National Animal Supplement Council Announces Conference Lineup for May 14-16

VALLEY CENTER, CA--(Marketwired - Apr 16, 2013) -  National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) will hold its annual conference on May 14-16, at the pet-friendly TradeWinds Island Grand Resort on Florida's St. Pete Beach. Executives from the animal health supplement industry will participate in workshops and training focused on the most up-to-date industry trends and regulatory news.

The conference begins May 14 with a two-day basic training for NASC members and nonmembers. Participants will get an overview of how to operate in the animal health supplement industry including consultation on proper product labeling and allowable claims.

Thomas D. Aarts, principle and founder of Nutrition Capital Network and co-founder of Nutrition Business Journal will give a report on the state of the industry on May 15, followed by presentations on consumer education and outreach from Herbal Pharmacist, David Foreman, and social media strategies by associate editor of Nutrition Business Journal, Conner Link. A panel moderated by Joel Adamson from Brakke Consulting, will address changes in the sales distribution channels with panelists: Paal Gisholt, president and CEO of SmartPak, Ruth Jeffers, vice president of sales and marketing for Jefferspet.com, Chuck Latham, of Chuck Latham Associates and Ben Coe, vice president of business development for Henry Schein Animal Health.

Noted documentary filmmaker and famed ocean explorer, Fabien Cousteau, will close out Wednesday's agenda with a keynote addressing the impact of the ocean on people, places and animals. Cousteau's grassroots nonprofit organization, Plant A Fish (www.plantafish.org), is designed to empower communities and children to help restore their local water ecosystems through the healthy "replanting" of key marine species. He will discuss how ocean conservation is vital to businesses in the animal health supplement industry. 

Attendees and guests can network with Cousteau at a beachfront, dog-friendly cocktail "paw-ty" immediately following the presentation. Special guest entertainer Nathalie Hernandez will perform. Fresh off NBC's "The Voice," the 16-year-old singer and songwriter, Hernandez was one of the national talent show's youngest competitors mentored by the legendary pop-star Christina Aguilera. 

The conference will continue on May 16 with a panel discussion on supply chain management moderated by Rebecca Rose, president of In Clover and panelists: Paul Burns, business development manager at Eurofins, Mike Uckele, CEO of Uckele Health and Nutrition and Andrew G. Yersin, Ph.D., president of Kemin Corporation Animal Health. Beth Lambert, CEO of Herbalist and Alchemist and chair of the American Herbal Products Association will discuss sourcing herbs and botanicals effectively. Warren Majerus of Quality Systems Implementation and NSF International will review ingredients in the supply chain. Michael L. Schenk of Wells Fargo will address the impact and implications of healthcare reform. Adrian Bayley of North American Compendiums will give an overview of doing business in Canada and general counsel for Thorne Research, Kim Pearson, will give a federal update.

Closing out the conference on May 16 is NASC's 3^rd annual awards ceremony, oceanfront at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort where NASC president, Karen Howard, will honor deserving companies and individuals in the industry. 

TradeWinds Island Grand Resort is a multi-award-winning Florida Green Lodge situated on 20-lush beachfront acres of St. Pete Beach; rated America's No. 1 beach by TripAdvisor. The conference is $400 for NASC members, $500 for non-members and guests of attendees may attend the keynote and awards receptions for $100 (register at: http://www.sync-opate.com/events/event/nasc-2013-annual-conference). For hotel reservations call: 800-808-9833. Conference sponsors include: Brakke Consulting, Eurofins Scientific Inc., Kemin Nutrisurance, Pharmore Ingredients Inc., TPi, A Nutra Blend Land O'Lakes Company, Trouw Nutrition USA, TSI Inc., and Uckele Health & Nutrition Inc. For more visit: www.animalsupplements.org.