Raleigh, N.C. – The Board of Directors of U.S. Tobacco Cooperative Inc. has promoted Russ Mancuso to the position of Senior Vice President of Consumer Products effective Nov. 20, 2017. In his new role, Mancuso will continue to have responsibility for all domestic consumer product sales in the United States and for international sales moving forward. Premier Manufacturing, Inc., King Maker Marketing, Franchise Wholesale and Big South Distribution remain key subsidiaries for the Consumer Products Group.

About U.S. Tobacco Cooperative Inc.

U.S. Tobacco Cooperative Inc. (USTC) is a grower-owned marketing cooperative located in Raleigh, N.C. The cooperative produces U.S. flue-cured tobacco grown by 700 member growers in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Member grower tobacco is processed and sold as raw material to cigarette manufacturers worldwide. Subsidiaries of USTC include U.S. Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers, Premier Manufacturing, Franchise Wholesale (d/b/a as Wildhorse Distributing), Big South Distribution and King Maker Marketing, Inc. USTC also produces consumer products for the U.S. market under brand names of Wildhorse, 1839, Shield, 1st Class, Ultra Buy, Ace, Gold Crest and Traffic.