Tom Aarts is Managing Director of Nutrition Business Advisors, LLC (NBA), a strategic advisory firm focused on the $58 billion nutraceuticals industry. Tom has more than 20 years’ experience in management consulting, M&A transactions, investment analysis, and market research. He has advised many of the leading companies in the nutrition, food, and pharmaceutical industries on their strategy and direction including GNC, Rexall, Nestle, Bayer, and Cargill.

Tom co-founded the Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ), which is the “journal of record” for strategic information and market intelligence in the nutrition and natural products industry. After the sale of NBJ to New Hope Natural Media in 2001, he continued on as a consultant. He is also the Founder and co-chair of the NBJ/Newport Summit, the premier executive retreat in the Nutrition Industry.

Prior to this, Tom was a founding Partner of Health Business Partners (HBP), one of the leading investment banking and consulting firms in the Nutrition Industry. He also serves on several editorial advisory boards and has authored numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and trade publications.

Tom received a B.A. from Colgate University and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Elliott Balbert founded Natrol, Inc., a prominent manufacturer of high-quality nutritional products, and served as President and CEO for 25 years and Chairman for 27 years.  He led the company through dramatic growth and success over the years with numerous acquisitions, unique product introductions, multi-industry distribution, a successful public IPO in 1998, and the sale of the company to Plethico Pharmaceuticals in 2007.

Elliott has been actively involved in many industry trade and non-profit groups including: the Natural Products Association (NPA); the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA); the American Botanical Council (ABC); and the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP). In 2001, Elliott led a coalition of nutraceutical industry stakeholders to form a new non-profit organization called the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance (DSEA) and served as its first president for four years. In 2008 Elliott was again selected for a second term as President of the DSEA.

Elliott was recognized in 2006 for his industry leadership at the Newport Summit with a "Lifetime Achievement Award" and again in 2008 with the Vanguard Award for industry leadership at Virgo Publishing's senior executive retreat Focus on the Future. 

Howard is well known throughout the natural foods marketplace for developing quality new products and turning them into best sellers through innovative marketing and promotions.

He founded Vitamin Angels in 1994. Often called the “humanitarian arm” of the natural products industry, Vitamin Angels has distributed more than one hundred million vitamins and other supplements (wholesale value over $14 million), in the past three years alone, to people in need in 40 countries around the world.

In 2003, Howard was honored with the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance’s, DSEA Hero Award for his work in “making a difference in the lives of so many children throughout our country and around the world.”

In 2005, Howard was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Newport Summit by Nutrition Business Journal for “creating Vitamin Angel Alliance as a force to bring better health and nutrition to millions of children and adults in need around the world.” He was honored with Golden Temple and Peace Cereal’s Socially Responsible Business Award for “upholding the highest in human ideals and business practices.”  In September 2005, NNFA West awarded Howard their Outstanding Achievement Award for his ongoing efforts to improve the lives of millions of children around the world through basic nutrition. In 2006, he received the Global Humanitarian Award from Vivekanand Ashram.
 
Howard is the author of three books, and is a frequent speaker at workshops and seminars around the country. He lives with his wife and three children in Santa Barbara, California.

Peter van Stolk is a partner at The Tree Fort Group. As founder of Jones Soda Company in 1987, Peter served as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors through 2007. A former Canadian ski instructor, Peter’s original marketing approach interacting online with consumers brought Jones Soda Co. success in a crowded beverage industry. Integrating customer input, Jones Soda is known for unique flavors and custom packaging. Peter also oversaw the launch of new product lines including non-carbonated juice, tea, ad energy drinks.

Peter has been recognized for his innovative branding strategy in publications such as The New York Times, CNN, and People Magazine. He continues to serve on the company’s Board of Directors, and lectures at businesses and universities.

Michelle Goolsby served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer for Dean Foods Company (NYSE:DF) for over 10 years.  She was instrumental in Dean Foods’ growth from a decentralized company with $2 billion in revenue to a Fortune 200 company with over $12 billion in revenue.  During her tenure, she was responsible for strategic growth initiatives, legal, compliance and corporate governance, government relations, human resources and communications. She also led the company’s efforts to increase its organic and other healthy product offerings and spearheaded the company’s philanthropic and social responsibility initiatives.  

