LAUDISI ENTERPRISES - Key Persons
A proud native of the bluegrass state, Aaron was thrilled to follow his hobby of pipe smoking down south to the legendary blending tables of Cornell & Diehl. Though all of our guys and gals are cross-trained to lend a hand wherever needed, Aaron is our Production Manager. He's responsible for overseeing the meticulous process of taking our various kinds of processed tobacco and combining them in very specific ratios to ultimately transform them into your favorite boutique blends. When not looking excessively jolly in photos or leaning on Perique barrels, he takes pleasure in watching movies with his wife, Rachel, lifting heavy things, hiking up mountains, playing music, and, of course, oiling his beard. Aaron is currently finishing up a Bachelor of Arts in Bible, so the writings of C.S. Lewis and a leather-bound Greek New Testament sport the most worn covers on his bookshelf. While learning to like sunsets and long walks on the beach, he also enjoys chamber music and ten-pin bowling.
Joining Cornell & Diehl late 2022, Brandon - or "Luigi" as he's been called - hails originally from Connecticut and works as one of C&D's Production Associates, working to craft and blend your favorite C&D pipe tobaccos. He's a team player who's still comfortable working individually, and his patient, goal-oriented spirit and passion for learning have made him a quick fit at C&D. In his free time, Brandon enjoys gaming on his self-built computer, as well as listening to audio books and writing, and he's also second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon-do, both certified as an instructor and traveling internationally to compete in tournaments.
Bretton, or just "B," came to Myrtle Beach by way of Maryland, and has since married the love of his life. He wears many hats, given the nature of his role, with current responsibilities including machine maintenance, machine design, and prototyping new machines, as well as automation and modifications of older equipment. He is an innovative thinker and is constantly finding new ways to improve processes with the right tools. Aside from his mechanical wizardry, Bretton is also incredibly kind. A relaxed, pleasant, and goofy person to be around in and out of work, you'll find him tinkering with whatever needs fixing, flying stunt kites, and pretending to be a tourist in the Myrtle Beach area - assuming he and his wife haven't set off camping.
Originally hailing from Pennsylvania, Crystal came to South Carolina a while back, and is currently our Facilities Coordinator at Cornell & Diehl. Using her past experience in inventory coordination and receiving, Crystal ensures our shelves are always stocked, schedules preventative maintenance, and assists with various administrative duties to keep things running smoothly at all times. A consummate DIY-er, when she's not at work, you can find her hand-making household supplies (including homemade dog food for her three pooches) or maybe relaxing with a bit of a gardening and a gourmet, from-scratch dinner.
Cynthia is originally from Virginia, but she's lived here in Longs for over 25 years and joined our team in early 2022, now working as a Packing Associate for Cornell & Diehl. Fun, helpful, and caring, she always looks for the best in people, making her a natural fit within the office. When not at work, Cynthia enjoys spending time with her children and grandkids, devoting her creativity to making jewelry and cooking, reading spiritual and motivational books, and watching action-packed movies. She also serves the local youth as a volunteer, and in the fall, you'll likely find her at high school football games, cheering on her guys.
Job Titles:
- Cornell & Diehl As a Packaging Associate
- Packaging Associate
Originally from North Carolina, Debora joined Cornell & Diehl as a Packaging Associate in the summer of 2022, helping to make sure all of C&D's mixtures are properly blended, assembled, and ready for humidors around the world. An avid lover of the outdoors, Deb enjoys spending time at the beach hunting for shark teeth, and she's always up to try new things, with interests ranging from animals to jewelry, art to cosmology.
As one of our talented Packaging Associates, Dennis lends a hand in readying tobacco so that it's perfect for cellaring or enjoying straight out of the tin, aiding the team tinning and labeling your favorite mixtures. When he's not hard at work, Dennis enjoys spending time on the golf course and listening to classic tunes from the '60s and '70s.
Heather discovered Laudisi while working at the gas station adjacent to our main headquarters, watching for any available openings to apply for. An opportunity arose, and we're thrilled to have her aboard. Originally from upstate New York, she currently lives in Loris, South Carolina, has been married to husband Emiliano for 15+ years, and is the proud mother of three boys: Miguel, Crispin, and Nikolas. Valuing honesty, hard work, and integrity, Heather describes herself as a passionate, positive, and helpful person with a very big heart.
