Wednesday, June 03 2009
By Gary Korb
Want to know what makes that cigar you're smoking tick? Just ask Jeff Brown, Special Projects Manager for
Famous Smoke Shop. Brown, who earned a "Certified Retail Tobacconist" certificate from Tobacconist University last year, has just become the first "Certified Master Tobacconist," second only to Jorge Luis Armenteros, owner and founder of
In his congratulatory message to Jeff, Armenteros wrote: "Thank you for going through the process. I am glad we could be here to document and substantiate your accomplishment. Nestor Plasencia confirmed your apprenticeship and your contribution to the forums does indeed count as an academic contribution. There are many more CMT's on the way, but you are the first (post my-self appointed) CMT."
I asked Jeff Brown about his journey to becoming what he kiddingly called "Jedi Master" status:
"I had heard about Tobacconist University through some vendors and got more familiar with it at last year’s IPCPR show, " said Jeff. "Basically, I wanted to be a Certified Retail Tobacconist to lend credibility to the Famous Smoke Shop retail store. [Brown was the retail store manager at the time.] My long term goal was to become certified and to certify the store staff. In short, I studied, then took an exam administered by Thomas G. Smith, who, by coincidence, is also our sales rep for Davidoff cigars. I passed that and became a CRT."
"Since I changed positions, I have been traveling extensively to various manufacturers in Nicaragua, Honduras and The Dominican Republic. In my travels I've participated in the entire process, from seeds to boxing of cigars. I spoke with Jorge Armenteros at TU about my travels and what I was doing. He said he had new program that would fit my experiences. The program was called the Certified Master Tobacconist (CMT). He sent me a form and I had to document how much time I had spent in the cigar process from seeds to packaging. I qualified and was certified by Nestor Plasencia. The last step was to contribute some writing material to the TU website. I did all the steps and became the first CMT.
"I wish we could send some kind of prestigious accoutrement, like a silver pin, or an enhanced diploma, but there is no funding for such pizzazz - yet," said Armenteros. "The good news is that we are growing, and spreading the credibility of our industry, so many benefits, perks, and privileges should emerge in the years to come."
Mr. Armenteros will also be announcing Jeff Brown's CMT in the next Tobacconist University newsletter.
Click here to see Jeff's CMT certificate.
For more information on Tobacconist University, visit their website at www.tobacconistuniversity.org.
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