Rolando Villamil, who was known for his work overseeing the operations of the Charles Fairmorn factory in the Dominican Republic, passed away on Thursday, having just turned 70-years-old on Jan. 31.
“Everything I’ve learned about tobacco came from Rolando,” said Dean Parsons of Epic Cigars, who met Villamil in 2007 and with whom he began working on the first blends that would become the Epic Cigars portfolio. “He was a strong mentor and without his ongoing support and belief in me and Epic Cigars I never would have survived the industry. He was one of the most caring and selfless people I’ve ever met and a true family man.”
Villamil was also influential in the early days and growth of Kristoff Cigars. Glen Case told halfwheel that Villamil hd “an in-depth knowledge of the all aspects of the cigar industry,” adding that “he was a dear friend and mentor to me, (and) he will be deeply missed.”
Jarrid Trudeau, Kristoff’s vp of sales, added that Villamil ran the entire factory, from sourcing to quality control to maintaining relationships with the growers. “He was the number one guy at the factory,” he said, adding that he considered Villamil a “mentor, partner, and dear friend” whose passing is an enormous loss for Kristoff and the industry as a whole.
“We couldn’t be who we are today without his help and influence,” Trudeau told halfwheel, saying that he became “part of our families.”
Villamil leaves behind his wife, Ingrid, and their children Patricia and Jose Agusuto, along with his children Guillermo and Linnette from his first marriage.
Image via Glen Case.
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Patrick Lagreid
I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I’m a voice over artist. I previously covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.
