BOULDER, Co. -- Smoker Friendly International LLC (SFI) has recognized the Norman family with NBS Inc. Smoker Friendly of West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland as the Retailer of the Year at the 2008 Smoker Friendly Tobacco Festival & Conference in Boulder, Co., the 12th annual event.
The Retailer of the Year Award is presented to the company that SFI believes has best embraced the concept and the SF brand and acted upon the potential in partnering with SFI.
NBS, a family ran company by Steve Norman and his children Ryan Norman and Regan Bartley, opened its first tobacco [image-nocss] store in July of 1997 in West Virginia and has been a SFI licensee since the first day of business. Norman, along with his daughter, accepted the award at the conference. Norman recalled being asked what he would name his stores when he first became a Smoker Friendly licensee, to which he replied, "Well, Smoker Friendly of course."
SFI also recognized King Maker Marketing Inc. as its Manufacturer of the Year with the 2008 Visionary Award at the festival and conference. King Maker Marketing manufactures SF Cigarettes and SF Roll Your Own Tobacco. The award is presented to the manufacturer that has seen and acted upon the potential in partnering with SFI.
King Maker Marketing, established in 1994, is a leading supplier of premium quality, value-priced cigarettes and roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco. The company's product lines are made using 100% American Blend tobaccos to ensure a smooth taste and consistent quality. Based in Paramus, N.J., with distribution centers in New Jersey and Illinois, KMM is owned by ITC Ltd.
Bhavani Parameswar, CEO of King Maker Marketing, accepted the award, saying he was "very surprised and honored" to be selected.
[Pictured (left to right): Greg Flaks, SR Flaks; Steve Norman and Regan Bartley, NBS Inc.; Terry Gallagher Jr. and David Bershof, Smoker Friendly International.]
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