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ROBBY GORDON MOTORSPORTS DONATES $20,000 TO UNC CHARLOTTE TO FUND ALCOHOL EDUCATION PROGRAMS
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May 22, 2006, 10:16

Deerfield, Ill. (May 19, 2006) –– Robby Gordon Motorsports (RGM) will donate $20,000 to University of North Carolina at Charlotte to fund The Century Council’s Alcohol 101 Plus™ program and related alcohol education initiatives throughout the year.  Robby Gordon, team owner and driver of the No. 7 Jim Beam® Chevrolet, will present a check to school officials today prior to qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup All-Star Challenge at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.  The grant is part of a larger donation given to RGM by Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. and its Jim Beam bourbon brand in support of the company’s drink smart® responsibility platform to educate consumers on how to make responsible decisions about alcohol. 

         
“We recognize that student drinking can have a negative impact on students’ academic, personal and professional success.  This donation will help us expand our alcohol education program,” said David Spano, Associate Vice Chancellor for Health Programs and Services at UNC Charlotte.  “We are encouraged by the commitment shown from Robby Gordon Motorsports, The Century Council and Beam Global to educate college students about high risk drinking and we look forward to making the Alcohol 101 Plus program available to our students.”

“The Century Council’s operating philosophy is that collective action can have a greater impact than individual efforts.  By joining forces with UNC Charlotte and Robby Gordon Motorsports, we hope to continue to keep alcohol out of the hands of kids in North Carolina.  It is critical that college administrators make it a priority to enable and encourage college students to make safe and informed choices about alcohol.  I am proud to launch Alcohol 101 Plus at UNC Charlotte, and I am confident that it will be an essential and effective tool in the fight against underage drinking among college students,” said Lindsay Law of The Century Council.

Through drink smart, Beam Global Spirits & Wine and Jim Beam remind consumers of the basic principles for making responsible decisions concerning alcohol:  1) if you’re under 21, don’t drink; 2) if you’re of legal purchase age and choose to drink, do so in moderation; and 3) never drive drunk.

2006 marks the fourth year that Beam Global Spirits & Wine has brought attention to responsibility through Jim Beam and its motorsports platform.  In 2003, Beam Global became the first major contributor to The Michael Andretti Foundation founded by Indy Racing League driver and team owner Michael Andretti and has since donated several hundred thousand dollars for its ongoing efforts to promote responsible choices about alcohol.  When Jim Beam extended its motorsports involvement to NASCAR in 2005, the company expanded its drink smart initiatives with an additional donation to Robby Gordon Motorports.   

“Responsibility has always been a priority for Beam Global and Jim Beam,” said Robby Gordon.  “As a race car driver, I’m thrilled to help universities expand their alcohol education and awareness programs.”

Throughout 2006, Robby Gordon Motorsports will present universities in various NASCAR race markets with funding to implement The Century Council’s Alcohol 101 Plus™ education program and other alcohol education initiatives. 

Jim Beam Racing

Jim Beam is a primary sponsor of the No. 7 car driven by team owner Robby Gordon of Robby Gordon Motorsports for a designated number of races in the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season.  Jim Beam is an associate sponsor for an additional number of races.  In addition to the Jim Beam logo, the company’s drink smart logo is displayed on the car and Gordon’s firesuit to communicate the importance of responsible drinking.  For more information on Jim Beam and drink smart, visit www.jimbeam.com and www.drinksmart.com. 

The Century Council & Alcohol 101 Plus

The Century Council is a not-for-profit organization funded by America’s leading distillers to fight drunk driving and underage drinking.  Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is a member of The Century Council through Future Brands LLC, a sales and distribution joint venture established in 2001 between Beam Global (then Jim Beam Brands Co.) and The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc.

Since The Century Council released Alcohol 101 Plus in 2003, nearly 2,000 colleges have received or registered for the program proving that campuses value this unique resource.  Set on a “virtual campus,” the new program builds on the best features of the previous version, the award-winning Alcohol 101.  New content addresses the problems of specific at-risk populations in college settings, such as:  first-year students; Greeks; athletes; and judicial-policy offenders.

For more information, visit www.centurycouncil.org.

About Beam Global Spirits and Wine

Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is the fourth largest spirits company in the world.  With nine of the world’s top-100 premium spirits in its portfolio, the company’s brands hold global and national leadership positions in key categories, including Jim Beam® bourbon; Canadian Club® Canadian whisky; Courvoisier® cognac; Laphroaig® Scotch; Sauza® tequila; Larios® gin; Whisky DYC®; Teacher’s® Scotch; and DeKuyper® cordials.  The portfolio also includes Maker’s Mark® bourbon, Knob Creek® bourbon and The Small Batch Bourbon Collection®, and Starbucks™ Liqueurs.  Beam Wine Estates is a top-five super-premium wine company in the U.S., featuring Clos du Bois®, the number two super-premium U.S. wine brand, and the award-winning Geyser Peak®.  Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO), a $7 billion leading consumer brands company.  For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine and the company’s sales and distribution partners, please visit www.beamglobal.com.