The Cigar Association of America announced that Mike Gold, president of Arango Cigar Co., and Phil Ledbetter, owner of Chicago’s Up Down Cigars, are recipients of the Cigar Association of America’s inaugural Leadership in Advocacy award for their engagement with the Illinois General Assembly to advocate on behalf of the industry in 2026.
“Mike and Phil were instrumental in helping legislators understand the importance of a cigar tax cap for local Illinois businesses,” Scott Pearce, the Cigar Association of America’s president, said in a press release. “Having local voices made the difference in the conversations that CAA led at the Capitol and the industry now has tax stability for the next three years.”
