WHITMAN CORP
DEF 14A, 1996-03-22
BOTTLED & CANNED SOFT DRINKS & CARBONATED WATERS
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<PAGE>
                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
 
                  Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
            the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.    )
 
    Filed by the Registrant /X/
    Filed by a Party other than the Registrant / /
 
    Check the appropriate box:
    / /  Preliminary Proxy Statement
    / /  Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
         14a-6(e)(2))
    /X/  Definitive Proxy Statement
    / /  Definitive Additional Materials
    / /  Soliciting  Material  Pursuant  to  Section  240.14a-11(c)  or  Section
         240.14a-12
 
                                        WHITMAN CORPORATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
 
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
 
/X/  $125 per  Exchange Act  Rules 0-11(c)(1)(ii),  14a-6(i)(1), 14a-6(i)(2)  or
     Item 22(a)(2) of Schedule 14A.
/ /  $500  per  each party  to  the controversy  pursuant  to Exchange  Act Rule
     14a-6(i)(3).
/ /  Fee  computed  on   table  below   per  Exchange   Act  Rules   14a-6(i)(4)
     and 0-11.
     1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
        pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the
        filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     5) Total fee paid:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
/ /  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
/ /  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
     0-11(a)(2)  and identify the  filing for which the  offsetting fee was paid
     previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement  number,
     or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
     1) Amount Previously Paid:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
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     3) Filing Party:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     4) Date Filed:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
   [LOGO]
                                                       Whitman Corporation
                                                       3501 Algonquin Road
                                                       Rolling Meadows, Illinois
                                                       60008
 
                                                       Bruce S. Chelberg
                                                       Chairman and
                                                       Chief Executive Officer
 
                                         March 22, 1996
 
       Dear Shareholder:
 
           We  are pleased  to invite you  to attend  the 1996 Annual
       Meeting of Shareholders of Whitman Corporation, which will  be
       held  in the First  Chicago Center, One  First National Plaza,
       Dearborn and Madison Streets, Chicago, Illinois, on  Thursday,
       May 2, 1996, commencing at 10:30 a.m., Central Time.
 
           As  more fully set forth in  the notice of the meeting and
       proxy statement  which  appear  on the  following  pages,  the
       principal  items  of  business  at  the  meeting  will  be the
       election of directors and the ratification of the selection of
       independent public accountants for the year 1996. We will also
       report to you at  the meeting on the  business and affairs  of
       the Company.
 
           Our  Annual Report for 1995 accompanies this statement. In
       accordance with our regular practice,  a report of the  annual
       proceedings,  including an  account of actions  taken, will be
       sent to you following the meeting.
 
           In order  to complete  arrangements  for the  meeting,  we
       would  like to know in advance how many shareholders expect to
       attend. If you plan to  attend, please check the box  provided
       on the proxy card.
 
           Your  vote is important no matter how many shares you own.
       We hope you will be able to attend the meeting in person,  but
       if  you cannot,  please sign and  date the  enclosed proxy and
       return it in the accompanying envelope. PROMPT RETURN OF  YOUR
       PROXY WILL SAVE THE EXPENSE OF SENDING YOU A SECOND PROXY.
 
                                  /s/ Bruce S. Chelberg
 
                                    Chairman and Chief Executive
                                    Officer
<PAGE>
                              WHITMAN CORPORATION
                    Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders
 
To: Shareholders of Whitman Corporation
 
    The  Annual Meeting of  Shareholders of Whitman Corporation  will be held in
the First  Chicago  Center,  One  First National  Plaza,  Dearborn  and  Madison
Streets,  Chicago, Illinois,  on Thursday, May  2, 1996, at  10:30 a.m., Central
Time, for the following purposes:
 
    1.  To elect ten directors of the Company;
 
    2.  To consider  and vote upon  a proposal to ratify  the selection of  KPMG
       Peat Marwick LLP as independent public accountants for the year 1996; and
 
    3.  To act upon such other matters as may properly come before the meeting.
 
    The  close of business on  March 7, 1996, has been  fixed as the record date
for determination  of shareholders  entitled to  notice of  and to  vote at  the
Annual Meeting.
 
    Please  sign and date the  enclosed proxy and return  it in the accompanying
envelope as promptly as possible. If you  attend the meeting, you may vote  your
stock in person if you wish. A proxy may be revoked by appropriate notice to the
secretary of the meeting at any time prior to the voting thereof.
 
                                          /s/ William B. Moore
                                            WILLIAM B. MOORE
                                               Secretary
Rolling Meadows, Illinois
March 22, 1996
<PAGE>
                              WHITMAN CORPORATION
              3501 Algonquin Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008
 
                                Proxy Statement
 
                         ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
                             TO BE HELD MAY 2, 1996
 
    This  proxy statement,  which is  first being  mailed to  shareholders on or
about March 22, 1996,  is furnished in connection  with the solicitation by  the
Board  of Directors of Whitman Corporation (the "Company") of proxies for use at
the Annual  Meeting  of  Shareholders  to  be held  on  May  2,  1996,  and  any
adjournments  thereof. Any shareholder giving a proxy  may revoke it at any time
before it  is voted.  The  giving of  a proxy  will  not limit  the right  of  a
shareholder to vote in person at the meeting.
 
    There were outstanding at the close of business on March 7, 1996, the record
date  for determination of the shareholders of the Company entitled to notice of
and to vote at the Annual  Meeting, 105,662,486 shares of Common Stock  entitled
to one vote per share. Only shareholders of record as of the record date will be
entitled  to  vote at  the meeting  or any  adjournments thereof.  Duly executed
proxies will be voted in accordance with the shareholders' specifications marked
thereon. If no  specifications are marked  thereon with respect  to one or  more
proposals,  proxies will be  voted as to  such proposals in  accordance with the
recommendations of the  Board of Directors  set forth in  this proxy  statement.
Except  for the  election of  directors, which shall  be by  plurality vote, the
affirmative vote  of  the  holders  of  a majority  of  the  shares  present  or
represented  by  proxy at  the meeting  and entitled  to vote  on the  matter is
required for approval of each proposal presented in this proxy statement and  of
any  other matter which may properly come before the meeting. In accordance with
Delaware law  and the  Company's Certificate  of Incorporation  and By-Laws,  an
abstention  will have the same effect  as a vote "Against". Additionally, shares
which are not voted by a broker or other nominee on a particular matter will not
be considered as "shares  present or represented by  proxy" for the purposes  of
calculating whether an affirmative vote has been attained.
 
    The  rules of the Securities and  Exchange Commission require that an annual
report accompany  or precede  the proxy  materials. However,  no more  than  one
annual  report need be sent  to the same address.  Shareholders receiving two or
more annual reports in the same household may wish to reduce the total number of
annual reports they  receive, which  will save expense  to the  Company. If  so,
please  check the appropriate box on the proxy card for the accounts you select.
Eliminating these duplicate  mailings will  not affect receipt  of future  proxy
statements and proxy cards.
 
