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American Legacy Foundation® Welcomes M. Cass Wheeler to Board of Directors

12/2/2008

Esteemed CEO of the American Heart Association Brings Invaluable Health Advocacy Experience

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Legacy Foundation welcomes M. Cass Wheeler, CEO of the American Heart Association (AHA), to its board of directors. A respected leader in health advocacy, Wheeler brings to the task, decades of accomplishments and experience imperative to public health issues including the adverse effects of tobacco use.

Wheeler began his career with the AHA at its Austin, TX, affiliate in 1973, rising through the organization to become its chief executive officer in October 1997. Under his leadership, the AHA adopted a single corporate structure by merging its 56 state and metropolitan affiliates into eight regional affiliates. During his tenure, Wheeler helped the heart association experience its greatest period of financial growth, and also oversaw approval of an extensive health-impact goal that seeks to reduce coronary heart disease, stroke and risk by 25 percent by 2010.

As CEO, Wheeler expanded awareness on new research and advocacy and implemented various care initiatives and causes, including the formation of the American Stroke Association, a division of the heart association. He also helped launch Go Red For Women, an award-winning national campaign to raise women's awareness of the No. 1 killer of women, heart disease. Through his leadership, the AHA has both created and partnered with various alliances and commissions dedicated to the advancement of overall heart health.  At the end of 2008, Wheeler plans to retire from the American Heart Association after 35 years.

“Cass Wheeler is one of the most revered public health leaders in our country, demonstrating great leadership in promoting better health and reducing the effects of tobacco use,” said Dr. Cheryl Healton, President and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation. “We welcome Cass’ firsthand experience in developing initiatives, raising funds, and building coalitions to tackle complex public health problems. His many years of experience and practical wisdom will be of great service in furthering the work of our foundation.”

"Nearly 438,000 Americans die each year from tobacco-related disease and more than a third of these deaths are related to heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. The AHA is committed to promoting initiatives to reduce smoking and reduce tobacco use, and we have worked alongside Legacy in many of these endeavors,” said Wheeler. “There is still a great amount of work to be done at the state and national level concerning the issue of tobacco control. I am pleased to extend my support to the American Legacy Foundation’s mission and bring attention to this tobacco epidemic by taking on a more direct role by serving on the Board."

A Texas native, Wheeler received a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Texas at Austin. He has been a guest lecturer and speaker at Harvard University, and at the Universities of Texas at Austin and Dallas. He also serves on a number of boards including the National Health Council and the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids. Wheeler has also served on the President's Commission on Improving Economic Opportunity in Communities Dependent on Tobacco Production While Protecting Public Health. In addition to his widespread involvement in the public health community, Wheeler has received national recognition and awards including the Essence of Leadership Award for Excellence in National Executive Leadership from the National Human Services Assembly in September 2005.

On March 31, 2008, Wheeler joined Legacy and other prominent health leaders and policy makers at all levels to introduce a new public health campaign effort for smoking cessation called EX^® (http://www.becomeanex.org/).

The American Legacy Foundation^® is dedicated to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. Located in Washington, D.C., the foundation develops programs that address the health effects of tobacco use, especially among vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by the toll of tobacco, through grants, technical assistance and training, partnerships, youth activism, and counter-marketing and grassroots marketing campaigns. The foundation’s programs include truth^®, a national youth smoking prevention campaign that has been cited as contributing to significant declines in youth smoking; EX^®, an innovative public health program designed to speak to smokers in their own language and change the way they approach quitting; research initiatives exploring the causes, consequences and approaches to reducing tobacco use; and a nationally-renowned program of outreach to priority populations. The American Legacy Foundation was created as a result of the November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) reached between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories and the tobacco industry. Visit http://www.americanlegacy.org/.

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Contact: Julia Cartwright, 202-454-5596, jcartwright@americanlegacy.org