Altria Group, Inc. Announces New Structure to Accelerate its Innovation Aspiration; Announces Executive Changes, Effective June 1, 2018
Jody Begley, as Senior Vice President, Tobacco Products, Altria, will oversee the core tobacco businesses, as well as their product development and engineering support. He will report to Billy Gifford, Vice Chairman and CFO. Leading those businesses will be: Heather Newman, President and CEO, PM USA; Shannon Leistra, President and CEO, USSTC; Ryan Bauersachs, Managing Director and General Manager, Middleton; Dominik Meier, Managing Director and General Manager, Nat Sherman. Jody has been President and General Manager of Nu Mark since 2015. He brings to this role 23 years of experience in sales, marketing and strategy from PM USA, USSTC and Nu Mark, as well as leadership positions in Altria Group Distribution Company and Strategy & Business Development. Brian Quigley, as President and CEO, Nu Mark, will oversee the innovative products business, reporting to Howard Willard. Brian has been President and CEO, USSTC since 2012. He joined PM USA in 2003 and has served in brand management leadership roles in PM USA and USSTC. Altria has established a Chief Growth Officer function which will identify and pursue Altria's strategic and innovative growth priorities across the tobacco landscape. This function will identify marketplace and adult tobacco consumer insights and translate them into strategies for product development, consumer engagement, future of commerce and business development. This group will also be responsible for innovative product development and enhancing the company's capabilities by building and acquiring the competencies, technologies and talent to achieve Altria's aspiration of being the U.S. leader in authorized, non-combustible, reduced-risk products. These changes will be effective June 1, 2018.