                             ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
 
    Ten  directors are  to be  elected at the  Annual Meeting.  The directors so
elected will  hold  office  as  directors  until  the  next  Annual  Meeting  of
Shareholders  and until their respective successors shall have been duly elected
and qualified. Unless otherwise directed, proxies in the accompanying form  will
be  voted  for  the nominees  listed  below. Proxies  may  also be  voted  for a
substitute nominee or  nominees in the  event any  one or more  of the  nominees
shall  be  unable  to serve  for  any  reason or  withdraws  from  nomination, a
contingency not  now anticipated.  All  of the  following nominees  are  present
directors of the Company whose terms expire at the 1996 Annual Meeting.
 
                                       1
<PAGE>
    [PHOTO 1]
                    HERBERT M. BAUM                 DIRECTOR SINCE NOVEMBER 1995
                     Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
                     Quaker State Corporation
 
                        Mr. Baum, 59, is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
                    Quaker  State Corporation. Prior to  joining Quaker State in
                    1993, Mr. Baum was employed  by Campbell Soup Company  since
                    1978, where he served in various positions, most recently as
                    Executive Vice President and President, Campbell North/South
                    America.  Mr. Baum also serves as a director of Quaker State
                    Corporation and Meredith Corporation. He is past chairman of
the Association of National  Advertisers, as well  as a member  of the Board  of
Directors  of  the  American  Petroleum  Institute  and  the  National Petroleum
Refiners Association. Mr. Baum earned  his BA degree in Business  Administration
from Drake University in 1958.
 
    [PHOTO 2]
                    BRUCE S. CHELBERG                        DIRECTOR SINCE 1988
                     Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
                     Whitman Corporation
 
                        Mr.  Chelberg,  61,  received  his  BS  degree  from the
                    University of Illinois in  1956 and an  LLB degree from  the
                    University  of Illinois College of Law in 1958. From 1958 to
                    1981 he was  employed by Trans  Union Corporation, where  he
                    attained  the  position  of  President  and  Chief Operating
                    Officer  and   director.   Mr.   Chelberg   joined   Whitman
                    Corporation  in 1982 as Senior Vice President-International.
After holding a number of other positions, he became Executive Vice President of
the Company  in 1985  and Chairman  and  Chief Executive  Officer in  1992.  Mr.
Chelberg  is a director of First  Midwest Bancorp, Inc., Northfield Laboratories
Inc. and Snap-on Incorporated, and is a member of the Board of Higher  Education
for  the  State of  Illinois. He  is also  a  member of  the Illinois  State Bar
Association.
 
    [PHOTO 3]
                    RICHARD G. CLINE                         DIRECTOR SINCE 1987
                     Retired Chairman and
                     Chief Executive Officer
                     NICOR Inc.
 
                        Mr. Cline, 61, served  as President and Chief  Operating
                    Officer of NICOR Inc. since 1985, and became Chairman of the
                    Board  and Chief  Executive Officer  in 1986.  He retired as
                    Chief Executive officer in May, 1995 and continued to  serve
                    as Chairman until his retirement from the company at the end
                    of  1995.  NICOR  is  a  diversified  holding  company  with
subsidiaries  engaged  in  natural  gas  distribution  and  containerized  liner
shipping.  For  the previous  22  years, Mr.  Cline  was an  executive  of Jewel
Companies, Inc. He was elected President  of Jewel's Osco Drug, Inc.  subsidiary
in 1970, President, Chief Operating Officer and a director of Jewel in 1980, and
Chairman,  President and  Chief Executive Officer  in 1984. He  resigned in 1985
following Jewel's acquisition  by another  company. He  is a  director of  Kmart
Corporation  and Central  DuPage Health  System, and is  a past  chairman of the
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Mr. Cline is a 1957 graduate of the  University
of  Illinois,  and he  is a  director and  past president  of the  University of
Illinois Foundation.
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
    [PHOTO 4]
                    JAMES W. COZAD                           DIRECTOR SINCE 1986
                     Retired Chairman and
                     Chief Executive Officer
                     Whitman Corporation
 
                        Mr. Cozad, 69,  served as Chairman  and Chief  Executive
                    Officer  of Whitman Corporation from  January 1, 1990, until
                    his retirement in May,  1992. For the  previous 20 years  he
                    served   as  an   officer  of  Amoco   Corporation  and  its
                    affiliates. He joined Amoco Oil Company in 1969 as Financial
                    Vice  President.  He  became  a  Vice  President  of   Amoco
Corporation  in 1971, a director  in 1976, Executive Vice  President in 1978 and
Vice Chairman in 1983. Prior to joining  Amoco, he held positions as an  officer
of  Philip Morris, Inc. and Hygrade Food Products Corporation. Mr. Cozad is also
a director of Eli Lilly and Company, GATX Corporation, Inland Steel  Industries,
Inc.  and Sears, Roebuck & Co. and is a trustee of Northern Funds. A graduate of
Indiana University, he serves as a director of the Indiana University Foundation
and the Chicago  Medical School and  as President  and a director  of the  Lyric
Opera  of Chicago.  Mr. Cozad  is also a  life trustee  of Northwestern Memorial
Hospital.
 
    [PHOTO 5]
                    PIERRE S. DU PONT                        DIRECTOR SINCE 1990
                     Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A.
 
                        Governor du Pont,  61, is a  member of the  law firm  of
                    Richards,  Layton  & Finger,  P.A., Wilmington,  Delaware. A
                    1956 graduate of Princeton University, he served in the U.S.
                    Navy from 1957-1960 and received his law degree from Harvard
                    University in 1963. After six years in business with E.I. du
                    Pont de Nemours &  Co., Inc., he  entered politics in  1968,
                    serving   in   the   Delaware   House   of   Representatives
                    (1968-1970),  as   a   member   of   the   U.S.   House   of
                    Representatives (1971-1977), and as Governor of the State of
Delaware  (1977-1985). He is a trustee of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance
Company and a director of Louisiana-Pacific Corporation. Governor du Pont served
as Chairman of the Hudson Institute in 1985-1986 and currently serves as  Policy
Chairman of the National Center for Policy Analysis.
 
    [PHOTO 6]
                    ARCHIE R. DYKES                          DIRECTOR SINCE 1985
                     Chairman
                     Capital City Holdings Inc.
 
                        Dr.  Dykes,  65, is  Chairman  of Capital  City Holdings
                    Inc., Nashville, Tennessee, a venture capital  organization.
                    Dr.  Dykes served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
                    the Security Benefit  Group of Companies  from 1980  through
                    1987.  He served as  Chancellor of the  University of Kansas
                    from 1973  to 1980.  Before that  he was  Chancellor of  the
                    University  of  Tennessee. Dr.  Dykes is  a director  of the
Fleming  Companies,  Inc.,   Bradford  Capital  Partners   and  the   Employment
Corporation.  He  is  also a  member  of the  Board  of Trustees  of  the Kansas
University Endowment  Association and  the William  Allen White  Foundation.  He
formerly  served as  Vice Chairman  of the  Commission on  the Operation  of the
United States  Senate  and  as  a  member of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the
Association of American Universities.
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
    [PHOTO 7]
                    JAROBIN GILBERT, JR.                     DIRECTOR SINCE 1994
                     President and Chief Executive Officer
                     DBSS Group, Inc.
 
