AUSTIN, TX (January 13, 2010) — Whole Foods Market® (NASDAQ: WFMI), the leading natural and organic foods supermarket, announced today that Margaret M. Wittenberg, the company’s global vice president for Quality Standards and Public Affairs, has joined the American Botanical Council’s (ABC) Board of Trustees.
“I have long admired the work the American Botanical Council and its board has done, assuring that accurate and reliable information about herbs and medicinal plants remains available to all,” said Wittenberg. “It is an honor to be invited to join ABC’s Board of Trustees and a privilege to work with a team so passionate about its mission.”
ABC, headquartered in Austin, Texas, is a nonprofit research and education organization dedicated to providing accurate and reliable information on the responsible use of herbs and medicinal plants. In hopes of helping people live healthier lives, ABC’s vision is to educate the public and promote herbal medicine as an accepted part of healthcare.
“I have known Margaret for almost 30 years,” said ABC founder and executive director Mark Blumenthal, “and I have always appreciated and respected her deep commitment to natural nutrition and organic food production, consumer education, truth in labeling, and ethical business practices. We at ABC are thrilled that she accepted our invitation to join the ABC Board.”
Wittenberg plans to use her extensive background in retail, marketing and corporate communications to improve ABC’s consumer outreach. “ABC is known for its credible voice for herbs, and I would like to help see it become even more well-known by the average consumer,” said Wittenberg. “My retail experience may be help the board consider different segments of the population and what ABC can do to reach those segments.”
Since 1981, Wittenberg has provided guidance in quality standards development, food and nutrition education and corporate communications at Whole Foods Market. Her global advisory board work has focused on organic agriculture, seafood sustainability, livestock animal welfare, and agricultural genetic engineering, for a variety of governmental, environmental, and industry-based organizations, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including serving on the USDA National Organic Standards Board as the sole retailer representative, the Texas Organic Standards Board of Directors, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Marine Stewardship Council Board of Trustees, and the Organic Trade Association Board of Directors. Currently, she serves on the Global Animal Partnership Board of Directors and The Organic Center Board of Directors.
Wittenberg has received honors and accolades over the years including the Rachel Carson Award from the National Audubon Society in recognition of more than 30 years of work championing organic agriculture, sustainability and the environment and appreciation by the USDA for five years of service on the National Organic Standards Board. Also a published author, her most current books include New Good Food: Essential Ingredients for Cooking and Eating Well, released in Fall 2007, and New Good Food Shopper’s Pocket Guide to Organic, Sustainable, and Seasonal Foods, released in Spring 2008.
