NBA Players Association Selects CAO as VIP Cigar CAO, one of the world’s foremost premium cigar manufacturers, announced today that it has been selected to provide cigars for the NBA All-Star Weekend 2006, beginning February 18, in Houston, Texas. NBA All-Star Weekend brings together the NBA’s top players for a week of competition, community service and world-class entertainment. Among the many events that reach nearly 3.1 billion people in over 200 countries are the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge, Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk contest, Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, PlayStation Skills Challenge and the NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by Nokia. The 55th Annual NBA All-Star game will be played on February 19. Selected NBA players and VIPs will receive CAO Criollo cigars and headwear provided by CAO M.E.R.C.H. “We’re thrilled to have this opportunity to showcase our finest cigars to the sports and entertainment community’s crème de la crème,” said CAO Chief Marketing Officer, Jon Huber. CAO The SopranosSM Edition was recently chosen as one of the “Top 25 Cigars of 2005” according to Cigar Aficionado magazine, widely recognized as the ultimate authority on premium cigars. ------------------------------------------------- CAO International, Inc. is the producer of one of the country’s top lines of premium cigars, Meerschaum pipes and pipe tobaccos. Founded by Cano A. Ozgener in Nashville as a labor of love thirty-eight years ago, today CAO products can be found in every continent in the world with the exception of Antarctica. CAO produces seven cigar lines that have all been rated ‘90’ (“OUTSTANDING”) or above, by Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Insider.