Outside of work, Heather loves to read books, go fishing, watch football (she's a hardcore Tennessee Titans fan), spend time with her family outdoors, and ride motorcycles. A bird lover, she has two Green-Cheeked Conures and six parakeets, and often fosters others from the animal shelter.
Ivy is a North Myrtle Beach native and has lived in the area all her life. As one of our Packaging Associates, she works with the rest of the team to make the magic happen - tinning, labeling, and readying your favorite blends. When she's not at work Ivy enjoys traveling and simply spending quality time with her family. She has a warm heart, a congenial demeanor, and she is constantly smiling.
Jeff Hodder is a man of few words and a relaxed, easygoing disposition who enjoys country music and cheering for the Pittsburg Steelers. Having moved to Myrtle Beach from Pennsylvania in 2019, it's no surprise he is an unrepentant waver of the Terrible Towel, but he is acclimating to his new environment well and recently admitted he also enjoys relaxing on the beach. He joined Cornell & Diehl as a Packaging Associate in 2021 and, when not busy keeping you supplied with your favorite blend, spends time with his dog and cat.
If gaining the ability to fly like a bird is out of the question, then Jen has discovered the next best thing behind the handlebars of her Harley Davidson. In fact, motorcycling is a passion that has allowed her to see our vast country on two wheels, having traveled to a whopping 48 states via the open road with her partner Randy. Originally from Lancaster, PA, Jen is an intrepid adventurer who enjoys the RV lifestyle, pursuing life with a spirit of courage, and proactively challenging herself to face her fears. When not chasing her love for the open road or giving her all to her professional goals, Jen can most likely be found spending time with her Pitbull rescue, Tobias, or enjoying her favorite rock-n-roll and blues artists. Jen now lives in the warm and snow-free environment of South Carolina, where she has happily retired her snow shovel.
A pipe smoker for over a decade, Jeremy is as passionate about pipes, pipe tobacco, and blending tobacco as a man can be. His experience as a tobacco shop manager, as well as a wood-fire pizza chef, give him unique insight into running a boutique blending operation like Cornell & Diehl. When he isn't running the factory he enjoys the outdoors, particularly camping and hiking. He's an "adventurous eater," and has an expressed love for trying new things and attempting to recreate them in his kitchen at home, which is another reason he's such a great fit at C&D. Born in Portales, New Mexico, Jeremy is a bit of a rolling stone. He has called Chicago, Denver, Cleveland, and Portland home, before moving to South Carolina, where we hope he will stay.
Jeremy Reeves, head blender at C&D, says that square footage has always been the main factor. "We've been held back by space," he says. "Space for processing, drying, product inventory. Space for more machinery, more efficient tinning. Now we don't have to constantly shuffle things around to get the work done."
Cornell & Diehl pipe tobacco continues to expand as its products are more recognized and in demand. "We'll keep growing as long as pipe smokers want our products," says Jeremy. "We keep trying to find our limits." There's no sign that will happen in the foreseeable future.
Though originally from southwestern Pennsylvania, Kim had lived in the Carolinas already for nearly 20 years before joining Laudisi in the fall of 2022. As one of Cornell & Diehl's Blending Associates, she's directly involved in creating all of C&D's premium pipe tobaccos - from sorting raw leaf to operating the factory's vintage equipment. Kim's kind demeanor, fun-loving attitude, and hard-working spirit bring a sense of levity to the office, and in her spare time, she's an avid supporter of meditation and spending as much time outside as possible. She also enjoys listening to all types of Rock music from the '70s and '80s and supporting the Pittsburgh Steelers, and she hopes to eventually visit every National Park in the country - a true outdoors-lover's goal.
Marijo is a Myrtle Beach native and our resident science buff, having attended Socastee High, as well as the Academy for Art, Science, and Technology where she specialized in environmental sciences. When she's not at work she's continuing her studies in pursuit of a degree in psychology at Coastal Carolina University. A lover of all things outdoorsy (she doesn't like to stay still), Marijo's active personality translates well as a Packaging Associate for Cornell & Diehl as she's constantly on the move ensuring that tobacco is tinned, labeled, and ready for your cellar.
