The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) has appointed Craig M. Muckle as its director of communications.
 
Muckle’s responsibilities in the new role will be to lead outreach and engagement with trade media, bolster press outreach strategies, and identify media opportunities for CRN initiatives.
 
“We’re delighted Craig has joined our team,” Steve Mister, president and CEO of CRN, said, noting that Muckle’s experience in handling high-level media relations programs for national retailers including Safeway and Rite Aid will be a boon to help CRN fulfill its mission. “Welcoming key talent and fresh perspective from outside the dietary supplement industry is critical to our growth.”
 
Muckle had an 18-year tenure as Safeway’s eastern division manager for public affairs and government relations, with additional corporate experience at Rite Aid, BET, and ESPN. He served as an adjunct professor in Howard University’s School of Communications for 2014 to 2016. Overall, Muckle’s areas of specialty involve media, government, community relations, and strategic communications. In 2015, Muckle was awarded the Minority Business Leader Award by the Washington Business Journal.
 
Muckle’s career highlights include influencing Washington, DC City Council to establish a $4 million relief fund that defrayed 80% of annual DC water fees levied on local nonprofits. He also singlehandedly resolved a PR crisis at a DC Safeway store within 48 hours, and generated a new 8-figure revenue stream by persuading DC City Council to amend a one-per-company alcohol license limitation, enabling Safeway to obtain beer and wine licenses for 10 stores, CRN said.
 
“I am both honored and excited to join the CRN team,” Muckle said. “This is such an impressive team with which to work.. It’s an honor to help the association in its mission to push the supplement industry forward.”
 
Muckle currently serves on the boards of directors for both the Greater Bowie and Prince George’s County chambers of commerce. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the university of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. He will report to Brian Wommack, Senior Vice President of Communications.