Prior to joining Dean Foods, Michelle spent over 13 years practicing law with two major Texas law firms, focusing primarily on corporate, securities and capital markets transactions.  

Currently, Michelle provides advisory services, including executive coaching and leadership development, to profit and nonprofit companies.  She also conducts training and development programs, focusing on leadership and management skills.

Michelle is a partner and a member of the Investment Committee of Greenmont Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Boulder, Colorado. She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of The Organic Center and of Vitamin Angels. She is a Trustee of The University of Texas Law School Foundation and is a Founding Member of the Center for Women in Law.

She received her M.A. from the Simmons School of Education and Human Development at Southern Methodist University, her J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law, and her B.B.A. - Accounting from The University of Texas at Austin.  
 

Clayton currently serves as Vitamin Angels' Senior Technical Advisor. After a career first as an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University, and later as an entrepreneur, Clayton’s rigor and expertise are shaping Vitamin Angels into a technically savvy organization with much to offer micronutrient projects worldwide. Clayton has traveled, worked and lived all over the world.

Joanne Gray is a partner at Goodwin Procter, LLP, a law firm of 850 attorneys across ten offices in the United States, Asia and Europe. She is Co-Chair of Goodwin Proctor's Food Industry Group, which focuses its practice on advising the food and supplement industries, as well as restaurants and beverage companies. The Cross-Practice Industry Group ensures the most holistic, integrated and solution-oriented results for food and supplement industry clients.

Ms. Gray helps her clients capitalize on product development opportunities by helping them to develop strategies for building consumer brands while complying with increasingly complex regulatory requirements. Ms. Gray is involved in counseling and strategic planning for consumer product launches and recalls, and advises on risk management, public relations and crisis management issues. She is also a partner in the firm's Litigation Department, has extensive experience in all aspects of complex litigation, particularly in matters involving high-profile class actions and mass tort claims. In addition, Ms. Gray provides litigation avoidance counseling as well as due diligence reviews of product lines or entire companies in the food, supplement, drug and device industries.

Ms. Gray has held a number of leadership roles in the leading trade group for lawyers, The American Bar Association. She is the current national co-chair of the ABA's Food and Supplements Group. Ms. Gray has been a national speaker on a variety of issues and has published extensively over the course of her career. She is a 1980 graduate of The College of The Holy Cross and a 1983 graduate of Fordham University's School of Law. In the pro bono area, Ms. Gray has devoted much of her career to working with non-profit groups that are working on diversity and professional advancement issues, including breaking the glass ceiling. Ms. Gray has also been an advisor to several non-profit organizations and has served on a number of boards. Ms. Gray has been listed in Who's Who in the Law, New York Super Lawyers and Legal 500.

Tom Tolworthy is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Twinlab Corporation, a leading manufacturer and marketer of nutritional supplements. He is responsible for establishing overall business strategy for growth and profitability, as well as setting marketing direction for brand management.

Tom is committed to providing the foundational leadership required to bring Twinlab to the forefront of serving the dietary supplement industry with sound cultural participation and social responsibility. He has joined Vitamin Angels on trips to the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Kenya to observe the delivery of vital nutrition to hundreds of children and families in need.

Prior to joining Twinlab in 2011, Tom served as CEO at The Vitamin Shoppe, where he introduced Vitamin Angels as a charitable initiative and spearheaded the first annual Vitamin Angels Golf Outing resulting in a donation of more than $250,000. Before joining The Vitamin Shoppe, Tom spent eleven years at Barnes & Noble in various positions, leaving there as President.

Bio coming soon.

Anthony is an organic advocate, whose work has resulted in over 25 entrepreneurial product developments designed to add value to human and animal nutrition while encouraging sustainable agricultural practices.  He has worked with organizations ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies including Nestlé, Bumble Bee Seafood, Horizon Organic Dairy, Wild Oats Markets, and Paramount Pictures.

Anthony has taken social trends and turned them into food trends such as his creation of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurants based on the award-winning film “Forrest Gump” starring Tom Hanks. He also developed the Richard Scarry organic line of products for children. Currently, Anthony serves as founder and president of Natural Pet Nutrition LLC, makers of Pet Promise pet foods.

