Dr. Mike Weiser

Dr. Rafea Naffa

AIDP, Inc. has promoted its 20-year R&D department leader, Dr. Jennifer Gu, to Senior VP of Research & Development, as well as appointed Dr. Mike Weiser as VP of R&D, and Dr. Rafea Naffa as Scientific Advisor to the R&D department. AIDP said the promotion of Dr. Gu and the addition of two esteemed associates exemplifies the company's commitment to research and development. AIDP has a robust clinical research and regulatory pipeline to bring the most vetted ingredients to our customers. This strategic growth in R&D reflects AIDP's long-term vision for healthy longevity and wellness through research-driven product development, underscoring our mission to lead in the supplement and functional food & beverage markets. Dr. Weiser holds a B.S. in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science with a focus on neurobiology and neuroendocrinology, a post-doctorate in stress neurobiology and physiology, while Dr. Naffa is an editor and reviewer for various scientific journals with a Ph.D. in biochemistry and an author to over 35 peer-reviewed publications primarily focused on collagen.

AT&T Inc. Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel David R. McAtee II is the newest member of the ADM Board of Directors. ADM Chair of the Board and CEO Juan Luciano shared his thoughts on the board's latest inductee, "He has a true depth of experience in government regulation, strategic planning, and data security, and has helped execute strategy through engagements with institutional investors and key government stakeholders. This expertise will be an invaluable source of guidance as ADM navigates our own path ahead.” McAtee's resume includes almost ten years of experience advancing all legal matters at AT&T, including governance, M&A, strategic planning, finance, supply chain, government regulation, compliance, data security and shareholder engagement. He also currently serves as a trusted advisor to AT&T’s executive leaders and board of directors across several complex operational and strategic issues.

David Alcaraz

David Alcaraz has been hired as the Senior Vice President of Quality Assurance at Vitaquest International. Alcaraz, a former member of Pharmachem Laboratories, The Vitamin Shoppe, Arizona Nutritional Supplements, and Clorox, has held leadership roles with each company, successfully overseen quality systems, food safety, laboratories, and process optimization initiatives, and gained considerable experience with critical regulatory and quality standards, including U.S. Food & Drug Administration regulations, manufacturing and laboratory practices, and advanced risk-based quality controls.

At Vitaquest, Alcaraz will manage the development of quality assurance strategies to maintain the company's high standards of product quality and control. “With nearly 20 years of experience in quality management, David brings an exceptional level of expertise and a hands-on approach to quality assurance,” said Patrick Brueggman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vitaquest. “He has a commitment to operational excellence and works to foster a culture of continuous improvement that aligns perfectly with our mission to set the industry standard in product quality.”

CEO Simon Seward with CMO Jaroslava Juricova-Olsen

AkerBioMarine has confirmed Jaroslava Juricova-Olsen as its Chief Marketing Officer of Human Health Ingredients (HHI). Juricova-Olsen is a former Marketing Director from Orkla Health and a former Marketing Director for Salmon Brands, where she led efforts to drive consumer awareness and product innovation prioritizing sustainability and quality.  “I am passionate about empowering consumers with knowledge about the health benefits of these products, enabling them to make informed decisions that contribute to their well-being. I look forward to working with the Aker BioMarine team to expand the reach and impact of our offerings," shared the new CMO. At AkerBioMarine, Juricova-Olen will look to drive growth and ensure that the company's products deliver healthy benefits and sustainability to global markets while supervising marketing strategies for HHI's portfolio which include the plant-based DHA omega-3 ingredient, FloraMarine, and the Lysoveta brain health supplement. 

Ellery Fink

Vori has named Ellery Fink as its new Head of Operations. The makers of the only modern operating system for the grocery industry chose the industry vet for her expertise in new product category development and change management. Previously, Fink worked at restaurant point-of-sale company, Toast, where she held positions including Chief of Staff and Senior Director of GTM Hardware Operations, and Senior Director of Onboarding. "We are thrilled to welcome Ellery," said Brandon Hill, CEO and co-founder of Vori. "Her leadership in scaling operations and deep understanding of customer needs align perfectly with our mission to deliver cutting-edge solutions and unparalleled service to our grocery retail customers and wholesale supplier partners.”

