Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert Appointed to Legacy's Board of Directors

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Honorable Gary R Herbert, Utah's 17th Governor, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Legacy, the national, independent public health foundation dedicated to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. Governor Herbert served as Lieutenant Governor under Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. for about five years, before taking the Oath of Office on Aug. 11, 2009. Governor Huntsman had also served on the Legacy Board from 2007 to 2009.

"We're honored to welcome Governor Herbert to the Legacy Board," said Dr. Benjamin K. Chu, Board chair.  "The Governor has a personal commitment to public health and we look forward to the energy and expertise his participation on our Board will provide."

"Utah has one of the lowest smoking rates in the nation," said Cheryl G. Healton, DrPH, Legacy president and CEO.  "We're confident that Governor Herbert can play a powerful role in helping to guide our organization as we transition into our second decade, working to save lives from the burden of tobacco-related disease and death."

Governor Herbert has served on 28 different boards, commissions and organizations, as well as on the National Governors Association Health and Human Services Standing Committee, the Healthcare Reform Task Force and the Homeland Security Special Committee.

In 1990, Herbert was appointed to the Utah County Commission, a post he held for 14 years. During this time, he also served as president of the Utah Association of Counties and the Utah Association of Realtors and on the board of the Provo-Orem Chamber of Commerce and Utah Water Conservancy District.

Governor Herbert founded Herbert & Associates Realtors, an Orem-based brokerage firm, which began his career in the real estate industry. The entrepreneur also began a childcare service, The Kids Connection, which he and his wife, Jeanette Snelson, operated for 23 years.

Governor Herbert was born in American Fork, Utah, raised in Orem, Utah, and attended Brigham Young University. While his political priorities consist of economic development, public and higher education and energy development, he exemplifies the all-American persona through his family life, as well as his military and athletic backgrounds.

Following his marriage to Jeanette Snelson, with whom he has three sons, three daughters and eleven grandchildren, he joined the Utah National Guard, serving for six years as a staff sergeant who worked with target acquisition, artillery and ground survey. He also served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Eastern Atlantic States Mission. Governor Herbert played as quarterback for Orem High School's football team; served as captain of the baseball team, playing as the pitcher and third baseman; and served as captain of the basketball team, playing as point guard. He also began playing tennis at age 28 and was ranked No. 1 in Utah in the 25+ open division.

Legacy is dedicated to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. Located in Washington, D.C., the national public health organization helps American live longer, healthier lives. Legacy develops programs that address the health effects of tobacco use, especially among vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by the toll of tobacco, through grants, technical assistance and training, partnerships, youth activism, and counter-marketing and grassroots marketing campaigns. The foundation's programs include truth^®, a national youth smoking prevention campaign that has been cited as having contributed to significant declines in youth smoking; EX^®, an innovative public health program designed to speak to smokers in their own language and change the way they approach quitting; and research initiatives exploring the causes, consequences and approaches to reducing tobacco use. The American Legacy Foundation was created as a result of the November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) reached between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories and the tobacco industry. Visit http://www.legacyforhealth.org/.

SOURCE Legacy