The NutraIngredients-USA Business Leaders Forum 2024

Jeff assumed the role of CEO in August 2017. He is an accomplished executive with extensive CPG and global experience. Most recently, he was CEO of Beech-Nut Nutrition where he led the reinvention of their baby food business. His career spans numerous well-regarded companies, including Abbott, Nestle, and Procter & Gamble. Globally, his general management and brand responsibilities have encompassed 40+ countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Management Information Systems from Bowling Green State University, and received a Master of Business Administration from Duke University.

Caroline is the Founder and CEO of Nouri, a microbiome health company creating products for gut, immune, and brain health. She has founded, advised and invested in over 10 food, beverage, technology and sustainable resource companies that have partnered with leading retailers around the world. Caroline is a college dropout and former Thiel Fellow.

Jim has been a member of the NOW management team since 1995, initially as Chief of Operations and then as President of NOW Foods. Jim was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of NOW Health Group (NHG) in 2014. Jim has been a key player in NHG’s global expansion efforts, and instrumental in developing the operational resources and facilities in North America. Industry leadership positions include the Natural Products Association Board of Directors, Alliance for Natural Health, and the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, in addition to other initiatives. Jim was honored by the American Botanical Council as the 2018 ABC Champion.

Jim Geikie is the chief executive officer of Gaia Herbs, a leader in herbal and botanical dietary supplements based in western North Carolina. Jim is also a partner in One Better Ventures, a B-Corp certified investment and advisory firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina that works with consumer products companies whose missions seek to promote wellness, environmental sustainability, and social justice. Jim previously spent a decade at Burt’s Bees including roles as president and head of marketing. He began his career in marketing at Unilever working in the personal care division.

Muriel F. Gonzalez was named President of The Vitamin Shoppe in May 2023. She previously served as Executive Vice President, Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer since August 2020, with responsibility for all merchandising, marketing, branding, content and creative, product development, and private brands initiatives. Prior to The Vitamin Shoppe, Ms. Gonzalez held several senior merchandising roles at Macy’s from 2006 to 2017, leaving that company as EVP, Omni General Merchandise Manager of Beauty, where she held full strategic responsibility for the $3.7 billion beauty business within 650 Macy’s stores, macys.com, and the Bluemercury specialty beauty retail chain that Macy’s acquired in 2014. While at Macy’s, Ms. Gonzalez also held various GMM roles in the fragrance, women’s shoes, handbags, accessories, jewelry, and intimate apparel categories. She was named a Retailer of the Year by WWD in 2013 and bestowed a similar honor by Footwear News in 2012. Earlier in her career, Ms. Gonzalez spent nine years at Estée Lauder North America, serving as SVP, Marketing, responsible for all aspects of brand marketing, product development, and positioning for a $1.3 billion retail business. She also previously held roles as EVP, Chief Marketing Officer at Ann Taylor; SVP, GMM for Non-Apparel at Bergdorf Goodman, with responsibility for beauty, accessories, jewelry, shoes, decorative home, intimate apparel, swim, and coats, nearly doubling revenue in those categories in five years; and VP, Divisional Merchandise Manager at Saks Fifth Avenue. Ms. Gonzalez graduated Magna Cum Laude from St. John’s University.

As Editor-in-Chief of William Reed in North America, Stephen overseas its market leading brands including NutraIngredients-USA.com and FoodNavigator-USA.com. His journalism has been recognized by the American Herbal Products Association (2015 Special Award for Journalistic Excellence), and the American Society of Business Publication Editors (2019, 2020, 2022). Stephen also acts as the editorial consultant and chair of William Reed’s Probiota & Probiota Americas events, the NutraIngredients-USA Sports & Active Nutrition Summit, and leads the NutraIngredients-USA Awards program.