Anthony is also a board member of The Organic Center and The Association of Family Farms. He is author of Chemical-Free Kids (Kensington), The Detachment Paradox (ASM Books), and How Dog Food  Saved the Earth (ASM Books) and resides in Long Beach, California.

Steve Allen is Vice-President, New Ventures for Nestlé based in Glendale, California.  He has been in the food industry for over twenty years. Steve gained experience working in Africa, the Middle East, the Far East, and Switzerland. Prior to moving to the USA, he was head of the Nutrition Division of Nestlé in Canada. He has had functional responsibility for marketing and sales in his career as well as general management.

Jeff is General Counsel and Vice President for Science and International Business for Garden of Life, Inc., a privately held, leading brand of premium whole food nutrition, probiotic and digestion supplements.  Jeff joined the company in 2007 and oversees product formulation, research and development, science, regulatory, international sales and legal departments.

Prior to Garden of Life, Jeff served as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for Arby’s Restaurant Group, owner/operator of the Arby’s and Wendy’s chains. Prior to Arby’s, Jeff was General Counsel to the United Franchise Group,  franchisor of Sign-A-Rama, EmbroidMe and three other international franchise concepts.

Over his international career Jeff has traveled to and worked in more than 50 countries. Widely considered to be an expert in franchising, Jeff has been a national speaker & author for the American Bar Association and the International Franchise Association for the last fourteen years and was distinguished by Franchise Times magazine as “One to Watch under 40”.

Jeff received his Juris Doctor from the University of  Florida College of Law and his B.S. in Finance from Oral Roberts University. Jeff lives with his wife, Judy and their four young children.

Peter Hefele is the Senior Vice President of Business Development for Vitaquest International LLC, including its Garden State Nutritionals, Windmill Health Products, and Celmark Hydroceuticals divisions. Prior to his current position, from 1999-2003 Peter was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for HVL Incorporated, which included its market leading Douglas Laboratories Division. Additional responsibilities included Board Advisement on the execution of mergers and acquisitions. Before joining HVL Incorporated, Peter served as the Manager of North American Pharmaceutical Sales for Capsugel, a Division of Pfizer. Over his eleven years there, Capsugel became the international leader in the development and manufacturing of hard gelatin capsules (HGC). Peter sits on various boards, has publications in print, and is a degreed Chemist and German Literary. Peter is a graduate of Drew University.

Scott is Managing Partner of United Future, the Interactive Marketing & Development division of WONGDOODY, specializing in experience design and development for the Web, mobile & interactive television environments. Scott has spent the last 15 years focused on creating brand equity and digital innovation for clients such as; ABC, Microsoft, General Motors, T-Mobile, Avery Dennison, Alpine Electronics, Autodesk, Caesar’s Entertainment, and many others.

Prior to United Future, Scott was instrumental in developing Zentropy Partners, a McCann Erickson Worldgroup company, into a Top 10 interactive agency ranked by Adweek. Additionally, fostering and developing the broadband, mobile and interactive television divisions.

Scott is an executive committee member of the Brand Committee and Interactive Peer Group for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (emmys.org).

For more than 33 years, James Tonkin has served as a private-sector brand product and marketing development professional who builds and designs national infrastructures for food and beverage industry clients. He has successfully created and implemented business and financial strategies for domestic and international corporations—focusing on production, branding, sales, marketing and distribution.

Tonkin has promoted brand and marketing programs for clients in the bottled water, functional food, and beverage industries. His long-standing expertise stretches across several sectors, including domestic cheeses and potato chips; bottled waters for people and pets; and nutraceutical, functional and enhancement beverages. Tonkin serves as a popular keynote speaker several times a year. He covers a range of topics that include trends in the business, product innovations and food and beverage industry predictions.

