Altria's chairman and chief executive officer Michael E. Szymanczyk, 63, has decided to retire. The board of directors has elected Martin J. Barrington, 58, to serve as Altria's chairman and CEO and David R. Beran, 57, to serve as Altria's president and chief operating officer, effective May 17, 2012.  The board has approved a consulting agreement with Mr. Szymanczyk for an initial period ending January 31, 2014.  Barrington joins Altria's board effective immediately.

He has held various roles in the Altria family of companies since 1993, including, most recently, as vice chairman. He has also served as general counsel of both PM USA and Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI). In these and other roles he has participated in the work of virtually every business function of the Altria family of companies, through direct business responsibility for regulatory and external affairs, research and development, human resources and compliance, as well as working closely with marketing, sales, strategy and business development and operations.

Beran joined the Altria family of companies in 1976 and has held leadership positions in finance, operations, planning and information, market research and marketing, most recently as vice chairman responsible for business operations.