The American Botanical Council (ABC) recently presented awards to notable industry players, while the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) elected new trustees to serve on its board.

ABC awarded Australia-based Soho Flordis International (SFI) the annual Varro E. Tyler Commercial Investment in Phytomedicinal Research Award. SFI is a global natural medicine company committed to identifying and developing natural medicines with high levels of evidence of quality, safety and effectiveness, and then marketing them around the world. The late Professor Tyler—who has been described as one of the most respected men in late-20th century herbal medicine and pharmacognosy (the study of medicines of natural origin, usually from plants)—was an early trustee of ABC, dean of the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Purdue University for 20 years, and vice president of academic affairs at Purdue. SFI founder and CEO Nigel Pollard received the award at the 10th Annual ABC Botanical Celebration and Awards Ceremony on March 5 in Anaheim, California.

In addition, ABC awarded Loren D. Israelsen, president of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), the 2014 Mark Blumenthal Herbal Community Builder Award. The award is granted annually to an individual in the herbal medicine community who has played a significant role in creating a sense of community among herbalists, researchers, members of the herb and natural products communities, and related groups who work in the area of medicinal plants. Among his many noteworthy accomplishments, since 1991, Israelsen has served as the president of the United Natural Products Alliance (formerly the Utah Natural Products Alliance), a global industry trade association dedicated to supporting companies and consumers committed to high-quality natural health products.

AHPA also congratulated nine members who were elected to serve three-year terms on the board of trustees at the association's annual member meeting on March 5 in Anaheim, California. The following members were elected to the board: Marc Allen, Herb Pharm; Bill Chioffi, Gaia Herbs; Mitch Coven, Vitality Works; Staci Eisner, PlusPharma; Katie Huggins, Traditional Medicinals; Feather Jones, Sedona Tea Blends; Beth Lambert, Herbalist & Alchemist; Michael Schaeffer, Pacific Nutritionals; and Aaron Secrist, NOW Foods. The recently-elected board trustees will work with the 18 current trustees to govern the association. Trustees work with AHPA committees and staff to set policies, priorities and guidance for the association and take action to promote the responsible commerce of herbal supplements and products. The AHPA board also elected the following board members to serve as officers and members of the board's executive committee: Graham Rigby, New Chapter; Steven Dentali, PhD, Herbalife International; Steven Yeager, Mountain Rose Herbs; and Mitch Coven, Vitality Works. Three additional board members were elected to serve on the board's seven-member executive committee: Marc Allen, Herb Pharm; Gary Pay, Ideasphere/TwinLab; and Beth Lambert, Herbalist and Alchemist.