Governor Kaine Appoints Executive Director of Tobacco Settlement Foundation

RICHMOND – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today appointed Marty H. Kilgore to serve as Executive Director of the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation (VTSF), a position she previously held during the administration of Governor Mark R. Warner. Under Kilgore’s tenure as Director, surveys indicated tobacco use among Virginia middle school students dropped 45% and use among high school students was reduced by 28%.

“Marty Kilgore was an energetic and effective director of the Foundation, and I am pleased she has agreed to return to duty in our effort to educate young people about the health risks of tobacco,” Governor Kaine said. “Not only is she an experienced public servant, Marty also brings a deep personal commitment to keeping children tobacco-free.”

VTSF was established by the General Assembly in 1999 after Virginia and 45 other states signed the Master Settlement Agreement with the four largest tobacco manufacturers in the United States settling state suits to recover costs associated with treating smoking-related illness. According to the MSA, the tobacco manufacturers are projected to pay the settling states in excess of $200 billion over the next 25 years. Virginia is expected to receive $4 billion. VTSF has been allocated 10% of the MSA funds to lead Virginia's youth tobacco use prevention efforts.

Kilgore served as Executive Director of VTSF from 2001 until the Fall of 2005. Previously, Kilgore served as Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1998 to 2001.

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