Originally from West Virginia, Mark is the proud father of two grown children, three cats, a dog, and four donkeys. He is also married to his wife Kim, who brought him to a company event here at Laudisi, where he fell in love with the Laudisi community. Outside of work, Mark enjoys hunting, listening to Death Metal, playing guitar, and exercising.
A Fairmont State College and University of South Carolina alum, he studied Education and Library Science and played college football for a year, and is proud to say he played in every game they attended. He also served in the United States Marine Corps. Patient and positive, Mark is a valuable asset to the team.
As one of our Blending Associates, Matthew is directly involved in creating C&D's quality tobacco blends, from sorting raw leaf to operating the factory's vintage equipment, always ensuring every mixture is exactly what it's supposed to be. When he's not playing with tobacco for a living, Matthew enjoys whipping up some good old-fashioned BBQ in his slow smoker or keeping up with his favorite baseball and football teams. His taste in music is eclectic (as long as it's not Country), though his preferred films always seem to star Will Ferrell - Elf is the GOAT and you can't convince him otherwise.
Matthew was born and raised in Connecticut, where he received his degree in English from Eastern Connecticut State University. Matthew worked for Big Y Supermarkets and Fed-Ex in a multitude of roles before moving to South Carolina in 2012. He has held several positions at Laudisi, including time in our shipping department and distribution group, as well as organizing the move to our new building in 2014.
Matthew's current role as Cornell & Diehl Director fits in well to his experience and skill sets, managing the C&D staff and ensuring everything is accounted for and runs smoothly. When not wrangling a myriad of projects for Laudisi, Matthew enjoys baseball, gardening, alternative rock, cult television shows and reading anything he can get his hands on. Weekends will find him working in the yard or watching a movie.
Richard was born in Germany but spent most of his life living in Ohio and cheering for the Buckeyes before finding his way to Myrtle Beach. Describing himself as kind, hard-working, and adventurous, he brought his work ethic to Laudisi in early 2021, now working as a Production Associate for Cornell & Diehl. He enjoys doing home improvement projects, fishing, spending time with family, and hanging out with his Cattle Dog named Bolt. When he's not busy at work tinning tobacco and readying your favorite C&D blends, Richard is always on the prowl for some good standup comedy.
Shawn lives his life with compassion for others and a deep belief in helping those in need. "You never know what someone else is going through and a simple act of kindness may mean the world to them." It's a kindness that Shawn extends to animals as well. Over the years, he has rescued many pets, including his current fur-baby, Stark, and has volunteered in local rescues and the Humane Society. Even with his busy volunteering commitments, Shawn still finds time to support his beloved Carolina Gamecocks, indulge in his love for music and film, and keep up-to-date with his favorite fantasy book series. Shawn's late grandfather, a Vietnam veteran, was his mentor and hero in life and taught Shawn the importance of wisdom and giving back to others.
Originally from Ohio, Steve moved to South Carolina seven years before joining Cornell & Diehl in the summer of 2022. As a Packaging Associate, he assists in tinning and labeling C&D tobaccos, ensuring that your favorite blends are primed and ready for cellaring or straight-away smoking. In his free time, Steve enjoys playing disc golf with his daughter, working with acrylic paints, and cheering on The Ohio State Buckeyes, as well as listening to classic rock and reading J.R.R. Tolkien classics.
Tim learned a valuable lesson from his beloved mother: Anything worth doing is worth doing right. That ethic has served him well. For example, why settle for a single tattoo? Tim has 25+ tattoos. Why be a casual reader when so many books beckon? Tim has read a book a week since his early teenage years and has absorbed over 2500 titles so far. And why hop from job to job in pursuit of career satisfaction when you can spend 20+ years in a single dangerous profession? Tim spent 23 years of his professional life working for the Dauphin County, PA Prison. The point is, Tim sticks with activities that interest him - unless that activity is retirement. After settling in the Myrtle Beach area with his wife Tiffany for some well-deserved rest and relaxation, Tim realized that he wasn't ready for a life of leisure and (luckily for us) found a new work home with the good folks at Cornell & Diehl.