NPA Honors Industry Members

The Natural Products Association (NPA; Washington, DC) has announced the winners of its 18^thannual NPA Awards for their achievements and support of NPA and the natural products industry. The awards ceremony will be held during Natural Products Association MarketPlace, NPA’s annual trade show and convention, taking place June 23-25 in Las Vegas.

“The NPA Awards celebrate people and companies who inspire us with their accomplishments and innovation, as well as their support of the natural products industry in America,” said John Gay, NPA executive director and CEO. “NPA is proud to honor these award winners, and we hope they serve as an inspiration to others.”

The awards for 2011 will be presented to:

President’s Award: David Seckman, McLean, VA. Seckman, who previously served as NPA’s executive director and CEO, earned the award for his longtime contributions to the natural products industry. During his time at NPA, Seckman worked tirelessly as a spokesman for the industry, testifying frequently at congressional hearings and cultivating relationships with members of Congress and federal officials in key regulatory agencies. Under his leadership, NPA launched the NPA Natural Standard for Personal Care Products quality-assurance program and moved the main NPA office to Washington, DC, giving NPA a better advocacy position in the nation’s capital.

Burton Kallman Scientific Award: Anthony L. Almada, MSc, Laguna Niguel, CA. Almada earned this award for making outstanding contributions that have benefited the natural products industry. Almada has worked within the dietary supplement industry since 1975. He is the cofounder and past president of Experimental and Applied Sciences (EAS), as well as the founder and chief scientific officer of IMAGINutrition Inc. He is also the cofounder and CEO of GENr8 Inc. and is the cofounder and CEO of Fein Innovations LLC. He is the coauthor of more than 25 peer reviewed original research publications.

Rachel Carson Environmental Award: Paul T. Anastas, PhD, New Haven, CT. Anastas earned the award for making outstanding contributions to the protection of the environment. Anastas is assistant administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the agency’s science advisor. He is known widely as the “Father of Green Chemistry” for his groundbreaking research on the design, manufacture, and use of minimally toxic, environmentally friendly chemicals. He has published 10 books on the subjects of sustainability, green chemistry, and green engineering, including his seminal work with coauthor John Warner, Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice.