The global tobacco community marks the loss of Henry “Hank” Mozingo, former president of Tobacco Associates and one of the US flue-cured tobacco industry’s most respected ambassadors. Hank’s decades of service and leadership left a lasting legacy for US growers and for colleagues and partners worldwide.
Hank joined Tobacco Associates in 1990, beginning with his first overseas mission to Korea. Over the next three decades, he worked tirelessly to expand markets for US flue-cured tobacco, promote the unique quality of American leaf, and strengthen relationships across the global industry. His efforts helped develop new brands in Turkey, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Hungary, Jerusalem, the Philippines, and Vietnam. He also advanced the industry’s reach by securing access to modern laboratory facilities and creating innovative marketing tools to highlight the superior taste and aroma of US tobacco.
In 1995, following the normalization of US-Vietnam relations, Hank became the first US tobacco official to visit VINATABA, underscoring his role in opening new doors for American leaf in emerging markets.
Respected for his integrity, diplomacy, and unwavering commitment, Hank earned admiration not only for his professional accomplishments but also for the values he embodied. The bridges he built continue to benefit US growers and the wider tobacco community, and his example remains a foundation for Tobacco Associates’ work today.