RICHMOND, Va. -- Altria Group Inc. has adopted a new senior officer structure that it said "will enhance the company's responsiveness to evolving regulatory and marketplace opportunities and continue to develop future leadership capability for the company." Michael E. Szymanczyk will remain chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Altria. Reporting to Szymanczyk will be four business areas, each led by a single executive officer: Business Operations Innovation, Public Affairs, Human Resources and Compliance Finance and Strategic Planning Law
Effective [image-nocss] Jan. 1, 2011, David R. Beran will become vice chairman of Altria, responsible for Business Operations. Beran will be responsible for the company meeting its business and financial goals. He will oversee the company's tobacco and wine businesses, along with the associated support functions.
Effective Jan. 1, 2011, Martin J. Barrington will become vice chairman of Altria, responsible for Innovation, Public Affairs, Human Resources and Compliance. Barrington will be responsible for the company's efforts to meet its regulatory, compliance and product responsibilities. He will continue to lead the company's engagement with the Food & Drug Administration and other external stakeholders, and he will assume oversight of product research, development and engineering.
Effective Jan. 1, 2011, Howard A. Willard will become executive vice president and chief financial officer of Altria, reporting directly to Szymanczyk. In his new role, Willard will continue to lead the company's strategic planning and assume oversight of the financial services business of Philip Morris Capital Corp.
Denise F. Keane will continue to serve as executive vice president and general counsel.
The composition of the company's Board of Directors will remain unchanged as of Jan. 1, 2011.
Beran currently serves as executive vice president and CFO for Altria. He has held leadership positions in finance, planning, market research, marketing and operations. He joined the Altria family of companies after graduating from the University of Virginia in 1976 and holds an MBA from the University of Richmond.
Barrington currently serves as executive vice president and chief compliance and administrative officer of Altria, and has responsibility for regulatory affairs, corporate affairs, government affairs and human resources. He has served as general counsel and senior vice president for both Philip Morris USA Inc. (PM USA) and Philip Morris International Inc., as well as executive vice president of corporate responsibility for PM USA. He joined the Altria family of companies in 1993 after serving as a partner at the law firm of Hunton & Williams.
Willard currently serves as executive vice president, strategy and business development for Altria. He has held leadership positions in finance, sales, information services and corporate responsibility. He joined the Altria family of companies in 1992 after working at Bain & Co. and Salomon Brothers Inc. and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Richmond, Va.-based Altria directly or indirectly owns 100% of each of PM USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. LLC, John Middleton Co., Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Ltd., and PMCC. Altria holds a continuing economic and voting interest in SABMiller plc.
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