                        Mr.  Gilbert,  50,  is  President  and  Chief  Executive
                    Officer of  DBSS Group,  Inc.,  a management,  planning  and
                    international  trade advisory firm which he founded in 1992.
                    Between 1990  and 1992,  he  was an  independent  consultant
                    concentrating  in  advisory services,  trade  consulting and
                    negotiations. During  the previous  12 years,  he served  in
                    several  executive  capacities  with  National  Broadcasting
Company, including  Vice President  Planning  and Development-NBC  Sports,  Vice
President-Olympics,  and Vice President, NBC Television Network and Assistant to
the Chief Operating Officer. He is  a director of the Woolworth Corporation  and
the  Atlantic Mutual Companies. Mr. Gilbert also serves on the Board of Trustees
of the United States Olympic Foundation and the Valley Agency for Youth. He is a
permanent member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
 
    [PHOTO 8]
                    VICTORIA B. JACKSON                      DIRECTOR SINCE 1994
                     President and
                     Chief Executive Officer
                     DSS/ProDiesel, Inc.
 
                        Ms. Jackson, 41,  received her BBA  degree from  Belmont
                    University  in  1977  and  an  MBA  degree  from  Vanderbilt
                    University in 1981. Following  graduation from college,  she
                    joined  DSS/ProDiesel,  a diesel  parts  remanufacturing and
                    distribution company based in Nashville, Tennessee, and  has
                    subsequently  served  as its  President and  Chief Executive
Officer. Ms. Jackson is also  a director of Shoney's, Inc.  and a member of  the
board  of  advisors  of  Stratco.  She  has  previously  served  as  Chairman of
Tennessee's Alcohol and Beverage Commission, as a director of the Association of
Diesel Specialists and  as a member  of the  Board of Directors  of the  Federal
Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
 
    [PHOTO 9]
                    DONALD P. JACOBS                         DIRECTOR SINCE 1988
                     Dean, J. L. Kellogg
                     Graduate School of Management
                     Northwestern University
 
                        Dr.  Jacobs,  68, is  the Gaylord  Freeman Distinguished
                    Professor of Banking and Dean of the J. L. Kellogg  Graduate
                    School of Management of Northwestern University. He has been
                    a member of the Northwestern faculty since 1957, and chaired
                    the  Finance Department  from 1969 until  his appointment as
                    Dean of the  Kellogg School  in 1975.  He also  serves as  a
director  of Unicom  Corporation, The First  National Bank  of Chicago, Hartmarx
Corporation and Unocal Corporation. Dr. Jacobs  is a 1949 graduate of  Roosevelt
University   and  received  MA  and  PhD  degrees  in  Economics  from  Columbia
University.
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
    [PHOTO 10]
                    CHARLES S. LOCKE                         DIRECTOR SINCE 1991
                     Retired Chairman of the Board
                     and Chief Executive Officer
                     Morton International, Inc.
 
                        Mr. Locke,  67,  was Chairman  of  the Board  and  Chief
                    Executive  Officer of  Morton Thiokol, Inc.  from 1980 until
                    July 1, 1989, when he  was elected to corresponding  offices
                    of  Morton International, Inc. upon its spin-off from Morton
                    Thiokol. Morton International is a manufacturer of specialty
                    chemicals, automotive safety  products and  salt. Mr.  Locke
retired  from Morton International in 1994. Mr. Locke is also a director of Avon
Products, Inc., NICOR Inc., Northern  Illinois Gas Company, Thiokol  Corporation
and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. He received a BBA degree in 1952
and an MS degree in 1955 from the University of Mississippi.
 
                              GENERAL INFORMATION
 
    The  Board  of Directors  of  the Company  represents  the interests  of the
shareholders as a whole and is  responsible for directing the management of  the
business and affairs of the Company, as provided by Delaware law.
 
    The  Board of Directors  held seven meetings  in 1995. All  of the directors
attended at least 80%  of both Board and  Committee meetings, except that  Helen
Galland  attended 70% of such meetings. Mrs.  Galland will retire from the Board
in accordance with the retirement  policy applicable to non-employee  directors,
as  described below, when her term expires at the 1996 Annual Meeting. The Board
of Directors has the following committees:
 
    The EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE  of  the  Board is  constituted  by  the  Board  of
Directors  to act in  lieu of the Board  and between meetings  of the Board. The
Committee consists of Bruce  S. Chelberg, Chairman, Richard  G. Cline, James  W.
Cozad,  Donald P. Jacobs and  Charles S. Locke. The  Executive Committee did not
meet in 1995.
 
    The AUDIT COMMITTEE functions are to review the audit report of the  Company
as  prepared  by  its  designated certified  public  accountants,  recommend the
selection of a certified public accounting  firm each year and review audit  and
any non-audit fees paid to the Company's certified public accountants. The audit
reports  of the Internal Audit  Department are also available  for review by the
Committee, and the  head of  that Department regularly  attends Audit  Committee
meetings  and gives reports to and answers inquiries from the Audit Committee as
required. The Committee reports  its findings and  recommendations to the  Board
for  appropriate  action.  The  Audit Committee  is  composed  of  the following
directors: Charles S. Locke, Chairman, Pierre S. du Pont, Helen Galland, Jarobin
Gilbert, Jr.  and Victoria  B.  Jackson. During  1995,  the Committee  held  two
meetings.
 
    The  MANAGEMENT  RESOURCES AND  COMPENSATION COMMITTEE  is charged  with the
responsibility of supervising  the Company's  compensation policies;  management
evaluation  and  succession  planning;  administering  the  Management Incentive
Compensation Plan and the Stock Incentive Plan; reviewing salaries on  authority
delegated  by  the  Board;  approving salary  adjustments  except  those  of the
Chairman of  the  Company and  the  Chief  Executive Officer  of  any  operating
company;  approving  significant  changes  in  salaried  employee  benefits; and
recommending to  the  Board  such  other  forms  of  remuneration  as  it  deems
appropriate.  The Committee  consists of  Richard G.  Cline, Chairman,  James W.
Cozad, Archie R.  Dykes and Donald  P. Jacobs. During  1995, the Committee  held
eight meetings.
 
    The  COMMITTEE ON DIRECTORS is charged with the responsibility of presenting
nominations of  prospective Board  members  to the  Board  of Directors  and  to
consider  other matters pertaining  to Board membership,  such as meeting dates,
retirement policy  and  compensation  of outside  directors.  The  Committee  is
composed  of  the following  directors:  Helen Galland,  Chairwoman,  Richard G.
Cline, Pierre S. du Pont
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
and Victoria  B.  Jackson. During  1995,  the  Committee held  one  meeting.  In
carrying out its responsibilities relative to finding the best qualified persons
to serve as directors, the Committee will consider nominees recommended by other
directors,  shareholders  and  management  who  present  for  evaluation  by the
Committee appropriate data with respect  to the suggested candidate,  consisting
of  age,  business  experience, educational  background,  current directorships,
involvement in legal proceedings during the  last five years which are  material
to  evaluation  of the  integrity of  the  candidate, and  an indication  of the
willingness of the candidate to serve as a director. Each recommendation  should
be sent to the Secretary of the Company prior to December 1 of each year.
 
