Washington, D.C. (December 28, 2001) - Philip Morris U.S.A. CEO Michael Szymanczyk; Kraft Foods Inc. Executive Vice Presidents Bridgette Heller, Todd Brown, and Co-CEO Betsy Holden; and Miller Brewing Company CEO John Bowlin (featured left to right) represented the Philip Morris family of companies as co-chairs of the 13th annual Executive Leadership Council (ELC) Recognition Awards Dinner held in Washington, D.C., on October 18th. Philip Morris Companies Inc. sponsored this year's gala dinner, which brought together more than 1,200 African-American business executives, CEOs and public policy leaders and guests from across the nation.

During the gala, Bowlin announced the creation of the Corporate Board of Directors Development Program. Designed to improve representation of African-American business leaders on corporate boards via training and exposure to Corporate CEO's, this multi-year initiative is co-sponsored by Philip Morris Companies and the ELC.

For more than four decades, the Philip Morris companies - which includes Kraft Foods Inc., Miller Brewing Company, Philip Morris International, Inc. and Philip Morris U.S.A. - have supported programs and charitable organizations nationwide and have provided philanthropic assistance to communities around the world.