Howard B. Schiffer of Vitamin Angel Alliance Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at the Newport Summit

Howard B. Schiffer, Founder of Vitamin Angel Alliance, was honored last week with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Nutrition Business Journals Newport Summit.

Santa Barbara, CA (PRWEB) August 4, 2005 -- Howard B. Schiffer, Founder of Vitamin Angel Alliance, was honored last week with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Nutrition Business Journals Newport Summit.

The NBJ/Newport Summit is an annual convention of the worlds leading nutritional corporations and manufacturers in the progressive natural, organic, health, and nutrition industries. Schiffer received his Lifetime Achievement award for the impact Vitamin Angels has had in addressing the international malnutrition crisis that has affected hundreds of millions of people, most of them children.

Schiffer, who was known throughout the natural foods marketplace for developing and marketing quality new products reinvented his career as a result of the 1994 Northridge earthquake. As he recounted in his acceptance speech We received a call from the relief people immediately after the quake. People werent eating correctly. They were living in tents and were very stressed out; all of the conditions were ripe for an epidemic or opportunistic infections to spread." Within 72 hours, Schiffer had arranged for three large pallets of vitamins to be delivered for the relief effort.

And in that moment," Schiffer said, I found my calling. For my entire career I had helped create and market natural products for those who could afford to buy them. Now I had a different purpose. To provide basic nutrition to people in need."

In 2004, its tenth year, Vitamin Angel Alliance shipped 23.4 million supplements to over 40 countries. In the first five weeks of 2005, Vitamin Angels shipped over 10 million supplements to tsunami survivors in Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia.

Following the award ceremonies, senior natural food executives commented on Schiffers contributions and the role Vitamin Angels plays in fighting malnutrition around the world.

Vitamin Angel Alliance reminds us that providing people with basic nutrition is always the first step in making this world a better place," said Elliott Balbert, CEO of Natrol. Their efficiency and integrity in making sure the vitamins reach the poorest of the poor, makes it an honor to work with them. Vitamin Angels is changing lives -- ours and the people we get to help."

Vitamin Angel Alliance, through the depth of their network and relationships, has made a difference. Were amazed by the speed, passion and commitment with which they respond to those in need of nutritional supplements," said Len Monheit, President of NPI Center. Over the past decade, more than a hundred million vitamins and other supplements have saved the lives and eyesight of millions, providing them with a chance for a productive future."

Vitamin Angel Alliance is a leader, providing vitamins to families around the globe who otherwise would be at risk of disease. The Alliance is ready when disaster hits," said Dot Boyd, President of NNFA West, Being involved with the 'Angels' adds meaning and joy to my work in the natural foods industry."

Al Powers, President of NOW Foods stated, Vitamin Angels carries the vision that many of us in the natural product industry share; that we can change the world by what we do."

For further information about Vitamin Angel Alliance and what you can do to help, call (805) 565-9919 or visit their website at www.vitaminangels.org. For additional information please contact Alissa Sears at Christie Communications at (805) 565-4122.

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