    The  FINANCE AND PENSION  COMMITTEE supervises the  financial affairs of the
Company and receives  and reviews reports  of the Management  Committee for  the
Company's  pension plans.  The Board  has delegated  to the  Finance and Pension
Committee and certain officers its  authority to approve financing  arrangements
involving  the  borrowing of  up  to $100  million  in any  one  transaction. It
periodically reports  to the  Board  of Directors  of  action taken  to  approve
financing  transactions  in excess  of $25  million.  The Committee  consists of
Donald P. Jacobs, Chairman, Archie R. Dykes, Jarobin Gilbert, Jr. and Charles S.
Locke. During 1995, the Committee held two meetings.
 
    Directors who are not employees of the Company receive an annual retainer of
$24,000, plus $1,000  for each  meeting of  the Board  and $600  for each  Board
Committee  meeting attended.  The Chairman  of each  Board Committee  is paid an
additional  $5,000  annual  retainer.  Non-employee  directors  also  receive  a
supplemental  retainer consisting of  500 shares of  the Company's Common Stock,
plus the equivalent fair market value of such shares in cash.
 
    The Company  has  established  a  director  emeritus  program  for  eligible
non-employee  directors. Upon the retirement  of an eligible director (mandatory
after the term in which the director attains age 70) who agrees to be  available
to  render advice at the pleasure of the Board, such director will be designated
as a director emeritus and, depending upon  length of service as a director,  is
paid  a retainer of $5,000 per calendar quarter  up to a maximum of 40 quarters.
In the event  of the  death of  a director  who is  participating in  or who  is
otherwise  eligible for this  program, such payments are  made to the director's
surviving spouse.
 
                             PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
 
    As of March 7, 1996, no person was known by the Company to be the beneficial
owner of more than 5% of the Company's Common Stock, except as set forth  below.
The  information below is contained  in statements on Schedule  13G filed by The
Capital Group  Companies, Inc.,  Cooke  & Bieler,  Inc. and  Southeastern  Asset
Management,  Inc., respectively,  with the  Securities and  Exchange Commission,
reflecting their shareholdings as of December 31, 1995.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                  NUMBER OF SHARES
                                                    AND NATURE OF
                                                     BENEFICIAL         PERCENT
               NAME AND ADDRESS                       OWNERSHIP         OF CLASS
- -----------------------------------------------  -------------------  ------------
<S>                                              <C>                  <C>
The Capital Group Companies, Inc. (1)
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, California 90071..................         6,106,400           5.8 %
 
Cooke & Bieler, Inc. (2)
1700 Market, Suite 3222
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103...............         6,091,300           5.8 %
 
Southeastern Asset Management, Inc. (3)
6075 Poplar Avenue
Suite 900
Memphis, Tennessee 38119.......................         9,793,843           9.3 %
</TABLE>
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
- ------------------------
(1) The Capital Group  Companies, Inc.  had sole  voting power  as to  2,596,400
    shares and sole dispositive power as to all shares held by it.
 
(2) Cooke  & Bieler,  Inc. had  sole voting power  as to  5,018,400 shares, sole
    dispositive power as to 5,983,000 shares, and no voting power or dispositive
    power as to the remainder of the shares held by it.
 
(3) Southeastern  Asset  Management,  Inc.  had  sole  voting  power  and   sole
    dispositive  power as  to 8,160,043 shares,  shared voting  power and shared
    dispositive power as to an additional 1,520,000 shares, and no voting  power
    or dispositive power as to 113,800 shares.
 
            SECURITIES OWNERSHIP OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 
    The  following table sets forth the number of shares of the Company's Common
Stock beneficially owned as of March 7,  1996, by each director and nominee  for
director  of the  Company, by  each executive  officer named  below, and  by all
directors and executive officers as a group.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                AMOUNT AND
                                                 NATURE OF
                                                BENEFICIAL     PERCENT OF
          NAME OR IDENTITY OF GROUP              OWNERSHIP        CLASS
- ---------------------------------------------  -------------   -----------
<S>                                            <C>             <C>
Herbert M. Baum..............................       1,500           *
Bruce S. Chelberg............................     561,702(a)        *
Richard G. Cline.............................       4,750           *
James W. Cozad...............................     369,687(a)        *
Pierre S. du Pont............................       2,300           *
Archie R. Dykes..............................       4,839           *
Helen Galland................................       7,547           *
Jarobin Gilbert, Jr..........................       1,300           *
Victoria B. Jackson..........................       1,100           *
Donald P. Jacobs.............................       3,313           *
Charles S. Locke.............................       3,000           *
Thomas L. Bindley............................     190,675(a)        *
Gerald A. McGuire............................     150,321(a)        *
John R. Moore................................     254,915(a)        *
J. Larry Vowell..............................      45,168(a)        *
All Directors and Executive
 Officers as a Group (19 persons)............   1,929,687(b)      1.83 %
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
*Less than 1%.
 
(a) Includes shares which the named director or executive officer has the  right
    to  acquire within 60  days after March  7, 1996, through  exercise of stock
    options, as  follows:  Mr.  Chelberg, 318,533  shares;  Mr.  Cozad,  183,000
    shares; Mr. Bindley, 160,733 shares; Mr. McGuire, 137,100 shares; Mr. Moore,
    139,708 shares; and Mr. Vowell, 35,000 shares.
 
(b)  The number of  shares of Common  Stock shown as  beneficially owned include
    1,193,805 shares which directors  and executive officers  have the right  to
    acquire  within 60  days following  March 7,  1996, through  the exercise of
    stock  options,  89,839   shares  subject  to   possible  forfeiture   under
    outstanding  Restricted Stock Awards, and 642 shares representing the vested
    beneficial interest of such persons  under the Company's Retirement  Savings
    Plan.
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
                             EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
 
