Amy J. Millman

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This article is part of the Tobacco portal on Sourcewatch funded from 2006 - 2009 by the American Legacy Foundation.

Amy J. Millman worked in Philip Morris' Washington Relations (lobbying) office in Washington, D.C. She advocated Philip Morris increase its corporate giving to womens groups as a way to "lower the decibel level of attacks on the company," and to position the company to win greater favor and power in government.

Biography

Amy Millman was involved in the Tobacco Institute, Inc.'s Comprehensive Public Smoking Program which proposed strategies and highlighted programs designed to address current legislative and regulatory activity and other public smoking/indoor air quality initiatives. Specifically, Millman was involved with proposed smoking regulations on domestic flights under the Department of Transportation. Her job involved contacting Aviation Sub-Committee Staffers, Senate Transportation Staffers and their appropriate representatives. Also, Millman worked with the Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee.

Another of Millman's roles was to build a political consensus in favor of the tobacco industry's position and to forge alliances with other organizations including, but not limited to: women's' organizations, various minority organizations like the Black Caucus and special interest groups like the Arts Caucus. She solidified these alliances by selectively promoting these organizations through monetary contributions from Philip Morris, Inc. Additionally, she was involved with Philip Morris, Inc.'s sponsorship of The National Bill of Rights Tour which celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Bill of Rights. Another aspect of Millman's job at Philip Morris, Inc. was to promote tobacco sales to the military. She worked with Philip Morris, Inc.'s program to distribute cigarettes monthly to government employees. Millman has knowledge of the tobacco industry's lobby tactics employed in Texas and Washington D.C. (DOCs Documents)

In 1990, Ms. Millman contacted the PR and lobbying firm Foreman & Heidepriem on behalf of Philip Morris seeking a "strategy to guide Philip Morris contributions of...financial resources in support of women's organizations and interests." Foreman stated that contributing to womens' groups would promote PM's corporate goal of "enhancing the company's reputation as a good corporate citizen," would provide an opportunity to "work with activist women in support of common goals," and would help "Lower the 'decibel level' of attacks on the company." The strategic objectives of PM supporting women's groups and programs included "avoiding further limitations on tobacco use, preventing imposition of excise taxes on tobacco, and becoming more readily identified by both the public and policymakers as a food and tobacco company."[1]

On March 7, 1990, Ms. Millman proposed PM adopt a "women's strategy" using the Forman and Heidepriem plan. In memo promoting the program, Millman wrote,

We [PM] have been important benefactors of many womens groups for at least ten years...This fact is not lost on these women. They often speak highly of PM and on occasion jump to defend us. The only group that consistently harasses us is NOW and we have never given them general contributions.[2]

Ms. Millman left Philip Morris and established a venture capital non-profit organization targeted at women called Springboard Enterprises.

Contact

Amy J. Millman, President
Springboard Enterprises
2100 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007
202-242-6280 phone
202-242-6284 fax
Email: amyATspringboardenterprises.org (Substitute an @ sign for the "AT")

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