Protest InBev Purchase of Anheuser-Busch

We, the undersigned, request the Board of Directors of Anheuser-Busch take immediate action to prevent InBev from acquiring a significant ownership of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.

InBev's historical post-acquisition cost cutting will be detrimental to Anheuser-Busch's strong brand images, and will ultimately result in a loss of market share, reduction of profits, and lower returns to investors. These anticipated cost cuts will result in thousands of Americans losing their jobs at a time when our economy is already hurting. The anticipated cuts will result in significantly less funding for the hundreds of charities and non-profit organizations that currently receive contributions from Anheuser-Busch.

These national effects will be magnified in St. Louis, where Anheuser-Busch has made its home since 1852. The job losses in St. Louis will devastate a fragile economy already trying to cope with the loss of numerous other corporate headquarters. Even a 1% reduction in payroll would result in the loss of millions of dollars in wages to area employees. The long-term impacts on the St. Louis area, which was recently ranked the third most stressful city, could be devastating.

Anheuser-Busch is an American icon that survived, among other things, the American Civil War, the Great Depression, Prohibition, and two World Wars. The Company represents the ultimate realization of the American Dream. The original brewery in St. Louis-a National Historic Landmark-provides free tours to over 350,000 people each year.