RAI Trade Marketing Services Co. President Mike Auger Announces Retirement

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Tobacco industry veteran Mike Auger is stepping down from his position at Reynolds American Inc.

Auger, president of RAI Trade Marketing Services Co., will retire from the company in mid-February. He joined RAI in 2004 during the R.J. Reynolds and Brown & Williamson merger, and held several roles in RAI Trade Marketing roles, including area vice president and vice president of Trade Marketing Development. He took title to his current position in early 2015.

During his tenure, Auger helped lead some of the largest acquisitions and mergers in the industry, including the acquisition of Lorillard Inc., and the integration of the American Snuff Co. and Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. trade teams into the Reynolds organization, according to the company.

He also helped drive the company's customer and consumer engagement strategy that continues to be among the organization’s strongest competitive advantages. "His vision to create a culture of coaching excellence and his passion for developing people will continue to pay dividends long into the future," Reynolds said in a release.

With Auger's retirement, RAI is taking the opportunity to capture additional synergies by further integrating its Trade Marketing team with the Digital and Commercial Activation teams. To that end, the company appointed Frank Silva, currently senior vice president, Digital Marketing and Commercial Activation, to senior vice president, Trade Marketing and Activation.

Silva has more than 25 years of experience with British American Tobacco, which has encompassed several end markets and above market leadership roles. Prior to his current role, he was regional head of marketing in Asia-Pacific & Middle East.

Prior to that role, Silva was marketing director in the United Kingdom and marketing director in Canada.

Joining Reynolds in October 2019, Silva established the Digital Marketing and Commercial Activation function, bridging the category and trade teams. 

Based in Winston-Salem, Reynolds American Inc. is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of British American Tobacco plc and the U.S. parent company of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.; Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. Inc., American Snuff Co. LLC, R. J. Reynolds Vapor Co. and Kentucky BioProcessing Inc.