Blyth Inc.
 Robert B. Goergen Jr. |
 Brett M. Johnson |
 Jane A. Dietze |
Blyth Inc., a designer and marketer of candles, accessories for the home and wellness products, announced that its Board of Directors unanimously approved the appointment of Robert B. Goergen Jr., who will continue in his capacity as President, PartyLite Worldwide, indefinitely. Goergen was appointed to his position in January 2012 and had previously served as President of Blyth’s Multi-Channel Group since 2006. An external search for a permanent successor has been discontinued.
Also announced was the election of Brett M. Johnson and Jane A. Dietze to the Board of Directors.
Johnson is CEO and President of Forward Industries Inc., a NASDAQ-listed company that designs, markets and distributes soft-sided carrying cases and electronic accessories for the handheld consumer electronic and medical industry.
He founded Benevolent Capital Partners, which is a diversified holding company with investments in real estate, real estate services, manufacturing, branded consumer products and eco-conscious businesses.
Dietze is Director of Private Equity and Bowdoin College’s Investments Office. Prior to joining Bowdoin College she was a Managing Director at Fortress Investment Group, a global alternative investment and asset management firm, as well as general partner in a number of investment management positions. She is currently involved with Half the Sky Foundation, a nonprofit organization nurturing China’s orphaned children.
Blyth Inc., headquartered in Greenwich, Conn., is a multi-channel company primarily focused on direct selling, offering its products through PartyLite and ViSalus.
AL International
 Dave Briskie |
 Steve Hess |
AL International, a global direct marketer of lifestyle and nutritional products and services and gourmet coffee, has appointed Dave Briskie as Chief Financial Officer. Briskie will also continue to serve in his current roles as the company’s President of Commercial Development and as a member of its Board of Directors.
Briskie formerly served as CEO of Javalution Coffee Company until its merger with AL International last year and is currently the Chairman of AL International’s audit committee. Prior to joining Javalution in 2007, he was CEO of Drew Pearson Marketing Inc. (DPM), a designer and manufacturer of licensed, private label and fashion headwear whose clients included Fortune 500® companies.
Also announced was the appointment of Steve Hess, expert in human performance training, to the Athletic Advisory Board of Youngevity® Essential Life Sciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of AL International.
Steve Hess is in his 12th season as the assistant coach, strength and conditioning, for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets basketball team. Hess becomes the 10th member of Youngevity’s Athletic Advisory Board, which comprises other experts in athletics and nutrition.
Hess is part owner of FORZA, a fitness and performance center, and is one of 10 trainers worldwide who sits on the Under Armour training council. In addition, Hess has had much television experience and has been featured on NBA Inside Stuff and on The Eating Network. He also has his own workout segment on the Altitude Sports and Entertainment Network.
Avon Products Inc.
Avon Products Inc. announced that its Board of Directors elected Douglas R. Conant to the Board, effective immediately.
Conant is the retired President and CEO of the Campbell Soup Company, where he served from 2001 to 2011 and led the company through a dramatic business transformation that generated quality sales growth, 10 consecutive years of adjusted earnings per share growth, strong cash flow and record returns on invested capital. Conant currently serves as the CEO of DRC LLC, a leadership consulting firm, which he founded in August 2011.
Avon, the company for women, is a leading global beauty company, with over $11 billion in annual revenue.
Stella & Dot
 Jeff Harris |
Stella & Dot announced that Jeff Harris, a veteran finance executive, has been named Chief Financial Officer. Harris will oversee all aspects of finance and accounting at Stella & Dot, and play a critical role in the global expansion of the brand.
Prior to joining Stella & Dot, Harris was CFO at children’s clothing retailer The Gymboree Corp., where he also previously served as Vice President of Finance. Harris brings a diverse background of finance skills in consumer packaged goods and retail industries from both public and private businesses. Harris has also held financial leadership positions at Tribune Co., The Walt Disney Co. and at Lucasfilm.
