Contact: Lisa Conover
The Fresh Ideas Group
303.449.2108 x 12
lisa@freshideasgroup.com
Office of Regulatory Affairs Recipients of FDA Honor Award
New Hope Natural Media Standards Department
BOULDER, Colo. (June 4, 2009) — FDA will honor a business-media company with the agency's Civilian Honor Award, presented on behalf of the Acting Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs, Michael Chappell. Â On June 26, New Hope Natural Media's Standards Department (NHNM) based in Boulder, Colo. will receive the Leveraging/Collaboration Award at the FDA ORA Honor Awards Ceremony at the Washington, DC, Hilton.
The award is for exceptional group performance to support self regulation of the foods, dietary supplements, cosmetics, and OTC drugs industries and to promote product quality and the accuracy of information provided to consumers. Â NHNM Standards Program will be recognized for its support for industry self-regulation and helping to ensure that information presented in all New Hope publications and events is compliant with FDA, USDA, and the FTC guidelines.
The NHNM Standards Department is comprised of three individuals including Don McLemore, Steve Taormina, and Michelle Kelly. Â The Standards Program was developed in 1994 as part of a pro-active response to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, as well as the organic standard and screening policies based on the California Organic Foods Act of 1990, and other state organic regulatory programs. Â Since its inception, New Hope has received tremendous support from advertisers and exhibitors who voluntarily comply with the standards to support self regulation. Â The NHNM Standards Program is part of a larger industry effort dedicated to maintaining industry self-regulation and helping to ensure the safety and quality of natural products.
“The Standards Program succeeds through the spirit of cooperation between industry manufacturers, distributors, brokers and retailers, which contributes to the responsible growth of the Natural Products industry.  This partnership fundamentally increases consumer confidence in natural products,� said Don McLemore, vice president of the standards program.
 “This is a fantastic accomplishment by the Standards Team that has worked tirelessly for years to clean up our part of the world. The FDA is not known for giving out gratuitous awards. It also comes at a time when the FDA enforcement appears to be increasing so the timing is excellent. Most impressive is how well the team walks a fine line and makes this a win for us at New Hope, a win for the client, a win for the retailer, and ultimately a win for consumers,� said Fred Linder, senior vice president, New Hope and Penton Events Media Group
New Hope Natural Media (www.newhope.com) is the leading media resource and information provider for the natural, organic and healthy products industry with print, in-person/event, e-business products and services. Â Penton Media (www.penton.com) is largest independent business-to-business media company in the U.S., serving more than 6 million business professionals every month.