[March 14, 2018]

CHPA Elects Clarion's Gary Downing as Chair at 2018 Annual Executive Conference Board of Directors Meeting

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) today elected Gary R. Downing as chair of the CHPA Board of Directors at its Annual Executive Conference (AEC), held March 11-14, 2018, at Turnberry Isle Miami, Fla.

Downing is currently the CEO of Clarion Brands, an over-the-counter (OTC) products portfolio company of Swander Pace Capital, and brings more than 30 years of domestic and international consumer product management experience in both large and start-up environments. Prior to Clarion, Downing was CEO of Insight Pharmaceuticals, which was sold to Prestige Brands in September 2014. Previously, he was CEO of Lansinoh Laboratories and Medtech Laboratories. Downing began his career at the Procter & Gamble Company (Richardson (News - Alert)-Vicks), and later served in roles at Gillette and Rhone-Poulenc Rorer. For the past 15 years, Downing has served on CHPA's board of directors, and currently serves on the board of directors for W.F. Young, Inc. and Lansinoh Laboratories.

"I am thrilled to be serving as CHPA chair during such an exciting time in the industry," said Downing. "Over the next two years, I will continue working closely with the board to maintain a thriving environment for consumer healthcare products, as well as building value for our membership, reinforcing our vision of helping consumers lead happier, healthier lives."

"We are delighted that Gary is taking on this role at such a critical time for the consumer healthcare industry. His broad experience within our industry will be extremely beneficial as the association helps its members navigate through a quikly changing regulatory and business environment," said CHPA President and CEO Scott Melville. "I'd also like to express my appreciation to Jeff Needham, CHPA's outgoing chair, under whose leadership the association made tremendous progress on policy priorities and strengthened CHPA's finances and organizational structure."

"Gary Downing's energy and 30-plus years of consumer healthcare product experience will prove to be invaluable," said Melville. "His enthusiasm and commitment to this industry is evidenced not only by his long and diverse career, but by the decades he has spent on CHPA's board of directors."

One-third of the CHPA Board of Directors is elected annually, with manufacturer members elected for three-year terms, and associate members elected for two-year terms. The board members re-elected at this year's conference include:

• Natalie Bartner, president, Consumer Health, North America, Bayer Consumer Health
• Janick Boudazin, president and chief executive officer, Boiron Inc.
• Keech Combe-Shetty, co-chief executive officer, Combe Incorporated
• Scott Emerson (News - Alert), partner, DSE Healthcare Solutions, LLC
• Tom Finn, president, Global Personal Health Care, The Procter & Gamble Company
• Milan Kalawadia, vice president, head of OTC and Specialty Generics, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Inc.
• Robert Long, head of Consumer Health Care North America, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare
• Robert Sanders, executive vice president and practice leader, IRI
• Rich Simonson, chief operating officer, Carma Laboratories, Inc.
• Jeffrey Vernimb, vice president, Global Consumer Health, Moberg Pharma LLC

The board members newly elected at this meeting include:

• David Campbell, vice president, Regulatory & Government Affairs, North America, RB
• Ranjan Chaudhuri, head of Global OTC Commercial, Mylan, Inc.
• Donald S. Chizek, vice president, Operations/Customer Service, Lil' Drug Store Products, Inc.
• John Dowers, chief executive officer and president, WellSpring Consumer Healthcare
• James L. Medford president and chief executive officer, K.C. Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

In addition, current CHPA board member J.P. Borneman, chairman and CEO, Hyland's, Inc., was elected to the CHPA board of director's executive committee.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) is the 137-year-old national trade association representing the leading manufacturers and marketers of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and dietary supplements. Every dollar spent by consumers on OTC medicines saves the U.S. healthcare system $6-$7, contributing a total of $102 billion in savings each year. CHPA is committed to empowering self-care by preserving and expanding choice and availability of consumer healthcare products. chpa.org

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180314005826/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]