, September 18, 2006 — The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) presented its prestigious “CRN (Steuben) Apple” award to a health communications professional, a legislative champion, and a legal and regulatory expert, all three of whom have made a positive impact on the dietary supplement industry. During an awards presentation ceremony held yesterday at The Conference, CRN’s annual symposium on dietary supplements, at The Royal Sonesta Hotel, in Cambridge, Mass., Gail Becker of GBA Health Communications; Patricia Knight, Chief of Staff to Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT); and Eugene Lambert of the Covington & Burling law firm received the awards.

The “CRN Apple” award is presented annually by CRN, in recognition of an individual’s long-term dedication, commitment and service to CRN and/or the dietary supplement industry. 

Ms. Becker, president of GBA Health Communications, a firm that combines the disciplines of nutrition and wellness with communications to deliver important health messages to the public, has previously served on the CRN Board of Directors, and is currently active in the association as chair of CRN’s Media Relations Committee where she was an active leader in balancing media coverage surrounding the recent NIH conference on the multivitamin. A registered dietitian with over 25 years in health communications, Ms. Becker is an author of several health diet books and cookbooks, and is a founding member of ADA’s Nutrition in Complementary Care dietary practice group.

Ms. Knight has worked for Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) for over a decade and currently serves as his Chief of Staff. She has been a strong supporter of legislation that would benefit responsible companies in the dietary supplement industry and consumers of those products. She was actively involved in the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) and is currently working to develop consensus among industry, consumer organizations and Members of Congress for legislation sponsored by Senator Hatch that would mandate reporting of serious adverse events for dietary supplements and over-the-counter drugs. Ms. Knight has spent more than two decades in key legislative positions.

Mr. Lambert is a partner in the food and drug practice of Covington & Burling, CRN’s law firm.  He is widely acknowledged as one of the most respected attorneys in the field of dietary supplements and food law.  Mr. Lambert also has expertise in the areas of advertising, labeling and trade association law. He has worked for over a decade as a legal advisor to CRN.

During the ceremony, CRN also acknowledged and thanked Chuck Brice, Kemin Health, LC, for serving a two-year term as chairman of the CRN Board of Directors and John P. Venardos, Herbalife International of America, Inc., for serving as chairman of this year’s annual conference. 

Recent past CRN Apple award winners include: Joy Joseph, formally of Pharmavite LLC, Ed Croom, Ph.D. of Indena USA and John Hathcock, Ph.D. of CRN; Marjorie Fine, Shaklee Corporation and Peter Barton Hutt, Covington & Burling (2004); Paul Bolar, Pharmavite LLC and Joe LaPlaca, DSM Nutritional Products, Inc. (2003); Bill Van Dyke, B&D Nutritional Products, Inc., Harvey Kamil, NBTY, Inc. and Verna Breland, CRN (2002); Evelyn Jarvis-Ferris, Shaklee Corporation and Salavatore Palladino, BASF Corporation (2000).