Sonoran University to award honorary degree to natural products industry leader

Sonoran University of Health Sciences will honor Loren D. Israelsen, founder and president of the United Natural Products Alliance, with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at its June commencement in Tempe, Arizona. The recognition marks 30 years since the university’s first graduating class and highlights Israelsen’s role in shaping the modern dietary supplement industry. Why it matters: - Sonoran University is using its June commencement to recognize a figure who helped shape the U.S. dietary supplement and natural products market. - The honor connects the university’s health-sciences mission with a leader whose work influenced regulation, industry standards and access to natural products. - The ceremony comes 30 years after the university’s inaugural graduating class, adding milestone significance. What happened: - Sonoran University of Health Sciences will present Loren D. Israelsen, J.D., with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during its June commencement ceremony in Tempe, Arizona. - Israelsen is the founder and president of the United Natural Products Alliance. - Sonoran University framed the award as a recognition of Israelsen’s more than four decades in the natural products industry. - President and CEO Dr. Lise Alschuler said the university is honoring Israelsen as a trailblazer in the dietary supplement and natural products industry. The details: - Israelsen began his work in 1980. - He played a central role in the development and passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, or DSHEA. - DSHEA created the first U.S. regulatory framework for dietary supplements. - The law expanded consumer access to botanicals, nutrients and other natural products. - Israelsen previously served as president of Nature’s Way Products, Inc. - He also served as vice president of the American Herbal Products Association. - Israelsen co-founded the European American Phytomedicine Coalition. - He was a founding member of the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations. - He has advised the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. - UNPA says the organization is dedicated to advancing safety, science and quality worldwide. - Sonoran University said Israelsen’s focus on education, mentorship and collaboration aligns with the school’s mission. - The university was founded in 1992 in Tempe as the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences. - Sonoran University said the institution has graduated 2,317 students since its founding. - The school became Sonoran University of Health Sciences in September 2022. - The inaugural class in 1996 included 26 graduates. - More information is available at Sonoran University’s website . - Media inquiries for Dr. Israelsen go to Becky Wright at UNPA at becky@wrightonmarketing.com. Between the lines: - The award signals how closely Sonoran University ties its identity to natural health, integrative care and the supplement industry. - Honoring Israelsen also highlights the regulatory and commercial infrastructure behind an industry that often reaches consumers through products rather than medical settings. - The university is leaning on its own history to frame the event as both an academic milestone and an industry tribute. What’s next: - Sonoran University will present the honorary degree at its June commencement ceremony. - The event will mark the university’s 30th year since its first graduating class. - UNPA will continue to promote safety, science and quality in the global natural products sector. The bottom line: - Sonoran University is spotlighting Loren Israelsen as a key architect of the modern natural products industry while marking a major milestone in its own history.