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Fri, May 15, 11:04 PM

T. Wayne Robertson Memorial Fund Created

Courtesy of Rob Goodman, Sports Marketing Enterprises

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. - R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has initiated the T. Wayne Robertson Memorial Fund, a program that will support non-profit organizations in and out of racing. The fund is named for the 13-year head of RJR's Sports Marketing Enterprises who was killed four months ago in a Louisiana boat accident.

The announcement was made today by Andrew J. Schindler, president and chief executive officer of Reynolds Tobacco.

"The loss we suffered following Wayne's death in January will continue to be felt for many years," Schindler said. "He poured an enormous amount of energy into every facet of his life."

"And in the spirit of Wayne's life and good deeds, it gives me a great deal of pleasure today to announce the formation of the T. Wayne Robertson Memorial Fund. The objective is for the fund to prosper, thus enabling T. Wayne to be remembered while his name helps others."

Schindler said the fund would be accepting contributions from individuals and corporations in addition to a percentage of the proceeds from the NASCAR Winston Cup Preview. Schindler said the Preview, held each January in Winston-Salem, N.C., would be renamed the T. Wayne Robertson NASCAR Winston Cup Preview.

The fund will be administered by the Winston-Salem Foundation. An advisory committee will determine the direction of its funds. The committee has nine members, including RJR's Schindler, NHRA president Dallas Gardner, NASCAR president Bill France Jr., SME president Pennell and Dana Robertson, T. Wayne Robertson's widow.

Robertson, 48 at the time of his death, began his employment at RJR in 1971, later succeeding Ralph Seagraves as the company's sports-marketing head in 1985. He was responsible for the creation of the Winston Invitational, NHRA's annual all-star race conducted each spring in Rockingham, N.C., and the Winston Top 10, a bonus program for NHRA drag racers. He presided over the growth of RJR's overall involvement in NHRA Winston Drag Racing. Robertson also helped create The Winston, NASCAR Winston Cup's "all-star" event that is set for this weekend, as well as the Winston Million and Winston No Bull 5 bonus programs.

Contributions to the T. Wayne Robertson Memorial Fund can be sent to:

T. Wayne Robertson Memorial Fund
Winston-Salem Foundation
860 W. Fifth St.
Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101-2506