Jordi Ferre has been named as the new Chief Executive Officer of MycoTechnology. Ferre, who is currently serving as the Global Food Division Head for HealthTech Bioactives, takes over for MycoTechnology interim-CEO Ranjan Patnaik, Ph.D. Ferre has over three decades of general management experience in the global food, value-added ingredients, and Agri-tech industries having held leadership positions as CEO of AgroFresh, Inc., VP of Sales and Marketing, Sucralose division at Tate & Lyle, and CEO of Alvinesa Natural Ingredients S.A. Ferre expressed his enthusiasm for his new role with the company, “Based on its impressive technological developments to date and continuous innovation, MycoTechnology is ready to enter its next chapter of growth, bringing breakthrough natural solutions with a lasting impact. I am excited for the opportunity to accelerate the company’s expansion while strengthening both internal culture and global strategic partnerships."

Eli Glasser is joining vitamins, minerals, supplements, and other health and wellness products online retailer, iHerb, as its new Senior Vice President of Compliance. Glasser, who has over two decades of litigation, compliance and regulatory affairs expertise, will report to iHerb CEO Emun Zabihi and oversee the company's compliance programs, regulatory adherence and risk management. Previously, Glasser has held senior leadership roles at Tyson Foods, served as Executive Counsel for Antitrust & Global Competition and Chief Counsel for Commercial Litigation. With undergraduate degrees in International Relations and Philosophy from Boston University and his Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University, he began his legal career as an associate at Sidley Austin LLP in New York before serving as Counsel at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and a judicial law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Andrea Benson

NOW Health Group Canada and Puresource Corp. have named Andrea Benson as their new Country Leader. The York University graduate has taken on several marketing and business development roles within the retail, foodservice, industrial sales sectors, and has developed a strong understanding of commercialization, strategic planning, brand development, financial metrics management, and profit increasing objectives. Benson also supports sustainability and responsible sourcing initiatives and is an active mentor to young professionals within the CPG industry. “Andrea is an accomplished marketing and sales executive with a robust background in achieving strategic, financial, and leadership goals, and we are very pleased to have her leading our team in Canada,” commented NOW Health Group CEO Jim Emme.

Douglas Wicklund will look to help the Maxim Group LLC expand its Healthcare Investment Banking division under his new role at the firm as a Managing Director. With an MS and an honorary Beta Gamma Sigma award from the University of Denver, an MBA from Rollins College, and an BA from Denison University with a major in Economics and English Literature, Wicklund has nearly 15 years of investment banking expertise, has held senior roles with the Healthcare Groups at Mesirow Financial, Inc., Oppenheimer & Co., and has experience with several healthcare services including behavioral health, outpatient services, pharmaceutical services, physician practices, post-acute & elderly care, and retail healthcare verticals. He has handled transactions with over $15 billion in aggregate transaction value and executed transactions covering sell-side and buy-side M&A, public and private financings, and strategic advisory assignments. “Doug is another important component of our firm’s strategic expansion, providing deep M&A knowledge and experience in the Healthcare sector with a particular focus on the Healthcare services vertical,” commented Larry Glassberg, Co-Head of Investment Banking.

Jewell Blackwell

Jewell Blackwell has joined Phynova as their Marketing and Sales Manager. Her work in B2B sales and marketing, coupled with her passion for wellness and communication will support Phynova’s goal to empower wellness brands and their consumers with the benefits of Reducose – a small serving size with immediate and measurable ability to lower glucose and insulin levels – for better metabolic health. Her other areas of focus include content creation, marketing strategies, business development, and long-term growth objectives. Blackwell previously worked with AstaReal Inc., a global supplier of Natural Astaxanthin.

Grimmway President of Farming Operations, Russell Hamlin, Ph.D., has joined the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee (FRRCC). Dr. Hamlin is a member of the Advisory Board for the Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He currently chairs the California Fresh Carrot Advisory Board and the Organics Committee of the International Fresh Produce Association. At Grimmway, Dr. Hamlin supervises the management of conventional and organic vegetable crops in over 10 of the company's operational states and was one of the 17 other new members announced by EPA Administrator Michael Regan.