[Miami, FL, June 4th , 2024] – Cigarette Racing is pleased to announce the promotion of Kurt Bender to President of Cigarette Racing. This strategic move reflects Cigarette’s commitment to excellence; celebrating the outstanding success and leadership that Kurt has displayed throughout his tenure at Cigarette.
Kurt brings over 25 years of knowledge and experience in marine manufacturing, business growth, design, and engineering, having spent the last three years dedicated to refining Cigarette’s manufacturing processes, making him uniquely qualified to lead Cigarette Racing’s operations. Prior to his work with Cigarette, Kurt worked for GG Schmitt & Sons, as well as Viking Yacht Company; holding several titles throughout his tenures including President, Executive Vice President, Vice President of Operations, and Director of Engineering. Kurt is an active member of AUGI, NMMA, and ABYC. Kurt has also attended the American Boating Congress in Washington, D.C. and continues to volunteer and contribute to the marine industry.
Under Kurt’s guidance, Cigarette has experienced unprecedented growth in production capacity, allowing Cigarette to meet increased demand while maintaining the highest standards of quality and customer satisfaction. This dedication to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction has already made a momentous impact on the company’s success. Kurt has played a pivotal role in increasing production, implementing new strategic development initiatives to improve production efficiencies, and cultivating an incredible team where employees are empowered to excel and contribute their best work. Kurt’s dedication to fostering employees’ growth and development has led to a highly motivated workforce and positive company culture. Kurt is a fierce leader of the Cigarette team who leads by example, is esteemed by all and champions employees at every opportunity. 
In his new position as President, Kurt will continue to oversee all aspects of the Cigarette Racing’s portfolio, including production processes, supply chain management, quality control, and workforce development. His leadership will play a crucial role in driving operational efficiency, maintaining high standards of product quality, and meeting the evolving needs of our customers.
“Kurt has been a critical part of our leadership and has been one of the leading drivers of the successful growth of our vision. Cigarette has never had better commitment to quality, performance, and customer service,” said Cigarette Racing’s CEO Alex Ruiz. “We are very excited to announce Kurt as our President and together we will continue to keep the Cigarette promise to our clients, partners, and fans across the globe.”
Kurt expressed gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “I am proud to lead the team as we continue to grow our legacy, building the finest performance luxury boats in the industry. We plan on utilizing industry leading technology with the highest quality vendors and dealer partnerships to deliver Cigarette Racing’s line of performance and luxury boats worldwide. The future at Cigarette Racing is bright!” Kurt was joined by his family in Opa-Locka, Florida on Tuesday May 28th to share in the joy of announcing his promotion to the Cigarette team.Kurt recently brought on Seth Holl, a strategic hire who now holds the title of General Manager.
In his short time with the company Seth has already demonstrated his ability to articulate and execute on special projects with the objective of business growth and development. With Seth’s nearly 20 years of experience in the marine industry, he brings invaluable perspective to Cigarette Racing’s management team.Another recent strategic hire by Kurt, Ernesto Martinez as Cigarette’s Materials Manager brings more than 17 years of procurement and materials management to the company.
Please join us in congratulating Kurt Bender on his well-deserved promotion. With his leadership, Cigarette Racing is poised for continued growth and success in the marine sector.
For more information on Cigarette Racing, please visit www.CigaretteRacing.com.