Michael Thorne-begland

Michael began his career with Altria in 2004 as an attorney in the Law Department advising on counterfeit and contraband tobacco issues. Since January 2009, Michael has run Altria’s Brand and Trade Channel Integrity department. The department is responsible for helping Altria’s companies that include Philip Morris USA, John Middleton and US Smokeless Tobacco Co., protect the integrity of their brands and the legitimate trade channels through which they are distributed and sold. The department provides a variety of brand protection services for Altria’s companies. With over 150 years of combined law enforcement experience and two tobacco sniffing dogs, the team investigates tobacco traffickers; supports law enforcement authorities in criminal investigations and enforcement actions; monitors the market for illicit tobacco products; and develops and implements product security features