TOBACCO INDUSTRY "WHISTLE-BLOWER" TO LECTURE AT AUBURN

AUBURN - Jeffrey Wigand, who captured national attention in 1995 when he became the highest-ranking former tobacco executive to share what he knew about tobacco companies' efforts to conceal the dangers of smoking from consumers, will be a guest lecturer in the Auburn University College of Business through Thursday, Feb. 9.

Wigand's visit is as a 2006 James T. Pursell Sr. Distinguished Fellow in Management Ethics. He also served as the 2002 and 2004 Pursell Fellow.

Wigand, who holds a doctorate in biochemistry, had been employed at Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. as vice president of research and development for more than four years before being fired in March 1993 under disputed circumstances. Following his dismissal, Wigand assisted the Federal Drug Administration and other government agencies in their investigation of the tobacco industry. It was this assistance and Wigand's testimony that ultimately brought about a Master Settlement Agreement between US attorneys general and the tobacco industry that was estimated to total $246 billion.

Today, Wigand devotes much of his time to his non-profit foundation, SMOKE-FREE KIDS, Inc. Through this organization, Wigand travels the country (and the world) speaking to students about the tobacco industry and its targeting of children in particular. In addition, Wigand serves as a consultant to countries that are interested in passing smoke-free legislation. He also provides expert testimony in tobacco-related court cases.

To arrange an interview with Wigand or learn more about his schedule, please contact David Granger at 334/844-9986 or via email at grangdm@auburn.edu.

Auburn University is a preeminent land-grant and comprehensive research institution with more than 23,000 students and 6,500 faculty and staff. Ranked among the top 50 public universities nationally, Auburn is Alabama's largest educational institution, offering more than 230 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs.

(Contributed by Dina Kanellos.)

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