03.13.18
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) presented its 2018 awards to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the continued success of the herbal products industry at AHPA's Annual Member meeting on March 8 at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA.
The following teams and individuals were honored at this year’s 2018 AHPA Awards:
"AHPA is pleased to recognize the hard work and dedication of these individuals and organizations. AHPA and the entire herbal products industry have greatly benefited from their expertise and dedication," said AHPA President Michael McGuffin. "These awards are a small token of our gratitude for their tireless efforts."
Herbal Hero
GNC's Chief Innovation Officer and Senior Vice President Guru Ramanathan, PhD, presented the 2018 AHPA Hero Award to the working group of AHPA members who updated and expanded AHPA's Good Agricultural and Collection Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices (GACP/GMP) for botanical materials. The working group made outstanding contributions to AHPA initiatives by updating guidance and creating accompanying assessment tools that provide a framework for growers, harvesters, and processors so they can ensure that herbal raw materials used in consumer products are accurately identified, not adulterated with contaminants that may present a health risk, fully conform to all quality characteristics and respect ethical and environmental principles.
Lifetime Achievement
AHPA presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) for his legislative efforts and James A. Duke, PhD (posthumous) for his invaluable research that contributed to the responsible commerce of herbal products.
AHPA President Michael McGuffin presented the award to Sen. Hatch who announced his retirement this year after serving more than four decades in the U.S. Senate. The herbal supplement industry owes a debt of gratitude for Senator Hatch's decades of bipartisan work to enact laws and regulations that ensure consumers have access to a wide variety of high-quality health supplements, McGuffin said.
American Botanical Council (ABC) Founder Mark Blumenthal presented the award to Jim Duke and outlined how Dr. Duke helped introduce herbal medicine to countless people through his books, research, lectures, poetry, music and his botanical garden, The Green Farmacy Garden. Dr. Duke's sincere passion for understanding how humans can use plants as medicine to promote health and well-being helped numerous individuals use herbs to improve their quality of life.
Industry Leadership
AHPA Chief Science Officer Holly Johnson presented the 2018 AHPA Herbal Industry Leadership Award to Indena for setting an example for the industry through outstanding business practices that move the industry forward. Dr. Johnson highlighted Indena's business practices that go above and beyond to provide consistent quality. In addition, Indena has performed decades of invaluable, cutting-edge research and innovative practices aimed at ensuring sustainable sources of high quality herbal ingredients.
Herbal Insight
Mountain Rose Herbs Marketing Manager Raychel Kolen presented the 2018 AHPA Herbal Insight Award to United Plant Savers (UpS) for significant contributions that further the knowledge and understanding of botanicals and their uses. UpS is a unique nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect native medicinal plants of the U.S. and Canada and their native habitat while ensuring an abundant renewable supply of these plants for generations to come. Their pioneering research, education, and conservation of native medicinal plants touches everyone involved in the American herbal industry.
UpS Executive Director Susan Leopold, PhD, thanked AHPA members for the award and stressed the importance of the industry acting as a responsible steward of valuable medicinal plants to pass the benefits of herbs to future generations.
Journalistic Excellence
Suzanne Shelton, managing partner of The Shelton Group and Natasha Weaver, AHPA's Director of Education presented AHPA's 2018 Journalistic Excellence Award to Heather Granato, vice president, content, health & nutrition network at Informa Exhibitions. Ms. Granato is a 25-year veteran of the natural products industry and has been a longtime supporter of AHPA. Ms. Shelton and Ms. Weaver praised Ms. Granato for setting an example for the natural products industry for more than two and half decades.
