Angela McElwee, a natural products industry veteran with 23 years of experience, has been named president of Gaia Herbs, Brevard, NC.
 
Ms. McElwee joined Gaia in 2008 as vice president of sales, and was subsequently promoted to vice president, sales operations and elected to the board of directors in 2013. During her tenure, she has contributed to numerous milestones for the company, including more than tripling net sales, launching over 50 new products, spearheading a rebrand of the entire product line, as well as being an integral part of establishing the industry’s first seed to shelf traceability program, MeetYourHerbs.
 
“Angela’s focus on people and process, and her deep belief in our mission provide her with a strong foundation for this role,” said Founder and CEO Ric Scalzo. “She has been a critical part of our business as VP of Sales Operations, and will play an essential role in strategically growing our brand, furthering our mission of cultivating health and wellbeing by creating sustainable relationships between plants and people.”
 
Ms. McElwee will continue to oversee Gaia’s sales strategy, along with fellow natural products industry veteran Guinevere Lynn, who has been promoted to senior director of sales, as well as Tammy McIver-Gay, vice president of business development. This shift allows Gaia to balance continued growth with staying true to founding values, and will enable Mr. Scalzo to focus on farm operations in both North Carolina and Costa Rica, expert herbal formulation, long term vision, and philanthropy, all of which are integral parts of Gaia’s future — including the company’s 30^th anniversary in 2017.
 
“Having respected the Gaia Herbs brand for over two decades, it’s a tremendous honor to take on this leadership role. I believe deeply in what we do, and know that our products make a positive difference in people’s lives. My personal values and my professional passion are totally aligned, which makes it easy to love this work.” said Ms. McElwee. “The team at Gaia has grown exponentially in number and skill over the years since I began, and they teach and challenge me daily. I’m extremely excited about what the future holds for our brand and for our people.”