A thirty year member of the Natural and organic food industry, Barclay has had success as both an entrepreneurial owner-operator and as a corporate executive in the public sector. His career has encompassed retail as an owner-partner in two groundbreaking natural foods supermarkets (Hope ‘n Hagens, in Southern California) from 1981-1988, owner of a gourmet Fresh pasta manufacturing company (Buonapasta)from 1988-1995, a brief stint opening stores for Wild Oats (1996-1997), and finally in fresh perishable distribution, predominately organic produce, at Albert’s Organics from 1997 through 2006. Starting as Western region General Manager, Barclay succeeded founder Albert Lusk after the company was sold to UNFI after a two year earn-out period. As President from 2001-2006, he led revenue growth from $60m to $200m, profitably growth of 5-6x, led or participated in 5 acquisitions, led a strategic purchasing shift towards contractual buying, created marketing programs that anticipated the shift from independent natural food store customers to the mass market retail chains, oversaw the creation of a proprietary Premium produce Brand known as Grateful Harvest, and led diversification into other Fresh categories, including a fresh, organic, Grass-fed beef program. Barclay is currently consulting within the natural foods and aerospace manufacturing industries, while reviewing additional strategic acquisition possibilities.

Bio coming soon.

James Hamilton (“Jim”) is the President of DSM Nutritional Products USA, Inc., an organization headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey and currently serves on the global management team of DSM Nutritional Products’ Human Nutrition & Health business, an organization with more than $1.4 billion in global sales and operations in more than 40 countries. DSM Nutritional Products is a division of the life sciences and material sciences giant DSM N.V. During the course of his 25-year career Jim has lived and worked in Europe, Canada and the United States and has played a leading role in the development, manufacturing, marketing and sales of vitamins, carotenoids and other nutritional ingredients in the food, dietary supplement, animal feed and personal care industries.

Jim’s industry knowledge and innovative approach to sales and marketing have made him a valuable contributor to several trade associations and a sought after speaker in the field of human nutrition. Jim is currently a member of the Grocery Manufacturers Association and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Center for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). Jim continues to share his vitamin industry experience and knowledge with a number of philanthropic endeavors such Vitamin Angels.

Jim is a graduate of Concordia University in Montreal, Canada and has attended a number of business education and leadership programs at the London Business School, INSEAD and the IMD.

Samantha is a partner in the tax group at Minden Gross LLP, a full service law firm in Toronto, Ontario.  Samantha's practice focuses mainly on corporate, estate and international tax planning. In addition to advising clients on various tax planning strategies, Samantha has particular experience in designing and implementing succession and estate plans and corporate reorganizations.

Samantha’s clients vary from multi-national corporations to the family business owner/manager. As such, her practice is varied to include tax aspects of corporate finance, corporate reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, as well as comprehensive succession planning and offshore and international corporate structures.

Samantha is also an accomplished author and has co-authored the 3rd edition of Tax and Family Business Succession Planning. Additionally, she is the author of “The Liability for Taxes” chapter of the CCH Directors’ Manual, as well as co-editor of various other CCH Canadian Limited tax publications including the Canada Income Tax Guide, Wealth Management Guide, and Tax Planning for Small Business Guide. Samantha is a Contributing Editor of both The TaxLetter and The MoneyLetter newsletters (MPL Communications) and a regular contributor to Tax Notes (CCH). Samantha is also a frequent lecturer for professional and commercial organizations, businesses and conferences.

In addition to being actively involved in Meritas, a worldwide affiliation of law firms of which Minden Gross LLP is the exclusive Toronto member, Samantha is a member of the Meritas Canada Tax Group and a member of the Meritas Leadership Institute (Class of 2007-08) and serves as a mentor for future Meritas Leadership Institutes classes.

Samantha has also been an active member of the community and has served on numerous charities.  She most recently served many years on the Board of Directors for The Macaulay Child Development Centre, a United Way Agency aimed at providing child care services to various communities in need as well as being a member for the past number of years of the Executive Committee for Operanation, an annual Canadian Opera Company event aimed at raising funds for outreach programs in the arts.  

Samantha received her B.A. from the University of Toronto in 1995 and her LL.B. from Queen’s University in 1998.  She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2000 and is also admitted to the New York State Bar.
 

Dr. Luis Pacheco is an Emmy Award winning Family Physician who is Board Certified in Family Medicine, has received a CAQ in Sports Medicine and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Medicine.  For his work on Spanish-language television with Univision, Dr. Pacheco is the recipient of an Emmy Award as well as a ‘Golden Mike’.  Formerly the Director of Pre-Doctoral Education for the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Southern California, USC-Keck School of Medicine, Dr. Pacheco is one of the most well known and trusted physicians in the US Hispanic Community today.

