude: “I would like to thank the Board for their confidence in me today and for this great opportunity! I look forward to working with the PCA Board and all of PCA’s members to explore new ideas that will help our treasured industry thrive and grow in the coming years.”
A native of Medellín, Colombia, Rico has over 28 years of experience in the cigar industry. He co-founded Gran Habano Cigars with his father, Guillermo Rico, and is a fourth-generation tobacco farmer with operations in Colombia, Nicaragua, and Honduras. His expertise spans cigar blending, manufacturing, and tobacco cultivation, contributing to his reputation within the industry.
The PCA also recently welcomed other new board members at the PCA25 trade show in New Orleans, including Kathleen Kelly (Queensbury Cigar and Pipe), Tony Goins (Capital Cigar Lounge), Jeff Greiner (Classic Cigars & Lounge), John Higgins (Spring Street Cigars), and Michael Herklots (Ferio Tego).
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