    The  table below  shows annual  and long term  compensation for  each of the
Company's five most highly  compensated executive officers  for services in  all
capacities  to  the Company  and its  subsidiaries during  1993, 1994  and 1995.
Compensation, as reflected in this table  and the tables on stock options  which
follow,  is  presented on  the basis  of  rules of  the Securities  and Exchange
Commission and does not, in the case of certain stock-based awards or  accruals,
necessarily  represent  the  amount of  compensation  realized or  which  may be
realized in the future.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           LONG TERM
                                                                                          COMPENSATION
                                                                                   --------------------------
                                                                                             AWARDS
                                                                                   --------------------------
                                                                                                  SECURITIES         ALL OTHER
                                            ANNUAL COMPENSATION                                     UNDER-      COMPENSATION ($)(A)
                           ------------------------------------------------------   RESTRICTED       LYING     ---------------------
   NAME AND PRINCIPAL                                             OTHER ANNUAL         STOCK        OPTIONS
        POSITION             YEAR     SALARY ($)    BONUS ($)   COMPENSATION ($)   AWARDS ($)(B)      (#)
- -------------------------  ---------  -----------  -----------  -----------------  -------------  -----------
<S>                        <C>        <C>          <C>          <C>                <C>            <C>          <C>
Bruce S. Chelberg            1995        629,167      575,000          18,214          219,600        48,600            98,165
 Chairman and Chief          1994        585,417      575,000          12,606          185,938        38,300            92,385
 Executive Officer           1993        548,333      575,000          13,025          207,514        47,600            78,275
Thomas L. Bindley            1995        396,042      280,000          15,077          108,000        23,900            44,501
 Executive Vice President    1994        377,500      280,000           9,702           90,625        18,700            42,586
                             1993        360,208      280,000          12,440          101,723        23,300            17,186
Gerald A. McGuire            1995        321,500      285,000          10,450           95,400        21,100            34,531
 Corporate Vice              1994        306,250      254,000          10,477           78,125        16,000            34,580
 President;
 President and Chief         1993        289,625      270,000           9,865           84,091        19,400            25,418
 Executive Officer,
 Pepsi-Cola General
 Bottlers, Inc.
John R. Moore                1995        337,000      245,000          13,580           84,600        18,600            32,952
 Corporate Vice              1994        319,000      212,000          14,502           70,313        14,600            24,252
 President;
 President and Chief         1993        303,167       85,000          14,733           74,597        17,100            23,890
 Executive Officer, Midas
 International
 Corporation
J. Larry Vowell              1995        282,500      195,000          12,421           91,800        20,300            25,240
 Corporate Vice              1994        267,166      138,000          11,857           73,438        15,200            31,629
 President;
 President and Chief         1993        251,080      260,000           8,392           78,665        18,100            21,645
 Executive Officer,
 Hussmann Corporation
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(a) The amounts shown  for All Other  Compensation are amounts  accrued under  a
    nonqualified retirement plan, together with, in the case of Messrs. Chelberg
    and  Bindley,  premiums  paid by  the  Company  for term  life  insurance as
    follows: Mr. Chelberg,  $25,915 (1995), $22,755  (1994) and $19,875  (1993);
    Mr. Bindley, $3,935 (1995), $3,130 (1994) and $2,570 (1993).
 
(b) The  number of shares of restricted stock  and the market value thereof held
    by Messrs.  Chelberg, Bindley,  McGuire, Moore  and Vowell  at December  31,
    1995,  was as follows: Mr. Chelberg,  25,234 shares ($586,691); Mr. Bindley,
    12,367 shares ($287,533); Mr. McGuire, 10,700 shares ($248,775); Mr.  Moore,
    9,534  shares  ($221,666) and  Mr.  Vowell, 10,168  shares  ($236,406). Such
    shares vest ratably over a period  of three years. However, as explained  in
    the  Report of Management Resources  and Compensation Committee on Executive
    Compensation beginning  on  page 11,  vesting  of restricted  stock  may  be
    deferred  from year to year if  the performance criteria under the Company's
    Long Term Performance Compensation Program are not met. Dividend equivalents
    are paid  on restricted  stock  at the  times and  in  the same  amounts  as
    dividends paid to all shareholders.
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
OPTION/SAR GRANTS IN 1995
 
    Set  forth below  is information  on stock  options granted  in 1995  to the
executive officers named in the  Summary Compensation Table under the  Company's
Stock Incentive Plan. No SARs were granted.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         POTENTIAL REALIZABLE VALUE AT
                            NUMBER OF       PERCENTAGE OF                                ASSUMED ANNUAL RATES OF STOCK
                           SECURITIES       TOTAL OPTIONS                                PRICE APPRECIATION FOR OPTION
                           UNDERLYING        GRANTED TO       EXERCISE OR                           TERM (B)
                             OPTIONS        EMPLOYEES IN      BASE PRICE    EXPIRATION  --------------------------------
         NAME            GRANTED (#)(A)         1995            ($/SH)         DATE         5% ($)           10% ($)
- -----------------------  ---------------  -----------------  -------------  ----------  ---------------  ---------------
<S>                      <C>              <C>                <C>            <C>         <C>              <C>
Bruce S. Chelberg......        48,600               5.3            18.25      5/4/05            557,782        1,413,570
Thomas L. Bindley......        23,900               2.6            18.25      5/4/05            274,300          695,155
Gerald A. McGuire......        21,100               2.3            18.25      5/4/05            242,165          613,715
John R. Moore..........        18,600               2.0            18.25      5/4/05            213,472          541,000
J. Larry Vowell........        20,300               2.2            18.25      5/4/05            232,983          590,446
All Shareholders.......        N/A               N/A              N/A          N/A        1,205,346,343    3,054,692,317
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(a) All  options were granted at a price equal  to 100% of the fair market value
    of the Company's  Common Stock  at date  of grant,  which was  May 4,  1995.
    Options become exercisable as to 1/3 on the first anniversary of the date of
    grant, 2/3 on the second anniversary, and in full on the third anniversary.
 
(b) The dollar amounts under these columns are the result of calculations at the
    5%  and  10% assumed  annual  growth rates  mandated  by the  Securities and
    Exchange Commission and,  therefore, are not  intended to forecast  possible
    future  appreciation, if any, in the Company's stock price. The calculations
    were based on the Exercise Price of $18.25 per share and the 10-year term of
    the options.
    No gain to  the optionees is  possible without an  increase in stock  price,
    which  will benefit all  shareholders proportionately. The  last line in the
    table shows the  potential gain to  all shareholders if  they had  purchased
    their  stock on May 4, 1995, at a  price of $18.25 per share, and held their
    stock for 10 years.
 
AGGREGATED OPTION/SAR EXERCISES IN 1995 AND YEAR-END OPTION/SAR VALUES
 
    The following table contains information  on stock options exercised  during
1995  and stock options held at the end  of 1995 by the executive officers named
in the Summary Compensation Table.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         NUMBER OF SECURITIES
                                                                        UNDERLYING UNEXERCISED           VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
                                                                         OPTIONS/SARS HELD AT          IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS AT
                                    SHARES                              DECEMBER 31, 1995 (#)          DECEMBER 31, 1995 ($)(A)
                                 ACQUIRED ON     VALUE REALIZED    --------------------------------  ----------------------------
             NAME                EXERCISE (#)          ($)           EXERCISABLE     UNEXERCISABLE   EXERCISABLE   UNEXERCISABLE
- ------------------------------  --------------   ---------------   ---------------   --------------  ------------  --------------
<S>                             <C>              <C>               <C>               <C>             <C>           <C>
Bruce S. Chelberg.............        --               --                273,700           90,000       2,894,399        589,796
Thomas L. Bindley.............        --               --               138,767            44,133       1,364,736        289,015
Gerald A. McGuire.............        --               --               118,267            38,233       1,261,619        248,809
John R. Moore.................        --               --               122,942(b)         34,033       1,311,416        221,824
J. Larry Vowell...............        24,436           149,778           17,133            36,467         155,207        236,578
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(a) Based on  the  closing price  of  the  Company's Common  Stock  ($23.25)  on
    December  29,  1995,  as  reported for  New  York  Stock  Exchange Composite
    Transactions.
 
(b) Includes tandem stock appreciation rights covering 3,175 shares.
 
