OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. — Greetings tobacco readers! Melissa Vonder Haar here, your friendly industry editor of all things tobacco, vape and nicotine related—or as those of you who regularly attend CSP’s roundtable events more commonly refer to me, “hey you, that’s off the record!”

“Off-the-Record Melissa” has become a term of endearment throughout the five Total Tobacco, Vaping and now Nicotine Conferences I’ve attended during my tenure at CSP. But it also speaks to the true goal of these events: to create an environment for retailers and vendors to discuss the many challenges and opportunities facing this ever-evolving category.

While my editorial role at these meetings isn’t much different than my role at larger events, if I’m being honest, I get so much more out of a small group setting.

True, it’s in part because I happen to be something of an introvert (I was the nerdy kid who got yelled at not for passing notes or talking during class, but for reading a thick book of fiction). Walking into the sea of people at the NACS opening party or even the group lunches at larger CSP events like CRU or Outlook still causes a knot of middle-school panic to form in my stomach. A crowd of 75 or fewer is much more conducive to easy conversation, even for the quietest among us.

But I think what really puts me at ease is the relaxed and honest attitude of you folks who attend. You know you’re in a safe space to speak your mind, vent your frustrations and share your successes. Even if I’m not always allowed to cover them, these insights provide a glimpse into the real-world environments in which retailers and manufacturers operate. I like to think that makes me a better editor, but I’m positive it strengthens a retailer or manufacturer’s ability to operate in today’s wacky world of nicotine sales.

I’ll stop before I dive too far into the overly PR deep end. But for those of you who attended our recent Total Nicotine Conference in Philadelphia, I want to extend a great big “thank you” for your frank discussions and willingness to share. Keep it coming and never hesitate to “off the record” this tobacco nerd.