▁into ▁areas ▁such ▁as ▁ins urance , ▁drink ▁and ▁the ▁apparently ▁bo oming ▁world ▁of ▁ret ail . ▁ ▁Through ▁its ▁B AT US ▁unit ▁( some what ▁redund antly , ▁the ▁ac ron ym ▁referred ▁to ▁" B rit ish ▁American ▁Tob acco ▁– ▁US "), ▁British ▁American ▁Tob acco ▁divers ified ▁its ▁to b acco ▁hold ings ▁with ▁ac quis itions ▁in ▁the ▁ret ail ▁sector , ▁paper ▁sector ▁( through ▁the ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁App leton ▁P aper ▁Company , ▁), ▁and ▁ins urance ▁( through ▁the ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁Farm ers ▁In sur ance ▁Group ). ▁ ▁B AT US ▁was ▁created ▁by ▁British ▁American ▁Tob acco ▁to ▁over see ▁the ▁US ▁hold ings . ▁ ▁Management ▁for ▁B AT US ▁was ▁initially ▁derived ▁from ▁Brown ▁and ▁William son ▁Tob acco ▁with ▁B & W ' s ▁CE O ▁and ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Board , ▁Joseph ▁E . ▁Ed ens ▁initially ▁leading ▁B AT US , ▁followed ▁by ▁Charlie ▁McC art y ▁and ▁H ank ▁Fr ig on , ▁the ▁first ▁non ▁B & W ▁or ▁B AT ▁executive ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁company . ▁ ▁Through out ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁to ▁mid - 1 9 8 0 s , ▁Brown ▁and ▁William son ▁and ▁then ▁B AT US ▁acquired ▁S aks ▁Fif th ▁Avenue , ▁Frederick ▁and ▁Nelson , ▁Marshall ▁Field s , ▁I vey ' s , ▁Bru ener ' s ▁F urn iture ▁and ▁Home ▁F urn ish ings , ▁K