PENSION PLANS
 
    The  Company  maintains  qualified,   defined  benefit  pension  plans   and
nonqualified  retirement plans paying monthly benefits in optional forms elected
by the employee based upon percentage  multipliers which are applied to  Covered
Compensation  and Credited Service.  The pension plans  and related nonqualified
plans were amended effective January 1, 1992, to reinstate benefit accruals that
were frozen for most employees as of December 31, 1988, when the Company changed
its benefit  plan  structure. The  revised  benefit formulas  provide  a  normal
retirement   benefit  of   1%  of   Covered  Compensation   for  each   year  of
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
Credited Service (excluding 1989-1991), up to a maximum of 20 years. The changes
also include special minimum benefits based on Credited Service accrued  through
December 31, 1988, and Covered Compensation at retirement.
 
    The following table reflects future benefits, payable as life annuities upon
retirement,  in terms of a range of amounts determined under the special minimum
benefit formulas mentioned above, at representative periods of Credited  Service
through December 31, 1988.
 
                  PROJECTED MINIMUM ANNUAL PENSION (IN 000'S)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1988 (2)
      COVERED        ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 COMPENSATION (1)        15          20          25          30          35          40
- -------------------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
<S>                  <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>
 $200,000..........  $   34- 45  $   45- 58  $   56- 66  $   68- 74  $   79- 84  $   90- 96
 $300,000..........      51- 68      68- 86      84- 99     101-112     118-126     135-144
 $400,000..........      68- 90      90-115     113-133     135-149     158-168     180-192
 $500,000..........      84-113     113-144     141-166     169-186     197-210     225-240
 $600,000..........     101-135     135-173     169-199     203-223     236-252     270-288
 $700,000..........     118-158     158-202     197-232     236-261     276-294     315-336
 $800,000..........     135-180     180-231     225-265     270-298     315-336     360-384
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) Covered  Compensation includes  salary and  bonus, as  shown in  the Summary
    Compensation Table, averaged over the  five consecutive years in which  such
    compensation is the highest.
 
(2) The  benefits for Messrs. McGuire,  Moore and Vowell, who  had 38, 23 and 29
    years of  Credited  Service, respectively,  at  December 31,  1988,  may  be
    derived from the pension table.
 
    The  retirement benefits for Messrs. Chelberg  and Bindley, who will have 15
and 17 years of Credited Service,  respectively, at normal retirement age,  will
be  determined under the revised benefit formula (1% of Covered Compensation for
up to 20 years of Credited Service). Such benefits are not subject to  deduction
for  social security or other  offset amounts. As of  December 31, 1995, Messrs.
Chelberg and Bindley have accrued benefits  payable at normal retirement age  of
approximately $114,000 and $24,000, respectively.
 
TERMINATION BENEFITS
 
    In  1995, the Company entered into amended Change in Control Agreements (the
"Agreements"), with the  executive officers  named in  the Summary  Compensation
Table and certain other officers. The Agreements, originally adopted in 1985 and
amended  and  updated  from  time  to  time  thereafter,  were  a  result  of  a
determination by the Board of  Directors that it was  important and in the  best
interests  of the Company and its shareholders to ensure that, in the event of a
possible change  in control  of the  Company, the  stability and  continuity  of
management  would continue unimpaired, free of  the distractions incident to any
such change in control.
 
    For purposes  of  the Agreements,  a  "change  in control"  includes  (i)  a
consolidation  or  merger  of  the  Company in  which  the  Company  is  not the
continuing or surviving corporation or pursuant to which shares of the Company's
common stock would be converted into  cash, securities or other property,  other
than  a transaction in which the proportionate  ownership of the common stock of
the Company and the surviving corporation remains substantially unchanged,  (ii)
a  shareholder approved  plan or  proposal for  the liquidation  of the Company,
(iii) the acquisition  by any  person of  25% or  more of  the Company's  voting
securities,  (iv)  over a  two-year  period, persons  who  are directors  of the
Company cease to constitute  a majority of the  Board, unless the new  directors
were  approved by a two-thirds vote of the continuing directors, or, for certain
officers, (v) the sale or other disposition of a majority of the stock or of all
or substantially all of the assets of a significant subsidiary of the Company in
one or more transactions.
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
    Benefits are payable under  the Agreements only if  a change in control  has
occurred   and  within  three  years  thereafter  the  officer's  employment  is
terminated involuntarily without cause or voluntarily by the officer for reasons
such as demotion, relocation, loss of  benefits or other changes. The  principal
benefits  to be  provided to officers  under the  Agreements are (i)  a lump sum
payment  equal  to  three  years'   compensation  (base  salary  and   incentive
compensation),  and  (ii)  continued  participation  in  the  Company's employee
benefit programs or equivalent benefits  for three years following  termination.
If  the  officer's  termination occurs  after  age 62,  separation  payments are
reduced by a factor based upon the number of months remaining until the  officer
reaches  age 65. The Agreements provide that, if separation payments thereunder,
either alone or  together with  payments under any  other plan  of the  Company,
would  constitute  a  "parachute payment"  as  defined in  the  Federal Internal
Revenue Code and subject the officer to  the excise tax imposed by Section  4999
of the Code, the Company shall pay such tax and any taxes on such payment.
 
    The Agreements are not employment agreements, and do not impair the right of
the  Company to terminate  the employment of  the officer with  or without cause
prior to  a change  in control,  or, absent  a potential  or pending  change  in
control, the right of the officer to voluntarily terminate his employment.
 
REPORT OF MANAGEMENT RESOURCES AND COMPENSATION COMMITTEE ON EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
 
    The  Management  Resources  and  Compensation  Committee  of  the  Board  of
Directors of  the  Company  (the  "Committee")  consists  of  four  non-employee
directors. The general responsibilities of the Committee are described on page 5
of this proxy statement.
 
    INTRODUCTION
 
    Most of the Company's compensation programs and executive compensation plans
have  been in  effect for many  years. The  Committee's responsibilities include
authorizing  and  evaluating  programs  and,  where  appropriate,   establishing
relevant  performance  criteria.  In  1992,  the  Committee  established  formal
guidelines aligning  executive compensation  targets with  expected  performance
results.  However, while  the Committee  believes that  formula-driven plans can
contribute to the profitable growth of the Company and consistent improvement in
returns to  shareholders,  it is  also  appropriate to  exercise  judgment  with
respect  to  an  individual  executive's compensation  to  encourage  and reward
performance.
 
    Actual and potential awards under the  Company's programs and plans as  well
as   performance  criteria  vary  in  proportion  to  each  executive  officer's
accountability with respect to policy making and execution. The Company's salary
policies and executive compensation plans are expressly constituted to encourage
and  reinforce  individual  and  collective  performance  leading  to  increased
shareholder value. The Company's programs also seek to align short and long-term
executive  compensation opportunities  with the  interests of  shareholders. The
short term incentive plan focuses on continuous improvement in annual  financial
performance.  The long term program is  designed to reward above average returns
to shareholders through stock price appreciation and dividend growth.
 
    The Committee, with  the assistance of  executive compensation  consultants,
periodically  assesses the  consistency of the  Company's executive compensation
programs with the  Committee's guidelines, the  Company's business strategy  and
general market practices.
 
