It is turning into a busy news week for Drew Estate as two big announcements have come out in as many days as the Rebirth of Drew begins in 2017. First was the announcement of Jonathan Drew as President of Drew Estate and then the appointment of David Lazarus as (SVP) Senior Vice President of Sales. These guys are not messing around. All Drew Estate fans, worldwide can expect big things to come as the year progresses. Come on, you know it’s gonna be HUGE!
Drew Estate Returns to its Roots and Announces Jonathan Drew as President of Drew Estate in Multi-Year Deal
Monday, January 30, 2017 — Orlando, Florida – Drew Estate announces that Company Founder, Jonathan Drew will return to an executive operating role, following a two-year period since the sale of the company. In a multi-year agreement, Drew Estate has named the entrepreneur, market disrupter, and art curator as “President and Founder” with oversight for the entire portfolio of brands.
The deal is important for the boutique cigar company, as it looks to return to its iconic roots and core values. The objective is to unleash the entire team’s creative power under the leadership of JD who will also continue with his new venture into the spirits industry as CEO of John Drew Brands, a start up initially focused on bourbon, rye, and rum.
“Jonathan Drew is a dynamic entrepreneur, respected tobacco man, and a tenacious brand evangelist. He is the original Disruptor, and I am excited to help build a team around JD that is raw, provocative, and unafraid to challenge the mainstream and take risks,” explained Drew Estate’s CEO Glenn Wolfson. “Jonathan Drew will reduce his travel and event schedule, instead focusing on the Rebirth of Drew Estate with a conceptual lens toward brand building and team building.”
“I’m a student of graffiti … and philosophically I look at tobacco the same way. There is an evolution to the painted walls in the streets, just like there was on the subways back in the day. Change is natural and accepted. You just have to bomb harder and stay true to your technique and style – and always keep loyal to your crew. There’s a lot to learn from areas outside of our main canvas at DE. We will return to high-level curation, mixed media platforms, and true collaboration. We have lost our way a bit, but DE will bubble back 1,000 times stronger. Believe me,” stated Jonathan Drew.
Jonathan Drew, and his business partner Marvin Samel founded Drew Estate in 1996 first as a small shop in the World Trade Center, and later in 1998 JD moved to Estelí, Nicaragua with the vision to blend the urban walls of New York City with the art of premium hand-made cigars. In 1999, JD released the ACID Infused Cigar Brand, and built a small production facility where he could manage the company’s cigar manufacturing, which later turned into many small factories scattered across the city. In 2006, JD broke ground on La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate overlooking a majestic valley. At over 174,000 square feet it is one of the largest hand made cigar factories on the planet. In 2014 Jonathan Drew, and Co-Founder Marvin Samel sold Drew Estate for an undisclosed sum to Swisher International.
About John Drew Brands:
Founded in 2015 in Wynwood, Florida, John Drew Brands is a consumables start-up, focusing on spirits, wine, beer, food, snacks, and destroying the mash bill. The initial brands are Brixton Mash Destroyer, Dove Tale Rum, and John Drew Rye.
Drew Estate announces David Lazarus as Senior Vice President of Sales
Tuesday, January 31, 2017 — Orlando, Florida – Drew Estate announced David Lazarus as (SVP) Senior Vice President of Sales at their Annual Sales Meeting effective immediately. In this role, Lazarus will have overall accountability for field sales, inside sales, key national accounts, in-store events, and wholesale. Lazarus will report directly to the CEO, Glenn Wolfson.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dave to our team and family at Drew” explained Drew Estate CEO Glenn Wolfson. “As we embark on the Rebirth of Drew, we are fully vested in David’s ability to enhance and build upon the organization’s strengths and equally vested in his ability to provide guidance and a steady hand in overseeing our human assets and territory management. David is going to be a fantastic fit with us at Drew Estate both culturally and organizationally. He brings to us an ideal mixture of sales experience from having worked in boutique and mainstream, large and small, private and public, as well as wines and spirits.”
“I am excited to embark on a new journey with Drew Estate’s world class sales force, our partner retailers, and our loyal consumers to deliver an unparalleled experience in this industry,” explained David Lazarus.
David “Laz” Lazarus graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from SUNY at Fredonia. He is a veteran in craft consumables, in particular, beverage alcohol, with over twenty-five years experience at Constellation Brands, Diageo PLC, and Gallo Wine Company. In 2017, David will be relocating to the Miami Corporate Headquarters from Dallas, Texas.
“Things are going to get absolutely coconuts in 2017. I’m excited for Drew Estate to add a consumate sales and marketing professional to the executive team,” said Jonthan Drew, President and Founder of Drew Estate.
(Pictured Left to Right: Zev Kaminetsky, David Lafferty, and David Lazarus)
About Drew Estate, Inc.
Founded in New York City in 1996, Drew Estate has become one of the fastest growing tobacco companies in the world. Under their mantra “The Rebirth of Cigars”TM, Drew Estate has led the “Boutique Cigar” movement by innovating new elements to the tobacco industry with their unique tobaccos and blending styles that have attracted new and traditional cigar enthusiasts. In their Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, the Nicaraguan headquarters, Drew Estate produces a variety of brands such as ACID, Herrera Estelí, Herrera Estelí Norteño, Kentucky Fired Cured, Liga Privada, MUWAT, Natural by Drew Estate, Nica Rustica, Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented Cigars, Tabak Especial, Undercrown, and Java by Drew Estate.
Drew Estate
12415 SW 136th Ave. Ste 7
Miami, Florida 33186