The Awards, established in 2006, are given to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the continued success of the herbal products industry. The awards were presented virtually at the annual meeting this week.
"Every year, AHPA recognizes the hard work and dedication of individuals and organizations that go above and beyond to ensure the continued success of the herbal industry. AHPA and the entire herbal products industry have greatly benefited from their expertise and passion for herbs," said AHPA President Michael McGuffin. "These awards are a small token of our gratitude for their tireless efforts."
2021 AHPA Awards Winners
• Hero Award: Dr. Rob Wildman
• Herbal Industry Leadership Award: Herbalife Nutrition
• Herbal Insight Award: Safety Call Internaltional, PLLC
• Diversity & Inclusion Award: Naturade
• Centennial Award: Indena S.p.A.
• Herbal Pioneer Award: Tony Hayes
The Diversity and Inclusion Award is new for 2021. AHPA's Vice President of Marketing & Engagement, Amber Bennett explained: “The AHPA Awards have been a big success within the community, and to help highlight the continued growth of our industry we are happy to announce a new award category: The AHPA Diversity and Inclusion Award. The Award reflects an excellence of commitment to the values of equality that serve to improve not only our industry but benefit broader society as well.”
AHPA Hero
According to AHPA: “Dr. Wildman has tirelessly, vigorously and passionately served as chair of AHPA's Sports Nutrition Committee since its inception. Without fail, he broadens AHPA's reach by acknowledging his committee involvement to those within his professional circle, which is vast.
“Listening to Dr. Wildman speak is akin to a master class presentation being made. He's a walking, talking wealth of sports nutrition knowledge embodied in human form. This was never more evident than during the production of AHPA's inaugural Sports Nutrition Congress.
“Dr. Wildman believes in the work AHPA does, and what AHPA was founded on; he has proven just how valuable of an asset he is to the community that is AHPA.”
Herbal Industry Leadership
Herbalife Nutrition received the herbal industry leadership award in recognition of its commitment to quality across its portfolio of meal replacements, tea, aloe, and supplements for optimum nutrition.
“Herbalife continues to produce the most demanding safety and quality standards in the industry,” said AHPA. “Their quality control systems are constantly monitored to ensure compliance with all government rules and regulations in the 90+ markets where its products are available.
“What is more, Herbalife is dedicated to improving the lives of communities around the world by providing healthy nutrition and nutrition education to children and communities in need.”
Herbal Insight
“AHPA was a supporter of the Adverse Event Reporting legislation to help provide a defined process for industry and further demonstrate the safety of herbal and dietary supplements,” explained the association. “SafetyCall is the industry leader in these types of services and a strong advocate for industry.”
The company’s practitioners are the national leaders in product safety and clinical toxicology and are recognized throughout the country for their knowledge and experience. They have professionally authored over 100 product safety position papers and technical reports, published numerous articles and methodical abstracts in leading specialized journals, contributed a variety of book chapters, and given hundreds of scientific presentations in leading qualified venues.
Diversity & Inclusion
Naturade owners, Grant Hill and Kareem Cook discuss how Naturade is looking to make healthy and nutritious food available to all people regardless of income or grocery store access:
Centennial
Indena was founded in 1921 and has been progressive in the way they look at nature through science.
“By consistently following the plants they have given the herbal industry a century of ideas, inventions, products and patents, leaving a permanent mark on the industry of nature by helping to improve both phytochemical culture and human health at large,” explained AHPA.
Herbal Pioneer
AHPA’s Herbal Pioneer Awards recognized the life and work of Tony Hayes, a producer and marketer of North American wildcrafted herbs for almost 50 years.
Tony began his career in 1973 as an herb buyer for Lowe Fur and Herb of North Wilkesboro, then in 1981 went to work for Wilcox Drug Company in Boone, North Carolina. In 2000 he and his wife Sandy started their own business, Ridge Runner Trading Company.
“He was Appalachian born and bred, a man whose deep western North Carolina accent sung the story of his roots. He was a country gentleman, and a digger—someone as comfortable with going into his woods with a burlap bag and a shovel as he was selling locally harvested herbs to the largest companies in the country and meeting with federal regulators to represent his segment of the herb trade,” stated AHPA.
“Tony was a virtual warehouse of knowledge for herbal data, keeping records on things like the quantities and quality of herbs produced in any given year, and he shared that knowledge freely with all of us, making it available just for the asking. He was the person about whom people would say, “Call Tony, he’ll know.” We will all miss him.”