    SALARIES
 
    Base salaries for executive officers of the Company and its subsidiaries are
determined pursuant to a widely-used job evaluation system which the Company has
had  in place for  more than 20 years.  This system is  used to establish salary
ranges for all salaried employees of Whitman and its subsidiaries, including the
executive officers named  in the Summary  Compensation Table on  page 8.  Actual
salary  ranges are not based exclusively on a formula; nor are companies grouped
to assess comparability  according to narrowly  defined criteria. Salary  ranges
are  derived  from  each  position's required  skills  and  responsibilities and
averages of salary levels of hundreds  of positions and comparable companies  in
numerous  databases generated by outside  consultants. Numerous criteria such as
financial  performance,  revenues  and  diversity  affect  comparability.   Many
databases and combinations of databases consisting of similar companies are used
for all
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
salaried  and  executive  positons  at the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries. The
databases used for compensation  purposes may or may  not include the  companies
included  in  the S&P  Diversified  Manufacturing Index,  which  is used  in the
performance graph on page 14 to evaluate shareholder return.
 
    Generally, the performance of each  executive officer is evaluated  annually
and   salary  adjustments  are  based  on  various  factors  including  personal
performance, current  position  in  the relevant  salary  range  and  comparator
company  data. Accordingly, the Committee does not  have a general policy to set
salaries of executive officers at any specific level within the salary range for
the particular position. The Committee approves salary actions for approximately
34 key corporate and operating company officers. In the case of Mr. Chelberg and
the subsidiary  company Presidents,  the Board  of Directors  approves  specific
salary  adjustments  upon recommendation  of the  Committee. In  determining the
amount of  Mr. Chelberg's  salary  increase in  1995, the  Committee  considered
competitive  salary  data, the  fact that  Mr. Chelberg's  salary was  below the
midpoint of the salary  range established for the  Chairman and Chief  Executive
Officer of the Company, contributions of a strategic nature made by Mr. Chelberg
to  improve productivity and encourage investments  to enhance long term growth,
and the excellent results reported by the Company in 1994. Mr. Chelberg's salary
remains below the midpoint of the salary range for his position.
 
    MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
 
    The executive officers  named in  the Summary  Compensation Table,  together
with  115 additional executives of the Company and its subsidiaries, participate
in the Management Incentive Compensation Plan. Target amounts payable under this
Plan are established annually  pursuant to the  Company's job evaluation  system
and are proportionate to each participant's accountability for business plans of
the  Company or a subsidiary.  The actual value of  compensation earned is based
primarily  on  a  formula  which  relates  the  target  amounts  and  objectives
established  by the Committee to corporate and subsidiary financial results and,
except  for  Mr.  Chelberg,  individual  performance  objectives.  For   Whitman
corporate executives, the financial performance measurement is budgeted earnings
per  share (exceeded in 1995); for  subsidiary company executives, the financial
performance measurement is budgeted operating income (exceeded in 1995 by  Pepsi
and  Midas and not met by Hussmann). The percentage of the target amount related
to attainment of financial objectives is 100% for Mr. Chelberg, and 60% for  the
other  executive  officers  named in  the  Summary Compensation  Table  with the
balance  related  to  individual  performance  objectives.  The  1995  incentive
compensation  for Mr.  Chelberg was  based upon the  fact that  the earnings per
share performance objective set under this Plan was exceeded.
 
    LONG TERM PERFORMANCE COMPENSATION PROGRAM
 
    In June, 1992, the Board of Directors of the Company, upon recommendation of
the Committee, approved a new Long Term Performance Compensation Program  ("Long
Term  Program").  The Long  Term Program  is  designed to  establish performance
criteria for the award by the Committee of restricted stock and stock options to
senior  executives  of  the  Company,  including  those  named  in  the  Summary
Compensation  Table,  under the  Company's Stock  Incentive  Plan. The  value of
compensation available through the Long Term Program is based on target  amounts
(expressed  in dollars)  that will  be earned  by participants  if the Company's
cumulative total return to shareholders over multiple-year measuring periods  is
at  the 60th  percentile of  the S&P 500.  Values range  from 50%  of the target
amount for performance  equal to the  average performance  of the S&P  500 to  a
maximum  of 200% of the target amount  for performance at the 80th percentile or
above.
 
    Performance cycles under  the Long Term  Program are 12  months' of  rolling
three-year  periods ending  on each March  31. The shareholder  returns for such
performance cycles  are  not precisely  comparable  to the  comparative  returns
reflected  in the performance  graph because the  graph utilizes calendar years.
However, the shareholder return assumptions are the same.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
    Following  the  performance  measurement  period  ending  March  31,   1995,
shareholder  return for the  period relative to  the S&P 500  resulted in awards
valued at 50% of target. Award  values were converted into restricted stock  and
stock  options for 36 senior executives of  the Company and its subsidiaries and
into stock options for an additional 85 executives. Restricted stock so  awarded
vests ratably over a three-year period beginning on the first anniversary of the
award, subject to continued performance equal to or exceeding the average of the
S&P  500, failing which the vesting of such restricted stock will be deferred on
a year-by-year basis. Stock options vest over the same three-year period without
regard to future performance.
 
    TAX LAW CHANGES IN DEDUCTIBILITY
 
    The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1994 signed by President Clinton on
August 10, 1993, added Section 162(m) to the Internal Revenue Code. That Section
limits the deductibility of compensation paid  or accrued by the Company to  the
five  most highly compensated employees in  excess of $1 million, unless certain
forms of compensation  meet certain  performance or other  criteria mandated  by
law.  Final regulations implementing Section 162(m)  were issued on December 19,
1995. The criteria for preserving  compensation deductibility are quite  complex
and  could limit the effectiveness of one  or more of the Company's compensation
programs or overall compensation strategy if followed literally in their present
form.
 
    Mr. Chelberg deferred  a portion  of his  1995 compensation  and intends  to
defer  a portion  of his  projected 1996  compensation. As  a result,  it is not
anticipated that  compensation received  by Mr.  Chelberg or  any of  the  other
executive  officers named in the Summary Compensation Table in 1995 or 1996 will
not be  deductible for  tax purposes  by reason  of the  limitations imposed  by
Section 162(m). The Committee has not made any determination with respect to the
Company's  total compensation  program as  it may be  affected by  these tax law
changes for future years.
 
    COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
 
    The name of each person who served as  a member of the Committee in 1995  is
set  forth  below. There  are no  compensation  committee interlocks.  Mr. Cozad
became a  member of  the Committee  in May,  1992, following  his retirement  as
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
 
                                 Richard G. Cline, Chairman
                               James W. Cozad
                               Archie R. Dykes
                               Donald P. Jacobs
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
SHAREHOLDER RETURN PERFORMANCE GRAPH
 
    Set  forth below is a  graph which compares the  yearly percentage change in
the cumulative total shareholder return on  the Company's Common Stock over  the
past  five years to the  cumulative total return of  the S&P 500 Composite Index
and the S&P Index of Diversified Manufacturing Companies.
 
