Mike Conder Retires from Crowned Heads as Tim Ozgener Takes the Helm
After 45 years in the cigar industry, Mike Conder retires from Crowned Heads, passing leadership to Tim Ozgener. The brand also unveils a new vision as it begins a company-wide rebranding to highlight the Crowned Heads name.
Crowned Heads Co-Founder Mike Conder Retires, Tim Ozgener Named New CEO
After a storied 45-year career in the premium cigar industry, Mike Conder—co-founder and former CEO of Crowned Heads—has officially stepped away from the business. At 65, Conder leaves behind a legacy of innovation and leadership, having co-founded the Nashville-based company alongside Jon Huber in 2011. Though retiring, Conder will remain involved in a consulting capacity.
Stepping into the role of CEO is Tim Ozgener, founder of OZ Family Cigars and long-time industry veteran. Ozgener has also acquired Conder’s shares in the company. “I have always been impressed with what Mike and Jon have created with Crowned Heads,” said Ozgener. “Now, I’m bringing my 30-plus years of experience in premium cigars to help this amazing team continue growing.”
The new leadership structure also sees Jon Huber assume the role of company president, Adam Shepard as chief operating officer, and Miguel Schoedel promoted to vice president of sales.
Ozgener, Huber, and Conder previously worked together at CAO Cigars, the Nashville-based brand founded by Ozgener’s father, Cano, before it was sold and later absorbed into the Scandinavian Tobacco Group. This familiarity and shared history bodes well for the continuity and future direction of Crowned Heads.
Conder’s cigar career began humbly at the Oxmoor Smoke Shoppe in Louisville, Kentucky, while he was in college. That initial job led to a position at General Cigar Co., eventually rising to vice president of sales in New York. Yet, his desire to return to the South brought him to Nashville and, eventually, to CAO and later Crowned Heads.
“I’ve had the honour to work with many wonderful people over the last 45 years,” said Conder. “But the opportunity to build Crowned Heads alongside this team has certainly been the most rewarding chapter.”
Looking ahead, Crowned Heads is undergoing a strategic rebrand. The company is shifting focus toward emphasising the Crowned Heads name across all core products—such as Mil Días, Las Calaveras, Four Kicks, and Coroneta. “The plan is to make the Crowned Heads logo the hero of the cigars,” Ozgener explained. “From this time going forward, all the core brands are going to have a centralised identity.”
Crowned Heads cigars are currently available in over 1,300 retail stores across the United States and distributed in 13 countries worldwide—making this new chapter one to watch closely.
