George Weissman

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George Weissman (July 12, 1919 – July 24, 2009) was an American businessman and a former president of Philip Morris (now Altria).

Biography

Weismann was born in the Bronx on July 12, 1919. After graduating from Townsend Harris High School, he attended Baruch College in 1939 and worked as the editor of a small weekly newspaper in New Jersey, then as a reporter for The Star-Ledger of Newark, New Jersey. After enlisting in the United States Navy the day after the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor and serving for more than three years during World War II as a commander of a submarine destroyer then onto an anti personnel naval ship, he switched to public relations, first at Samuel Goldwyn Productions and then public relations consultant Benjamin Sonnenberg where Philip Morris was a client.^[1]

In 1952, he joined Philip Morris as assistant to the president and director of public relations. The next year he was elected vice-president of the company, handling not only public relations and market research but also new product development and packaging. He joined the company's board of directors in 1958. Weissman was appointed chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Philip Morris International, leading its expansion overseas. He became president of the corporation in 1967, vice-chairman in 1973 and chairman and chief executive officer in 1978.

Weissman retired in 1984, but continued to serve the company in various advisory roles. He joined the board of directors of Gulf+Western, which later became Paramount Communications, a position he held for the next decade.

His volunteer pursuits included board chairman of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, founding board member of Jazz at Lincoln Center, a trustee of the Whitney Museum, and a director of the New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry. His political work landed him on the master list of Nixon political opponents.^[1]

Baruch College's Weissman School of Arts and Sciences is named after him, and his wife Mildred.

He died at age 90 on July 24, 2009, in Greenwich, Connecticut due to the results of an accidental fall at his home in Rye, New York.^[1]

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Martin, Douglas. "George Weissman, Leader at Philip Morris and in the Arts in New York, Dies at 90 ", The New York Times, July 27, 2009. Accessed July 28, 2009.

Weissman, George (December 2, 1998). First Annual Weissman Lecture on the Influence of the Arts on Society.
Corporate history via Altria

Persondata
Name	Weissman, George
Alternative names
Short description	American businessman
Date of birth	July 12, 1919
Place of birth
Date of death	July 24, 2009
Place of death

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