Stanford J Newman

Inducted 2003

Newman’s mother paid $3.00 a month for him to learn how to make cigars by hand. By 1895, he had begun a one-man factory at a time when there were 42,000 other licensed cigar manufacturers. After service in World War II, Stanford and Millard Newman joined their father, J.C., in the business and moved the company to Tampa. The Cuban trade embargo in 1961 put much of the competition out of business but Stanford was able to come up with a new non-Cuban wrapper leaf and saved the day. He is a marketing pioneer, and invented a cigar vending machine as well as a display case humidor.

At the age of 70, Stanford mortgaged his house to buy the company from his relatives. In partnership with the Fuente family, the company’s products are sold in 80 countries around the world. At the age of 86, Stanford Newman is Chairman of the Board and purchases all of the tobacco used by the company. His book Cigar Family was published in 1999. Son Eric Newman serves as President of the company, and son Bobby Newman is Executive Vice President responsible for sales. Grandson Drew is the Director of Internet Services in-between studies at Oxford, and founded the Cigarfamily.com website. Representing Stanford Newman is his son Eric and grandson Drew.