American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) > About Us > AHPA Awards

AHPA Awards

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Congratulations to the 2022 awardees: Marc Allen, Celestial Seasonings, Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D., Planting Justice, Rodale Institute

Awards were presented at the hybrid AHPA Annual Member Meeting on March 9, 2022.

2022 AHPA Award Winners

  • Herbal Hero Award: Marc Allen
  • Herbal Industry Leadership Award: Celestial Seasonings
  • Herbal Insight Award: Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D.
  • Herbal Diversity & Inclusion Award: Planting Justice
  • Environmental Impact Award: Rodale Institute

Established in 2006, the annual AHPA Awards acknowledge individuals and organizations that help further AHPA's goal of promoting the responsible commerce of herbs and herbal products.

Past Honorees

AHPA Herbal Hero Award

  • Rob Wildman, Ph.D. (2021)
  • Wilson Lau of Nuherbs (2020)
  • Steven Yeager of Mountain Rose Herbs (2019)
  • AHPA GACP/GMP Working Group (2018)
  • Suzanne Shelton of The Shelton Group (2017)
  • Steven Dentali, Ph.D. of Herbalife (2016)
  • Dick Griffin, former owner of Grifcon Enterprises (2015)
  • Daniel Gagnon, owner of Herbs Etc. (2014)
  • Sidney Sudberg and & Elan Sudberg of Alkemists Laboratories (2013)
  • Mitchell Coven, CEO & President, Vitality Works (2012)
  • Edward J. Fletcher, Chief Operating Officer, Strategic Sourcing, Inc. (2011)
  • Katie Huggins, Vice President of Quality Control, Traditional Medicinals (2010)
  • Gordon Walker, General Counsel, Nature’s Way Products, Inc. (2009)
  • Anthony Young, Esq., Partner, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP (2008)
  • Beth Lambert, CEO, Herbalist & Alchemist, Inc. (2007)
  • Staci Eisner, Technical Director, PlusPharma, Inc. (2006)

AHPA Herbal Industry Leadership Award

  • Herbalife Nutrition (2021)
  • Verdure Sciences (2020)
  • Oregon's Wild Harvest (2019)
  • Indena S.p.A. (2018)
  • BI Nutraceuticals (2017)
  • Aveda (2016)
  • Mountain Rose Herbs (2015)
  • Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps (2014)
  • Trout Lake Farm, with special recognition of Martha Jane Johnson (2013)
  • Tom's of Maine (2012)
  • NOW Foods (2011)
  • Gaia Herbs (2010)
  • Sabinsa Corporation (2009)
  • Herb Pharm, Inc. (2008)
  • Traditional Medicinals (2007)
  • Nature’s Way Products, Inc. (2006)

AHPA Herbal Insight Award

  • Safety Call International, PLLC (2021)
  • Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition (ABFFC) (2020)
  • Kelly Kindscher, Ph.D. at the University of Kansas (2019)
  • United Plant Savers (UpS) (2018)
  • Scott Bass, partner at Sidley Austin, LLP (2017)
  • Loren Israelsen, president of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) (2017)
  • Paula Brown, Ph.D., Director of the British Columbia Institute of Technology's Natural Health and Food Products Research Group (NRG) (2016)
  • Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., nationally recognized physician, author and speaker (2015)
  • Lyle Craker, Ph.D., Professor, University of Massachusetts Stockbridge School of Agriculture (2014)
  • Josef Brinckmann, Vice President of Sustainability, Traditional Medicinals (2013)
  • Roy Upton, Executive Director and Editor, American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (2012)
  • Members of the Expert Advisory Council for the revision to AHPA's Botanical Safety Handbook - Zoe Gardner, Michael McGuffin, Roy Upton, Mary Hardy, Tieraona Low Dog, Aviva Romm, Soaring Bear, David Winston, Lyle Craker, and Daniel Gagnon (2011)
  • Ikhlas A. Khan, Ph.D., Assistant Director, National Center for Natural Products Research and Professor of Pharmacognosy, University of Mississippi (2010)
  • Philip Waddington, N.D., Director General, Natural Health Products Directorate, Health Canada, 2000-2008 (2009)
  • Steven Foster, President, Steven Foster Group, Inc. (2008)
  • Stephen Straus, M.D., Director, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, NIH, 1999-2006 (2008)
  • Joseph Betz, Ph.D., Director of the Dietary Supplement Methods and Reference Materials Program, Office of Dietary Supplements, NIH (2007)
  • Norman R. Farnsworth, Ph.D., Director, Program for Collaborative Research in the Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois (2006)

AHPA Diversity & Inclusion Award

  • Naturade (2021)

Special Awards

  • 2021 AHPA Centennial Award: Indena S.p.A.
  • 2021 Herbal Pioneer Award: Tony Hayes (posthumous)
  • 2020 AHPA Visionary Award: Ed Alstat, N.D.
  • 2019 AHPA Herbal Pioneer Award: Sara Katz (Herb Pharm) 
  • 2019 AHPA Super Natural Award: Mark Blumenthal (American Botanical Council)
  • 2018 AHPA Lifetime Achievement in Research Award: Dr. James A. (Jim) Duke
  • 2018 AHPA Lifetime Achievement in Legislation Award: Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
  • 2018 AHPA Journalistic Excellence Award: Heather Granato (Informa Exhibitions)
  • 2017 AHPA Visionary Award: Elwood Richard, Founder of NOW Foods
  • 2016 AHPA Lifetime Achievement Award: Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
  • 2016 AHPA Visionary Award: Robert (Bob) Ullman (posthumous)
  • 2015 AHPA Journalistic Excellence Award: NutraIngredients-USA Senior Editor Stephen Daniells and Senior Correspondent Hank Schultz
  • 2014 AHPA Visionary Award: Virgo Executive Team
  • 2013 AHPA Visionary Award: Lynda LeMole
  • 2012 AHPA Visionary Award: Michael Roland Shaw Moore, Former Author and Teacher
  • 2011 AHPA Visionary Award: James A. May, CEO of Wisdom Natural Brands

Previous Award Presentations

The AHPA Awards are presented at the annual AHPA Member Meeting and Breakfast held during Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California.

Nomination and Selection Process

  • Only individuals employed by an AHPA member company may nominate individuals or companies for AHPA Awards. 
  • AHPA Herbal Hero Award nominees must be employed by an AHPA member company
  • AHPA Herbal Industry Leadership nominees must be an AHPA member company. 
  • AHPA Herbal Insight Award nominees don't need to be associated with an AHPA member company, but this award is limited to individuals or non-commercial organizations only. 
  • Nominees (companies and/or individuals) can be nominated in only one category each year.

For more information or to submit a nomination for AHPA Awards, fill out the online application or contact ahpa@ahpa.org, 301.588.1171.

Nominations are reviewed by members of AHPA’s Communications Committee, which represents a diverse group of industry stakeholders. The Committee recommends recipients for each award category and presents these recommendations to the American Herbal Products Association’s Board of Trustees for approval.

Award recipients are announced at AHPA's Annual Member Meeting and Breakfast at Expo West.

2022 Annual Fund Sponsors

AHPA appreciates the support of its sponsors, but does not endorse, recommend, or provide a warranty for any sponsor company, its products or services. AHPA has no responsibility for any transaction entered into with any of these companies.