UST on Thursday named Murray Kessler as its chief executive officer effective 1 January 2007.

Kessler succeeds Vincent Gierer, who as previously announced will retire as CEO at the end of this year and serve as non-executive chairman of the UST board, the company said in a statement. Kessler has been president and chief operating officer of UST, the holding company for US Smokeless Tobacco Co and International Wine & Spirits. (pi)