Meet The Team

Home | The Team

Here at Cornell & Diehl, we believe a personal touch is the key to crafting the highest-quality boutique pipe tobacco blends. Our team is small, tight-knit, and dedicated to the craft of artisanal blending. From stripping raw leaf to applying labels designed by our in-house artists, nearly every step of our production is executed by hand. What machinery we do use dates to the '20s and '40s and requires skill, experience, and mechanical aptitude to correctly operate. Our staff embodies the innovative spirit of Cornell and Diehl, contributing daily — as a team — to the advancement of the science and satisfaction of pipe smoking worldwide. The people of Cornell and Diehl are the soul of our entire organization; by knowing who we are, you'll understand more about the products of our passion, expertise, and dedication to the craft.

Jeremy Reeves

Director, Head Blender

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, where he is the Director and Head Blender. 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.

William Wallace

Factory Manager

Billy has been in the manufacturing industry for over 30 years, which has prepared him well to become the Factory Manager at Cornell & Diehl. Spending time in sheet metal, folded plastics, sandpaper, and heat transfer systems, he has experience in companies with diverse levels of manufacturing, ERP systems, and company size. Originally from New Jersey, he was interested in the tobacco industry and drawn to the atmosphere and goals of C&D; he knew he needed to be a part of the team.

Honest, trustworthy, and friendly, Billy strives to never stop learning. As for words of wisdom, he believes in always striving for perfection and achieving your best, continuing to make your best better every day. A few of his favorite pastimes include the NY Giants and Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as going on Bahamas cruises for travel.

Crystal Harrelson

Facilities Coordinator

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 neck-deep in quilting supplies or out with her grandchildren feeding the fish in her backyard.

Bretton Otto

Industrial Mechanic

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.

Jennifer Murray

Production Supervisor

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. Originally from Lancaster, PA, Jen started as a Blending Associate and is now our Production Supervisor at C&D.

She is an intrepid adventurer, pursuing life with a spirit of courage, and proactively challenging herself to face her fears. 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.

Heather Uribe

Packaging Supervisor

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. She is now the Packaging Supervisor at C&D. 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.

Richard Horger

Blending Associate

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, joining 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.

Coby Bryan

Blending Associate

Adventurous, eccentric, and fun, Coby is the latest addition to C&D's Blending team as a new blending Associate. Hailing from Maryland, he joins the team having been a customer of ours for years. Coby brings with him a passion for the tobacco industry and has a great deal of personal experience with C&D's robust portfolio, arriving to turn his hobby into a career.

Fueled by adventure, Coby lives for the thrill of the unknown. Outside of work, you can find Coby hiking, camping, and tie-dyeing. Quick with a joke, Coby relies on comedy to get him through and always follows the age-old advice, "Don't eat the yellow snow."

Billy-Joe Alger

Blending Associate

Billy joins Laudisi after learning about the company from his cousin, who spoke highly of the team and of the company culture; naturally, he wanted to work here as well. He is a punctual, hard-working problem solver who is motivated to learn as much as he can in any position he finds himself in, hopefully moving up in the company while doing so. He is passionate about Autism Awareness, his youngest having autism. He brings along the piece of wisdom that we all make mistakes in life; we shouldn’t dwell on them, but rather we should learn from them.

Some fun facts about him are that when he was younger, he imagined he would be a forest ranger, and he can’t live without his children. He loves woodworking, creating anything from tables to custom trim. His favorite novel is Eragon by Christopher Paolini.

Brandon Cianci

Production Associate

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.

Shawn Mikesic

Production Associate

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.

Chad Ford

Production Associate


Chad arrived at Laudisi after seeing lots of opportunities for growth, a great work schedule, and exemplary employee treatment and wanted to join. He brings a great work ethic and a hands-on approach to his work at C&D. Originally from New Jersey, he is a passionate worker who values enjoying his life and going with what makes him happiest, a trait his family instilled in him. His father is who he admires most due to all the knowledge and wisdom he gave him in life.

When he isn’t working, Chad loves watching football, listening to rock and country music, going to the beach, riding his motorcycle, and fishing. He loves relaxing on the water. When he was a child, he thought he’d be a pilot when he grew up. He believes in the value of treating people the way you want to be treated.

Christopher Gibbs

Production Associate

Chris is originally from Connecticut and arrived at Laudisi looking for a great opportunity after moving down south to be closer to his parents. He has experience in warehouse and food service supervising, along with networking, training, and leading others. He attended Naugatuck Community College, where he focused on General Studies. He describes himself as creative, determined, and honest.

Some fun facts about Chris include that he loves competitive and speed gaming, music, the Buffalo Bills, and he cannot live without his PC. He believes in balancing workouts and meditation because both are valuable and important. On the weekends, he enjoys relaxing at the pool or the beach and spending time with his family and the gaming community.

Ivy Hemingway

Packaging Associate

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.

Marijo Berry

Packaging Associate

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.

Dennis Busick

Packaging Associate

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.

Debora Trail

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.

