Bloomingdale, IL –(May 19, 2005) - It’s unusual for a company to issue a news release when an employee leaves, but in this case it is appropriate to issue a public ‘thank you’ to someone whose contributions to the industry have been exceptional.

James Roza began his career with NOW Foods 24 years ago and in that time held a number of positions, all of which played a major role the company’s growth and success. His contributions to the company, particularly in the quality assurance department, have significantly contributed to the high quality of NOW’s products. An early adopter of GMP certification, Roza shepherded the company through the process of continually improving the manufacturing facility to the point where it is now one of the premier facilities in the US.

NOW has been fortunate to have Jim Roza personify the company’s support of the industry for many years. He held a board seat with the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) from 2001 - 2005. He was on the board of Citizens for Health from 1998 to 2005. He has been chair of the NNFA ComPli committee, which determines that association’s standards. He is the president of the Natural Products Foundation, the recently launched industry self policing organization. His leadership in establishing industry wide validated testing methods through AOAC has resulted in increased visibility for that effort as well as an increase in the number of labs working on methods being proposed for validation. He has been an industry delegate to the CODEX commission and contributed to blocking anti-supplement efforts in that capacity.

Roza’s contributions to the industry have been matched by few others. He will stand out in industry history as a major figure in moving the entire business category forward.

While Jim will likely retain some of his industry leadership positions in his new role as Vice President for Business Development, Technology and Science at Source One, NOW will continue to participate in and support these organizations.

“We are grateful for Jim’s wisdom and years of hard work,:” said NOW president Al Powers. We wish him the best and look forward to working with him as a supplier in his new capacity.”

NOW Foods (www.nowfoods.com) is a family owned and operated natural products manufacturer/distributor with a 35-year legacy of providing high quality nutritional supplements at affordable prices. Their A-rated GMP certified facility boasts state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities. NOW maintains a Wet Lab and an Analytical Lab to assure ingredient identity and potency, as well as a Microbiological Lab to test for microbiological contaminants. NOW employs one of the finest teams of product quality experts in the supplements industry. They conduct specialized tests, analyses and inspections that allow the company to offer superior products that surpass every possible independent test. The Richard’s family pledge is "underlying NOW's commitment to quality is our commitment to you - to provide the best products available at a reasonable price and, thereby, play a meaningful role in the quality and extension of human life." For more information visit www.nowfoods.com 

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Suzanne Shelton
847-676-4337    
Suzanne@SheltonGroupPR.com