The following teams and individuals were honored at this year’s 2018 AHPA Awards:
- AHPA Herbal Hero Award: AHPA GACP/GMP Working Group—Guillaume Blin (Naturex Inc.), Paolo De Bellis (Indena S.p.A.), April Duffy (Trout Lake Farm, LLC), Staci Eisner (Cortex Scientific Botanicals), Edward Fletcher (Herbal Ingenuity), Heather Folks-Lambert (Trout Lake Farm, LLC-Amway/Nutrilite), Alessandra Storzini (Indena USA Inc.), Jane Wilson (AHPA)
- AHPA Lifetime Achievement in Research Award: Dr. James A. (Jim) Duke
- AHPA Lifetime Achievement in Legislation Award: Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
- AHPA Herbal Industry Leadership Award: Indena S.p.A.
- AHPA Herbal Insight Award: United Plant Savers (UpS)
- AHPA Journalistic Excellence Award: Heather Granato (Informa Exhibitions)
"AHPA is pleased to recognize the hard work and dedication of these individuals and organizations. AHPA and the entire herbal products industry have greatly benefited from their expertise and dedication," said AHPA President Michael McGuffin. "These awards are a small token of our gratitude for their tireless efforts."
Herbal Hero
GNC's Chief Innovation Officer and Senior Vice President Guru Ramanathan, PhD, presented the 2018 AHPA Hero Award to the working group of AHPA members who updated and expanded AHPA's Good Agricultural and Collection Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices (GACP/GMP) for botanical materials. The working group made outstanding contributions to AHPA initiatives by updating guidance and creating accompanying assessment tools that provide a framework for growers, harvesters, and processors so they can ensure that herbal raw materials used in consumer products are accurately identified, not adulterated with contaminants that may present a health risk, fully conform to all quality characteristics and respect ethical and environmental principles.
Lifetime Achievement
AHPA presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) for his legislative efforts and James A. Duke, PhD (posthumous) for his invaluable research that contributed to the responsible commerce of herbal products.
AHPA President Michael McGuffin presented the award to Sen. Hatch who announced his retirement this year after serving more than four decades in the U.S. Senate. The herbal supplement industry owes a debt of gratitude for Senator Hatch's decades of bipartisan work to enact laws and regulations that ensure consumers have access to a wide variety of high-quality health supplements, McGuffin said.
American Botanical Council (ABC) Founder Mark Blumenthal presented the award to Jim Duke and outlined how Dr. Duke helped introduce herbal medicine to countless people through his books, research, lectures, poetry, music and his botanical garden, The Green Farmacy Garden. Dr. Duke's sincere passion for understanding how humans can use plants as medicine to promote health and well-being helped numerous individuals use herbs to improve their quality of life.
Industry Leadership
AHPA Chief Science Officer Holly Johnson presented the 2018 AHPA Herbal Industry Leadership Award to Indena for setting an example for the industry through outstanding business practices that move the industry forward. Dr. Johnson highlighted Indena's business practices that go above and beyond to provide consistent quality. In addition, Indena has performed decades of invaluable, cutting-edge research and innovative practices aimed at ensuring sustainable sources of high quality herbal ingredients.
Herbal Insight
Mountain Rose Herbs Marketing Manager Raychel Kolen presented the 2018 AHPA Herbal Insight Award to United Plant Savers (UpS) for significant contributions that further the knowledge and understanding of botanicals and their uses. UpS is a unique nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect native medicinal plants of the U.S. and Canada and their native habitat while ensuring an abundant renewable supply of these plants for generations to come. Their pioneering research, education, and conservation of native medicinal plants touches everyone involved in the American herbal industry.
UpS Executive Director Susan Leopold, PhD, thanked AHPA members for the award and stressed the importance of the industry acting as a responsible steward of valuable medicinal plants to pass the benefits of herbs to future generations.
Journalistic Excellence
Suzanne Shelton, managing partner of The Shelton Group and Natasha Weaver, AHPA's Director of Education presented AHPA's 2018 Journalistic Excellence Award to Heather Granato, vice president, content, health & nutrition network at Informa Exhibitions. Ms. Granato is a 25-year veteran of the natural products industry and has been a longtime supporter of AHPA. Ms. Shelton and Ms. Weaver praised Ms. Granato for setting an example for the natural products industry for more than two and half decades.