Tyrell LaRue

Packaging Associate

After relocating from Fargo, North Dakota, Tyrell joined us in the fall of 2022 as one of our Shipping Associates, ensuring that all pipes, cigars, tobacco, and accessories are safely packaged before making their way across the globe. His laid-back persona makes him easy to get along with, and his honesty, dependability, and kindhearted nature make him a joy to work with. Outside of the office, Tyrell enjoys playing video games, golfing, fishing, and watching movies, and he's a big fan of Star Wars and baseball, supporting the Atlanta Braves and the Minnesota Twins.

Tim Good

Packaging Associate

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.

Lisa Longo

Packaging Associate

Lisa arrived at Laudisi after moving to South Carolina from Pennsylvania, and is eager about working here as a Packaging Associate. She has been married to her significant other for over 25 years. Some fun facts about her include that she is one of seven siblings — she has one sister and five brothers — she has a lot of nieces and nephews, who she is very close with as well as being close to the rest of her family, and she enjoys walking and doing puzzles in her free time. She lives by several pieces of wisdom, including that it is never okay to judge other people, and that treating others the way you want to be treated is a valuable life lesson to take with us.

Cameron Sparks

Packaging Associate


Originally from New Jersey, Cameron moved to Conway, South Carolina, with the desire to be involved in inventory management and the logistics of materials coming and going. He joins C&D’s team as a Blending Assistant. He has experience working in warehouse settings and has been in management and leadership roles in the past. He’s a West Chester University graduate, where he studied Marketing. Without caffeine, Cameron cannot live, and he had childhood aspirations of being a running back in the NFL. He is most motivated by his family and wants to show his kids what it means to be a strong-willed, hard worker.

When he’s not at work, Cameron is a talented pasta eater, loves watching sports (he’s an avid Eagles fan), enjoys going to the gym, playing video games, hanging out with his family, and listening to his favorite music genres: hip-hop, reggae, and blues. He loves to travel to Philadelphia to watch the Eagles play. He admires Lebron James most because he is a great role model for fathers everywhere, is a persistent worker with a manic drive to be great, and is a community leader setting a good example for others. Cameron is passionate about men’s mental health and suicide prevention.

Ridge Williams

Packaging Associate


Originally from South Carolina, Ridge arrived at Laudisi in pursuit of a better job opportunity and to grow professionally. He is a passionate individual, always striving to keep on pushing and to go after his dreams, despite any opposition from others. He admires his mother most for giving him the drive to never give up: “You may give out, but never give up.”

When he isn’t working, Ridge loves to cook, learning different recipes and techniques, and traveling to the mountains for some peace and serenity. His favorite movie is Fried Green Tomatoes, and he says he cannot live without his trusty car.

Cathy White

Packaging Associate

Cathy is originally from Nokesville, Virginia; when she moved to North Myrtle Beach, she was introduced to Laudisi and was interested in learning the processes of tobacco production, leading her to C&D. She is a Randolph-Macon College alum, where she studied Math and Computers. She believes that hard work pays off, and she brings a kind and dedicated spirit to back that up. As a child, she thought she would be a nurse. She spends her free time on weekends walking, running, reading books, VS learning, and visiting friends and new places.

Donna Braxton

Packaging Associate

Hailing from Wilmington, North Carolina, Donna is excited to join Laudisi. She is passionate about providing care to animals, recognizing that there are lots of stray cats in her area. She ensures that they have food and a shed to stay warm and dry. Her caring nature makes her a strong addition to C&D’s team. One fun fact about her is that when she was younger, she wanted to be a singer.

Parker Jarvis

Blending Assistant

Parker joined Laudisi with an excitement to be immersed into the industry, where he can work hands-on with tobacco products hopefully for life. He brings key skills in teamwork, heavy lifting, and multitasking with hands-on tasks. He is passionate about hard work and reaching his goals. A few fun facts about Parker include that he is a Blacksmith, making around eight blades a week, beating metal into shapes. He is also an avid hunter with his wife, who he cannot live without, loves metal music, and visiting North Carolina mountains to hike and see wildlife.

Zachary Ferguson

Blending Assistant

Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Zachary “Ferg” Ferguson was in search of a workplace with a passion for the community they serve as well as a great environment for their workers; ultimately, he landed this position at Laudisi. A Greensboro College alum, he studied Exercise and Sports Studies. He is a very passionate person with a love for his family, his coastal lifestyle, and his Ohio sports teams. If he had to pick one thing he couldn’t live without, it would be the beach.

Toni Cox

Blending Assistant

Toni arrived at Laudisi excited to join a growing company and to hopefully see positive growth in her career. She brings key skills in teamwork, a positive mindset, a hard-working attitude, and is always up for a challenge. Her goal in life is to say that she made it on her own and kept going. She admires her mother’s strength to never give up on her, even when life got hard for her. She is passionate about Autism awareness. Happy, smart, and positive, she believes in the advice to always follow your heart.

When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her family, who she can’t live without, going to the race car track, fishing, and gaming. As for some fun facts, she wanted to be a doctor as a child, she loves any Christmas movie, and enjoys traveling to the mountains for the peaceful quiet and cold weather.

WARNING: This product can expose you to tobacco smoke, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer, and nicotine, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.p65warnings.ca.gov.