Matts Johansen is now CEO of Aker BioMarine, based in Oslo, Norway. Former CEO Hallvard Muri will join the company’s board of directors.

C. Gregory Sowards was hired to be the regional sales executive for the West Coast at PLT Health Solutions of Morristown, NJ.

Scott Steinford was named the president of the Natural Algae Astaxanthin Association (NAXA).

The Vitamin Shoppe of North Bergen, NJ, named Michael Beardall president of contract manufacturer Nutri-Force Nutrition.

Waukegan, IL-based Frontier Soups named Matt Anderson as CEO. Founder Trisha Anderson will remain president of the company.

BI Nutraceuticals of Long Beach, CA, hired Matthew Overholser to be its Southeast/intermountain regional sales manager.

Kyowa Hakko of New York, NY, made two new hires: April Hollub Thiel as sales manager for the Southeast region and Elyse Lovett as marketing manager.

Sprouts Farmers Market of Phoenix, AZ, announced that Shawn Gensch joined the company as chief marketing officer, and Dan Sanders has joined the company as executive vice president of store operations.

INFRA recently held its annual conference in St. Paul, MN with 164 attendees from 83 member stores. The group gave several Peer Awards, including to Mark Fergusson of Down to Earth Organic & Natural in Hawaii (Service to the Industry Award – West), John Pittari of New Morning Market in Connecticut (Service to the Industry Award - East), Donna Layburn of Alameda Natural Grocery in California (Innovation Award) and Rising Tide Natural Foods in New York (Store of the Year). INFRA Leadership Awards went to Laughing Water of Real Food Market and Deli in Montana and Jen Murray of Whole Earth Center in New Jersey. And, INFRA CEO Corinne Shindelar received the Trailblazer award.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, August 2015 (online 7/16/2015)