LEHI, Utah, July 14, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nature’s Sunshine Products (NASDAQ:NATR) (“NSP”), a leading natural health and wellness company engaged in the manufacture and direct selling of nutritional and personal care products, today announced that Sue Armstrong, the Company’s Chief Operations Officer, was named a 2016 Rainmaker by DC Velocity, a leading multi-media magazine brand serving logistics and supply chain managers and executives. Rainmakers are recognized not only for their success, but also for their contributions to the logistics and supply chain professions.
Chosen by members of the magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board from candidates nominated by readers, Board members, and previous winners, the 2016 Rainmakers represent various facets of the business community.
Ms. Armstrong was recognized for her strong commitment to Lean philosophies and her efforts to develop a “Lean culture” at Nature’s Sunshine, where she manages a complex supply chain serving over 45 international markets, sourcing from over 400 vendors and managing over 2,700 SKU’s and nearly 1,000 raw material ingredients.
“Lean is so much more than a toolset for improvement,” said Armstrong. “It is a way of ‘being.’ We have worked hard at NSP to develop a Lean culture, training over 80 people at all levels of the organization in Lean principles, techniques, and tools. We have seen measurable improvements in many aspects of our operations, and we’ve seen a huge change in our people.”
“I’m proud to be honored as a Rainmaker by DC Velocity,” continued Armstrong, “but I’m even more proud of the people we have at Nature’s Sunshine.”
Dedicated to sharing her knowledge with others, Armstrong is also a frequent presenter at industry events, a member of the advisory board to the Brigham Young University (BYU) global supply chain faculty, and a coach and adviser to students of the BYU global supply chain program.
NSP’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Gregory L. Probert added, “With her robust background in operations and her proven track record of driving improved operational performance, we aren’t surprised to see Ms. Armstrong recognized in this way.” He continued, “This award is a testament to Ms. Armstrong’s commitment and expertise and to the quality of our executive team at Nature’s Sunshine. We are thrilled to see her honored by her peers within the industry.”
DC Velocity offers comprehensive coverage of the logistics and supply chain industry, including internal logistics within a distribution center or warehouse, external logistics relating to the transport of goods and freight, the overarching information technologies that support and integrate the two, and the strategies that optimize logistics.
Prior to joining Nature’s Sunshine Products, Ms. Armstrong served as Senior Vice President, Value Chain at Metagenics, a manufacturer and distributor of dietary supplements and medical foods sold through health care practitioners in the U.S. and pharmacies abroad. Prior to Metagenics, Ms. Armstrong served as Vice President, Global Supply Chain at Carl Zeiss Vision, a global leader in ophthalmic lenses and eye care solutions. She has achieved impressive results in the areas of working capital and inventory improvement, on-time delivery, procurement cost savings, and manufacturing efficiencies using lean methodologies. Ms. Armstrong is a native of the United Kingdom (U.K.) and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Sheffield in the U.K.
About Nature’s Sunshine Products
Nature’s Sunshine Products (NASDAQ:NATR), a leading natural health and wellness company, markets and distributes nutritional and personal care products through a global direct sales force of over 570,000 independent Managers, Distributors and customers in more than 45 countries. Nature’s Sunshine manufactures most of its products through its own state-of-the-art facilities to ensure its products continue to set the standard for the highest quality, safety and efficacy on the market today. The Company has four reportable business segments that are divided based on the characteristics of their Distributor base, similarities in compensation plans, as well as the internal organization of NSP’s officers and their responsibilities (NSP Americas; NSP Russia, Central and Eastern Europe; Synergy WorldWide; and China and New Markets). The Company also supports health and wellness for children around the world through its partnership with the Sunshine Heroes Foundation. Additional information about the Company can be obtained at its website, www.naturessunshine.com.