George Weissman

George Weissman is an American businessman and a former president of Philip Morris (now Altria).

After graduating from Townsend Harris High School, he attended the City College of New York in 1939 and worked as the editor of a small weekly newspaper in New Jersey, then as a reporter for the Newark Star Ledger. After serving in 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.

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 has continued to serve the company is various advisory roles. He joined the board of directors of Paramount Communications, a position he held for the next decade.

His volunteer pursuits have included board chairman of 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.

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

References

*Weissman, George (December 2, 1998). [http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/wsas/events/weissman1.html First Annual Weissman Lecture on the Influence of the Arts on Society.]
* [http://www.altria.com/about_altria/1_2_5_4_philipmorrisusastory Corporate history] via Altria