Tobacco Defeats Cancer

Our June 2012 executive of the month award goes to Daniel Delen, CEO of Reynolds American, for his striking victory over the American Cancer Society in the California Elections. His courageous $47 million ad blitz at the last minute to confuse the issue averted a potential revenue loss to the tobacco industry of $475 million a year which would have otherwise been spent in preventing tobacco use and curing cancer.

A loss in California could well have encouraged other states to also increase cigarette taxes and thereby discourage millions of young people from taking up this recreation. Congratulations Daniel, you put your corporation first and thereby protected the interests of your stockholders and senior executives.