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Reynolds American, Inc.
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| Reynolds American, Inc. | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
| Top official: | Susan M. Cameron, President and Chairman |
| Year founded: | 2004 |
| Website: | Official website |
As of 2016, Reynolds American Inc., Services Company (RAI) was the parent company of a number of subsidiary tobacco companies including R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, which housed cigarette brands Newport, Camel, and Pall Mall; American Snuff Company, which made chewing tobacco products, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co., Inc; Niconvium, Inc.; and R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, which made digital vapor cigarettes.[1]
Reynolds American, Inc. Services Company supported the 2016 Missouri 60 Cent Cigarette Tax, which would have increased the cigarette tax to 77 cents by 2020 in 15 cent increments each year between 2016 and 2020. The measure was defeated in November 2016.
Background
Between 1894 and 2016, Reynolds conglomerate had diversified its products through a series of mergers and acquisitions with brands including Nabisco and Brown & Williamson Tobacco. RAI was formed in 2004 to serve as the parent company to various other American tobacco companies and brands, the oldest of which, Lorillard, dates back to 1760.[2]
Master Settlement Agreement
The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and Lorillard, now subsidiaries of RAI, were considered among the four largest cigarette companies in the United States in 1998 when those four companies negotiated the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) with the attorneys general of 46 states, 5 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. The MSA settled all outstanding lawsuits seeking to recover cost of treating tobacco users covered by Medicaid. It required the tobacco industry to change its advertising practices and pay $206 billion through the year 2025.[3] Since the settlement, several disputes have arisen between RAI and the states regarding the terms of payment.[4][5][6]
Political activity
Contributions
According to the RAI website, the corporation participated in politics and public policy "in the interests of their businesses." As of 2016, the two primary methods of participation were by contributing money to political organizations, candidates, committees and advocacy groups:[7]
In 2015, RAI donated funds to more than 650 campaigns, committees or candidates in twenty six states.[8] Full reports are available on the RAI website. Also in 2015, RAI gave $1.1 million to 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) organizations and $1.6 million to 527 groups.[9][10] Full reports are available on the RAI website.
Ballot measure activity
Overview of ballot measure support and opposition
The following table details Reynolds American's ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:
| Ballot measure support and opposition for Reynolds American | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballot measure | Year | Position | Status |
| Missouri 60 Cent Cigarette Tax, Constitutional Amendment 3 (2016) | 2016 | Supported[11] |  Defeated
|
2016 activity
Reynolds American supported the 2016 Missouri 60 Cent Cigarette Tax, which sought to increase the cigarette tax to 77 cents by 2020 and impose a fee on wholesalers of 67 cents per pack on cigarettes produced by a “non-participating manufacturer." The measure would have devoted at least 75 percent of revenues generated from these taxes to increasing access to early childhood education programs. As of December, 2016, RAI had provided $12.98 million to Raise Your Hands for Kids, the ballot measure committee that supported the amendment.
Leadership
As of December 2016, Susan M. Cameron was listed on RAI's website as the president and CEO of the organization.[12]
Board of Directors
As of December 2016, the following individuals were listed on RAI's website as members of the organizations board of directors.[13]
In September 2016, former U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner joined the RAI board of directors.[14]
- Thomas C. Wajnert, Chairman
- Susan M. Cameron, Director
- Jerome Abelman, Director
- John Boehner, Director
- Martin D. Feinstein, Director
- Luc Jobin, Director
- Murray S. Kessler, Director
- Holly K. Koeppel, Director
- Jean-Marc Levy, Director
- Nana Mensah, Director
- Lionel L. Nowell, III, Director
- Ricardo Oberlander, Director
- Ronald S. Rolfe, Director
- John J. Zillmer, Director
Finances
According to Forbes, Reynolds American was valued at $68.3 billion with $10.68 billion in annual sales, as of December 2016.[15]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Reynolds American. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Missouri 60 Cent Cigarette Tax, Constitutional Amendment 3 (2016)
- 2016 ballot measures
- Missouri 2016 ballot measures
- John Boehner
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Reynolds American, "Our Operating Companies," accessed September 21,2016
- ↑ Reynolds American, "Our History," accessed September 23, 2016
- ↑ CRS Report for Congress, "Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (1998):Overview, Implementation by States, and Congressional Issues," accessed September 21, 2016
- ↑ Winston-Salem Journal, "Reynolds withholds money from MSA payments," accessed September 21, 2016
- ↑ Reynolds American, "Reynolds Tobacco Company Makes 2007 Master Settlement Agreement Payment," accessed September 21, 2016
- ↑ Reynolds American, "Reynolds Tobacco Company Makes 2006 Master Settlement Agreement Payment," accessed September 21, 2016
- ↑ Reynolds American, "Corporate Political Expenditures," accessed September 21, 2016
- ↑ Reynolds American, "2015 Political Corporate Contributions," accessed September 2015
- ↑ Reynolds American, "2015 Corporate Political Contributions to 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) Organizations,"accessed September 21, 2016
- ↑ Reynolds American, "2015 Corporate Contributions to 527 Organizations," accessed September 21, 2016
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedSupport - ↑ Reynolds American, "Management Team," September 21, 2016
- ↑ Reynolds American, "RAI Board of Directors, accessed September 21, 2016
- ↑ Bloomberg, "Camel Smoker John Boehner Joins Board of Reynolds American," accessed September 21, 2016
- ↑ Forbes, "The World's Biggest Public Companies: 2016 Ranking," accessed September 21, 2016
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