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RIP Manny Ferrero of Ashton Cigars

podman28

Podman Cigar Company
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As taken from Cigar Aficionado:

Emmanuel Ferrero, the senior vice president of Ashton Distributors Inc., died suddenly and unexpectedly last night at the Tobacconists’ Association of America retail convention in Los Cabos, Mexico. He was 63, and would have turned 64 in May.

Ferrero, known to everyone as Manny, was dancing with his wife during a party Tuesday night surrounded by members of the cigar industry when he dropped to the ground. He could not be revived.

Ferrero was a full-time police officer in Philadelphia when he began working around cigars in 1978, taking a part-time job for Holt's, a local retail cigar shop owned by the Levin family. After suffering an accident that ended his 17-plus years on the force, Ferrero was hired full time by Holt's in 1986. Three years later, Ferrero was named brand manager for the Ashton cigar brand, the year Tabacalera A. Fuente began rolling Ashton cigars in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

“He is the spiritual leader of the sales force,” Ashton owner Robert Levin said of Ferrero in an August 2003 Cigar Aficionado interview. “He gives them the passion and the integrity they need to be out there on the road.”

Ferrero had a type-A personality. He loved to debate and would make a point with passion and vigor, then throw his arm around the shoulder of the person he was just arguing with, professing his love and admiration. Ferrero had a taste for the good life and enjoyed leading cigar aficionados on seminars where he paired the various incarnations of Ashton cigars with food, wines and spirits. He was involved with the Levins in helping create Ashton's newest brands, the series of La Aroma de Cuba and San Cristobal cigars made in Nicaragua by the Garcia family of My Father Cigars.

Ferrero traveled extensively to promote the brands, and took immense pride in organizing dinners for Ashton each year at the annual International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers trade show, creating a detailed menu with carefully selected wine pairings that changed each night. His toasts to begin each dinner were legendary and lengthy and often included references to his Italian heritage, his love of cigars and his unbridled affection for the United States of America.

Ferrero is survived by his wife, Rosemary; his children Anthony, Jennifer and Gina and two grandchildren.

I had the pleasure of interacting with Manny on a few occasions and it was always a pleasure. He loved life and cigars and lived it to the fullest. It seems to me that dancing and having fun with the love of your life would be a perfect way to go. RIP Manny as you will be missed but your legacy will most certainly live on.
 
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We just lost a good brother prematurely, but it sounds like he left this earth doing what he loved the most. My prayers go out to his family.
 

Angry Bill

2x BoM, BoY '08
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Folks loved Manny. Read about him on so many peoples fb pages. Truly amazing to heat about this MSN who lived life telling it like it is and being himself.

RIP Manny.
 
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Wow, my sister is good friends with his daughter Gina, what a shock to everyone, such a sad thing to happen, my condolences and prayers go out to all his friends and family.
 

BrandonP

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Manny was a great guy and this will be a huge loss to the cigar industry. He was always full of energy and enthusiasm. Our prayers and thoughts go out to his family.
 
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I was fortunate to meet him and briefly share conversation with him. He was energetic and welcoming. He shared with me his passion and vast knowledge of cigars. I am sad we lost a man dedicated to protecting our love of the cigar and helping others come to enjoy them to their fullest. RIP Manny, I hope your family is comforted through their sudden grief and sadness.
 
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