The Echelon Story
From Soldiers to Aficionados to Entrepreneurs...
Overview
Echelon Cigar Company was started in 2018 and is owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Nolan & Kat Meadnis, who decided to combine their love for cigars with their ambition to become business owners.
Traveling frequently to visit cigar shops in the Caribbean and in the U.S., the desire to launch a new brand grew strong. After well over a year of research, planning, networking, and so on, 100% veteran-owned Echelon Cigar Company was born.
Behind The Scenes
Early blends in the Echelon lineup were thanks to Ruiz Cigars, a family owned boutique company located in Esteli, Nicaragua as well as stateside at their store in Sparks, Nevada (Reno). Thanks to the Ruiz family, Echelon was able to get its start by ordering in smaller quantities.
As Echelon grew, the demand required larger fulfilment. In 2021, production was moved to the Plasencia factory in Esteli, where all of the Echelon blends and cigars are created and fulfilled by David Blanco and Blanco Cigar Company.
Nolan Meadnis - President, Co-Owner
Nolan served in the U.S. Army from 2005 - 2015. He spent time in both active and reserves, serving most of his time as an MP. Nolan deployed to Baghdad with C Co. 185th Infantry from 2007-08 in support of OIF7.
Today, Nolan serves as Echelon's President while simultaneously holding down a career in marketing. He holds a Bachelors degree in Public Relations from Montana State University.
Nolan's love of cigars began in the Caribbean, where he was exposed to the many types of cigars available in the region. After being scammed for some Cohiba knock-offs (like many American tourists), he decided to educate himself on everything cigars, from the manufacturing process to how to spot those dreaded fake Cubans.
Kat Meadnis - Vice President, Co-Owner
Kat served in the U.S. Army from 1999 - 2007. Like her husband Nolan, she also spent time in both the active and reserve components, spending three years in Heidelberg, Germany as an Administrative Specialist. After active duty, Kat spent time as a member of the reserves in her hometown of Billings, Montana.
Today, Kat serves as Echelon's Vice President of Sales & Marketing while simultaneously pursuing a career in the airline industry. She studied Business Administration at Montana State University.
Kat's love of cigars developed with Nolan as they traveled to the Caribbean and around the U.S together. She enjoys sampling new blends and pairing them with many varieties of craft beer, wine, and spirits.