EDGAR REPRESENTATION OF DATA POINTS USED IN PRINTED GRAPHIC
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
   COMPARISON OF CUMULATIVE 5-YEAR TOTAL
                  RETURNS
<S>                                           <C>              <C>                   <C>
                                                Whitman Corp.  S&P Diversified Mfg.    S& P 500
12/31/90                                                  100                   100         100
12/31/91                                               171.45                130.47      122.58
12/31/92                                               192.52                140.41      132.86
12/31/93                                                216.1                 161.3      154.57
12/31/94                                               233.98                166.96      156.61
12/31/95                                               321.09                235.11      215.45
</TABLE>
 
    Shareholder returns in the above  performance graph assumes reinvestment  of
all dividends. Shareholder returns for Whitman further assume that the shares of
Pet  Incorporated, which were distributed to  shareholders in the second quarter
of 1991, were sold and  the proceeds reinvested in  Whitman Common Stock at  the
end of the quarter in which such shares were distributed.
 
             RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
    The  Board  of  Directors,  acting  upon  the  recommendation  of  the Audit
Committee, has appointed,  subject to  ratification by the  shareholders at  the
forthcoming  Annual Meeting,  the firm of  KPMG Peat Marwick  LLP as independent
certified public accountants to  audit the financial  statements of the  Company
for  the year  1996. The  total fees  for services,  including certain non-audit
services, paid to that firm in 1995 were approximately $1.1 million.
 
    Representatives of  KPMG  Peat Marwick  LLP,  who have  been  the  Company's
auditors  since 1973, are expected to be  present at the Annual Meeting with the
opportunity to make  a statement  if they  desire to  do so.  In addition,  such
representatives   are  expected  to  be  available  to  respond  to  appropriate
questions.
 
    Should the shareholders fail to ratify the appointment of KPMG Peat  Marwick
LLP,  the Board of  Directors will consider  this an indication  to select other
auditors for the following year.
 
    THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT
OF KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP AS THE COMPANY'S INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS.
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
                                 OTHER MATTERS
 
    The matters referred to in  the Notice of Annual  Meeting and in this  proxy
statement  are, to the knowledge  of management, the only  matters which will be
presented for consideration at the meeting. If any other matters should properly
come before the meeting,  the persons appointed by  the accompanying proxy  will
vote  on such  matters in  accordance with their  best judgment  pursuant to the
discretionary authority granted in the proxy.
 
EXPENSES OF SOLICITATION
 
    The cost of soliciting proxies will be borne by the Company. In addition  to
the solicitation of proxies by use of the mails, some of the officers, directors
and  regular employees of  the Company and  its subsidiaries, none  of whom will
receive additional compensation therefor,  may solicit proxies  in person or  by
telephone, telegraph or other means. Solicitation will also be made by employees
of Kissel-Blake Inc., which firm will be paid a fee of $8,500, plus expenses. As
is  customary, the Company will, upon request, reimburse brokerage firms, banks,
trustees, nominees  and  other  persons  for  their  out-of-pocket  expenses  in
forwarding proxy materials to their principals.
 
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR THE 1997 ANNUAL MEETING
 
    From  time  to  time, shareholders  present  proposals which  may  be proper
subjects for  inclusion in  the proxy  statement and  for consideration  at  the
Annual Meeting. To be considered, proposals must be submitted on a timely basis.
Proposals  for the 1997 Annual Meeting must  be received by the Company no later
than November 22,  1996. Any such  proposals, as well  as any questions  related
thereto, should be submitted in writing to the Secretary of the Company.
 
                                      By order of the Board of Directors.
 
                                                   WILLIAM B. MOORE
                                                      Secretary
Rolling Meadows, Illinois
March 22, 1996
 
                                       15
<PAGE>

                               WHITMAN CORPORATION
             PROXY SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
        THE COMPANY FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS -- MAY 2, 1996

                                      PROXY

The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Bruce S. Chelberg, Thomas L.
Bindley and William B. Moore, and each of them, his true and lawful agents and
proxies with full power of substitution in each, to represent the undersigned at
the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Whitman Corporation to be held in the
First Chicago Center, One First National Plaza, Dearborn and Madison Streets,
Chicago, Illinois on Thursday, May 2, 1996, and at any adjournments thereof, on
all matters coming before said meeting.

Election of Directors, Nominees:                  (Change of Address/Comments)

Herbert M. Baum, Bruce S. Chelberg,               ------------------------------
Richard G. Cline, James W. Cozad,
Pierre S. du Pont, Archie R. Dykes,               ------------------------------
Jarobin Gilbert, Jr., Victoria B. Jackson,
Donald P. Jacobs, Charles S. Locke.               ------------------------------

(If you have written in the above space, please mark the corresponding box on
the reverse side of this card)

This Proxy also serves as a voting instruction card to the Trustee for shares,
if any, held in the trust for the Company's Retirement Savings Plan.

SHAREHOLDERS ARE REQUESTED TO MARK, DATE AND SIGN THIS PROXY ON THE REVERSE
SIDE, AND TO RETURN IT PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. NO POSTAGE IS
REQUIRED.
                                                                ----------------
                                                                SEE REVERSE SIDE
                                                                ----------------

<PAGE>

     PLEASE MARK YOUR
/X/  VOTES AS IN THIS                                                       7802
     EXAMPLE.

THIS PROXY WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER DIRECTED HEREIN.
IF NO DIRECTION TO THE CONTRARY IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS AND FOR PROPOSAL 2 .

- ---------------------------------------------------------------
The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR proposals 1 and 2.
- ---------------------------------------------------------------

                                        FOR       WITHHELD
1.   Election of Directors.             / /         / /
     (see reverse)

                                        FOR       AGAINST        ABSTAIN
2.   Ratification of independent        / /         / /            / /
     accountants.

For, except vote withheld from the following: 


- -------------------------------------------


- -------------------------------------------
          SPECIAL ACTION
- -------------------------------------------
Change of Address/
Comments                                / /

Discontinue Annual Report
Mailing for this Account                / /

Will Attend Annual Meeting              / /

- -------------------------------------------

NOTE: Please sign exactly as name appears hereon. Joint owners should each sign.
When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please
give full title as such.


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          , 1996
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SIGNATURE(S)                                                      DATE

<PAGE>

     PLEASE MARK YOUR
/X/  VOTES AS IN THIS                                                       7802
     EXAMPLE.

THIS PROXY WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER DIRECTED HEREIN.
IF NO DIRECTION TO THE CONTRARY IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS AND FOR PROPOSAL 2 .

- ---------------------------------------------------------------
The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR proposals 1 and 2.
- ---------------------------------------------------------------

                                        FOR       WITHHELD
1.   Election of Directors.             / /         / /
     (see reverse)

                                        FOR       AGAINST        ABSTAIN
2.   Ratification of independent        / /         / /            / /
     accountants.

For, except vote withheld from the following: 


- -------------------------------------------


- -------------------------------------------
          SPECIAL ACTION
- -------------------------------------------
Change of Address/
Comments                                / /

Discontinue Annual Report
Mailing for this Account                / /

Will Attend Annual Meeting              / /

- -------------------------------------------

                                 SECOND REQUEST

NOTE: Please sign exactly as name appears hereon. Joint owners should each sign.
When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please
give full title as such.


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          , 1996
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SIGNATURE(S)                                                      DATE


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