Stella & Dot is a boutique-style jewelry and accessories company. Stella & Dot offers its on-trend product line exclusively through a growing network of trained independent consultants (stylists) across North America and most recently abroad in the UK.
USANA Health Sciences Inc.
 Dr. John Cuomo |
 Dr. Brian Dixon |
 Dr. Nancy Steely |
 Dr. Mark Levy |
 John Bosse |
USANA Health Sciences Inc., a global nutritional supplement company, announced the promotion of Dr. John Cuomo to Executive Director of Global Research and Development, and Dr. Brian Dixon, Ph.D., to Executive Director of New Product and Technological Innovation. Additionally, Dr. Nancy Steely, Mark Levy, Ph.D. and John Bosse have joined USANA.
Dr. Cuomo will be involved in the building of a USANA research and development laboratory in Singapore, and he will continue to work on the company’s expansion into China. He holds more than 20 U.S. and European patents, is the author of numerous scientific papers, and brings decades of expertise to USANA’s research and development team in the areas of synthetic organic chemistry, manufacturing and analytical methods.
Dr. Dixon will take on additional responsibilities in new product development, clinical research and technology innovation. He has done research in molecular and cellular biology, focusing on the underlying biochemical and cellular mechanisms of aging, at Oregon State University’s Linus Pauling Institute, where he earned his Ph.D.
A licensed naturopathic physician, Dr. Steely has been a holistic healthcare practitioner since 2000. She has joined USANA as a senior scientist who will be involved in all aspects of product development with a focus on formulations.
Dr. Levy has a background in human nutrition, nutritional sciences, food science and biology. His primary role as a senior scientist is to research, test and innovate nutritional compounds for their efficacy in promoting long-term human health.
Bosse is a registered dietitian and NSCA Certified Personal Trainer who specializes in sports nutrition. He has taken on the role as senior scientist for product innovation and is involved in research and development of new products and technologies.
USANA Health Sciences Inc. develops and manufactures high-quality nutritionals, personal care, energy and weight-management products that are sold directly to preferred customers and associates in 18 markets worldwide.
Council for Responsible Nutrition-International
 John Venardos |
 Carl Hastings |
The Council for Responsible Nutrition-International (CRN-I) announced new Board officers. Direct selling executives have been included among them. John Venardos, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Regulatory, Government & Industry Affairs for Herbalife, has been elected Chairman of the Council. Tyler Whitehead, Vice President and General Counsel at Nu Skin, has been elected Vice Chairman, and Carl Hastings, Chief Scientific Officer and Vice Chairman of Relìv, has been elected Treasurer of the Board.
The officers were elected at the annual CRN-I members meeting recently held in Washington, D.C., and they will serve two-year terms.
CRN-I was formed in February 2010 to provide science-based information to regulators, healthcare professionals and the media—particularly those outside the United States, supporting the safety and benefit of dietary ingredients and dietary/food supplements—and to promote sound nutrition and food safety policies well-grounded in science.
CRN-I is an international arm of the U.S.-based Council for Responsible Nutrition, the leading trade association for the dietary supplement industry.
Mía Mariú
 Melba Ríos |
Mía Mariú has announced that Melba Ríos has joined the company as Vice President of Sales for the Hispanic market. Her primary responsibilities will be to manage all aspects of salesforce development, which include adviser recruitment, leadership skills, sales training, brand sales growth and the overall guidance of Spanish-speaking sales advisers. Her responsibility encompasses local market support for sponsorship efforts in key Hispanic markets. Ríos will also supervise marketing programs, with a special focus on adviser incentive and recognition programs as well as internal and external communications.
Ríos has more than 30 years of direct selling management experience in U.S. Hispanic product sales. Prior to joining Mía Mariú, she held executive positions in other direct selling companies and was responsible for consumer sales and marketing, as well as communications, training and recognition programs for the Spanish-speaking salesforce.
Mía Mariú, based in Dallas, is a health and beauty company that sells botanical skin care, mineral cosmetics, natural health supplements and fragrances.