Dr. Pacheco has received numerous awards and recognition for his accomplishments in the medical field and the community including recognition from the American Diabetes Association, the National“Head Start” Educational Program, ‘America’s Top Doctors’ Award from the Consumers Research Council, AOL Digital City ‘Top Doctors USA’, the USC School of Medicine - Family Medicine Residency  Program, as well as Congressional recognition for his work with the American Youth Soccer Association (AYSO). 

Dr. Pacheco received his B.A. in Biology from Columbia University in New York, his M.D. from Central University in Puerto Rico with an emphasis on Tropical Medicine and performed his clinical clerkships at Harvard, Tufts and Boston Universities in Boston.  He completed his Internship and Residency in Family Medicine at USC and was elected Chief Resident his senior year.

Dave Brubaker is currently Chief Executive Officer of NutraGenetics, LLC, an entrepreneurial company founded by 1998 Nobel Prize recipient Dr. Louis Ignarro, focused on the formulating, development, and distribution of science-based nutritional supplements, functional foods, nutraceuticals, and sports nutrition formulas.

Dave is also Chief Executive Officer and Founder of HealthWell Ventures, LLC, a consulting and nutritional science based product development company.

As the Founder and Chairman of Leiner Health Products (1973-1997), he grew the company into the largest vitamin manufacture in the US with distribution in over 60,000 retail outlets with sales in and excess of $750M.  He subsequently founded the Feeling Fine Company, in partnership with Dr. Art Ulene, from the NBC Today Show, in 1998 launching a line of vitamin formulas from “Americas Family Doctor.”

Dave is a former University of Southern California Trustee, past President of the USC Alumni Association, past Chairman of the Board of the USC Norris Cancer Hospital, and a member of the USC Skull and Dagger Honor Society.  He is a member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet at Arkansas State University and the President’s Cabinet and Foundation Board of Directors at the University of North Alabama.

He is an original member of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a nutraceutical lobby group based in Washington, DC that has represented the voice of the vitamin industry for over forty-five years.  Dave also serves as Chairman of the advisory committee for the Coby Brubaker Children’s Foundation, a philanthropic organization named in memory of his wife, which supports the health needs of children throughout the world.  Finally, he has served as a Board Member for Operation USA, a philanthropic organization that provides humanitarian relief all over the world for over thirty-five years. 

Dave is a graduate (B.S. and M.B.A.) of the University of Southern California Marshall Business School and his son, Jay, is a recent graduate of University of Southern California School of Art and Letters. Both, it is said, are really fun guys.

Bill Sechrest practiced law for over 30 years with Winstead Sechrest & Minick, a law firm he founded in Dallas, Texas in 1973.  Bill retains his license to practice law in Texas, while also acting as advisor and investor in a number of technological companies, and as a shareholder and CFO of iCeL Systems, Inc. and shareholder and CEO of iCeL West, Inc.

Bill currently serves on the Board of Directors and chairs the Audit Committee for both The Men’s Warehouse, Inc. (listed on the New York Stock Exchange) and Ojai Community Bank, a publicly traded California state bank.  He is Chairman of the Board of the Institute of Noetic Sciences.  

Bill received his B.A. in Economics from Stanford University and his J.D. from Southern Methodist University.

Bill is the author of The Creation of Joe Bankhead, Beneath Words, and numerous publications on economic and monetary policy.

Jeff Markel has been Managing Director of Vitamin Angels since 2006 after volunteering as Operations Manager for three years. Jeff brings 40 years of business experience to the organization.  Before joining Vitamin Angels, Jeff owned and operated Boulder Fruit Express (BFX), an organic perishables distributor in Boulder, Colorado, servicing six western states, and Silver Deer, an import export company with customers and vendors in 35 countries.

Throughout his career, Jeff has used his expertise and passion for business as a path for personal growth to help more than 1000 clients over the last 30 years. In addition, he has served as a pro bono small business consultant for the state of Colorado in the six poorest counties. Jeff presently resides in Bayfield, Colorado with his wife, Zita.