Karen Howard Takes Reins at National Animal Supplement Council

VALLEY CENTER, CA--(Marketwire - May 3, 2012) - Karen Howard has been selected by the board of directors of the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) to lead the organization as president into its next era. Bill Bookout, who has led the nonprofit industry trade association for the past 10 years, has accepted a newly formed position with Kemin Industries as vice president of global sales for the company's Animal Nutrition and Health Vet division, however will remain actively involved and continue as chairman of the board with NASC.

Prior to her appointment with NASC, Howard served as executive director of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and was responsible for turning around the nonprofit's $275,000 deficit into profitably managing a $1.6 million annual budget. She also successfully created a presence for naturopathic doctors on Capitol Hill earning them a respected position in the healthcare arena.

"Karen possesses the necessary leadership skills to run and manage a nonprofit effectively and is very experienced in federal and state legislative issues," says Bookout, who will continue to spearhead federal and state regulatory actives for NASC. "But beyond her many talents, Karen has the level of passion required to take NASC to the next level. I know she will connect with our members and continue to accomplish great things for our organization and the animals."

Howard started her career on Capitol Hill and has proven to work successfully with regulators to achieve positive outcomes for diverse groups of stakeholders. Many of her achievements are a result of working productively with Congress to implement legislation that positively impacts health and wellness industries.

"The animal health industry is positioned for continued growth and I see a huge opportunity for expanding consumer education through the NASC," says Howard who has two rescue dogs, Razz and Scotty. "I admire the mission of NASC and the impact it will have on the health and wellbeing of companion animals worldwide."

Since 2002, NASC has been the leader in educating consumers, veterinarians and business partners about credible animal supplement products and companies that have successfully completed facility audits of specific, nationally recognized standards through the Quality Seal Program. The NASC Quality Seal alerts consumers that they are buying from a reputable company that has successfully completed an independent quality audit. For a complete list of NASC member companies, visit www.animalsupplements.org.