Columbus, GA 7/25/2009 3:16:04 AM
News / Business

Premium Cigar Group Awards Scholarships

IPCPR Selects 20 Recipients Nationwide

Columbus, Georgia July 22, 2009 - Twenty students are attending college this year, each with the help of a $5,000 scholarship from the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association. The IPCPR has awarded $600,000 in scholarships at the rate of 20 per year since 2004. This year’s recipients include the following:

Michael Grantz of Fisherville, KY is majoring in environmental studies at the University of the South. Grantz was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by Cox’s Smokers Outlet.

 

Spencer Consolvo St. Thomas, U.S.V.A. is majoring in economics at Vanderbilt University. Consolvo was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by Shell Seekers, Inc.

 

Farren Neuhauser of Meadowbrook, PA is majoring in linguistics at Temple University. Neuhauser was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by Black Cat Cigar Co.

 

David Petrich of Lake Elmo, MN is majoring in HVAC repair at the Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis. Petrich was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by Perfect Ash.

 

Casey Gianforte of Downington, PA is majoring in business at the University of Delaware. Gianforte was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by G&G Cigar Company.

 

Jeffrey Stelly of Sunset, LA is majoring in business administration at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Stelly was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by Piper’s Haven.

 

Alaine Ramsburg of Eden Prairie, MN is majoring in business management at Gustavus Adolphus College. Ramsburg was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by Cigar Jones.

 

Paul Ostin of Hillsdale, MI is majoring in political science and business at Hillsdale College.  Ostin was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by David’s Dolce Vita, LLC.

 

Teresa Marino of Ringwood, NJ is majoring in elementary education at Neumann College. She was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by Santa Clara, Inc. of Burlington, North Carolina.

 

Gregory Koebel of Richmond, VA is majoring in industrial and systems engineering at Virginia Tech. He was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by Havana Connections.

 

Elizabeth Dean of Bradford, OH majoring in animal science at Ohio State University. She was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by Boston Stoker, Inc. in Vandalia, Ohio.

 

Caroline Drinkwater of Dallas, TX is majoring in Spanish and business at the University of Texas at Austin.  She was sponsored by Cigar Vault in Dallas.

 

Courtney Poehler of Garland, TX is majoring in elementary education at the University of North Texas.  She was sponsored by J.C. Newman Cigar Co. of Tampa, Florida.

 

Stephen Castro, Jr. of Woodbine, MDis majoring in business administration at Clemson University. Castro was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by Davidus Cigars.

 

Jayson Parsons of Arroyo Grande, CA is majoring in communications at Cuesta College. Parsons was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by The Boss Cigars.

 

Kristen Weigers of Round Rock, TX is majoring in biomedical science at Texas A&M University. Weigers was sponsored for the IPCPR scholarship by Pipe World.

 

Martin Saitta of Valrico, FL is majoring in aerospace engineering at the University of Florida.  Saitta was sponsored by El Sol Cigars.

 

Daniel Workman of Boca Raton, FL is majoring in international affairs at George Washington University.  He was sponsored by Altadis USA, Inc.

 

Anthony Reyes of Weston, FL is majoring in finance and management at the University of Central Florida.  He was also sponsored by Altadis USA, Inc.

        

Andrew Bond of Pompano Beach, FL is majoring in chemistry and biology at Florida Atlantic University.  He was sponsored by Alec Bradley Cigar Corp.

 

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be a spouse, child or employee of an IPCPR member, maintain a grade point average of at least 2.5 and write an essay on a topic supplied by IPCPR. The topic this year asked if the Federal Government should apply excise taxes to high-sugar, high-fat foods as it has with tobacco products.

Founded in 1933, IPCPR is a not-for-profit association of some 2000 members worldwide.  The association is primarily comprised of small, family-owned businesses including cigar store owners and manufacturers and distributors of premium cigars, pipes, fine tobaccos and related accoutrements.

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