CWNews
General Cigar Announces Modesta Fondeur Retirement
Richmond, VA— General Cigar announced today that Modesta Fondeur, executive vice president of tobacco and operations will retire on December 31, 2009, and will continue as an advisor to the company.
“I have enjoyed a wonderful career over the past 34 years and am thankful for the opportunities that I have been given. I am looking forward to my retirement because I will be able to enjoy the luxury of continuing the work that I enjoy, while having more time to devote to my family and friends,” said Fondeur.
Dan Carr, chief operating officer of General Cigar comments, “We are grateful to Modesta for her dedication to the company and are proud to have had such an iconic businesswoman on our team for more than three decades. Not only has she been instrumental in developing our sophisticated cigar processing operations, but in the years leading up to her retirement, she has always devoted herself to developing our employees. My team and I look forward to continuing to collaborate with her.”
After graduating from the Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra of Santiago, Modesta joined General Cigar in June of 1975 and began her career in the company’s finance department. In the 1980s, she was appointed comptroller of General Cigar’s Dominican operations. While overseeing the company’s finances in the Dominican Republic, Modesta took it upon herself to study the company’s manufacturing processes; it was this initiative that carved out a new career path for Modesta.
In the 1990s, she made a quantum leap into an executive level position within the formerly-male-dominated manufacturing division. Since then, Modesta made a swift ascension to her current role, in which she supervises nearly 6,000 employees in the Dominican Republic and Honduras.
Committed to giving to people in need, Modesta was responsible for developing a comprehensive literacy program that has benefitted company employees as well as the people of the Dominican Republic and Honduras.
Modesta resides in the Dominican Republic with her husband Pedro. A proud mother of a son and daughter, Modesta has one grandchild and one on the way.
Jhonys Diaz, the company’s vice president of operations, oversees the farming and cigar making operations and will take on an increased role after Mrs. Fondeur’s retirement.
Fondeur stated, “I have worked alongside Jhonys for the past 11 years and during that time, I have seen him demonstrate tremendous leadership and a strong passion for the business. I am confident he will drive General Cigar forward.”