Obituary: Wisdom Natural Brands Founder/CEO James A. May Sr.

James A. May Sr., founder and CEO of Gilbert, Ariz.-based Wisdom Natural Brands, maker of SweetLeaf Stevia Sweetener, has died at the age of 80. Dubbed the “father of stevia,” May was widely recognized for his contributions to the natural and organic sweetener industry, which included being the first to bring stevia to the United States, in 1982.

May played a key role in helping to lift the FDA ban on importing stevia by meeting with Congress in 1994. This meeting would eventually lead to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). SweetLeaf was the first stevia product to gain FDA’s GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status in March 2008.

For his application of the stevia plant as a nutritional supplement and a natural, zero-calorie, zero-carbohydrate sugar alternative, May received an award from the president of Paraguay in recognition of stevia’s contribution to the growth of the global sweetener market, thereby benefiting the economies of Latin American countries, including Paraguay, where the plant is grown.

Among his many industry accolades, May garnered the 2011 AHPA Visionary Award, created by the American Herbal Products Association especially to honor him, and the Visionary Leadership Award from the Specialty Food Association in 2015. At last year’s Natural Products Expo West, he and his wife, Carol, Wisdom Natural Brands’ president, were inducted into the Hall of Legends during a ceremony in Anaheim, Calif.

Started in James May’s garage in Scottsdale, Ariz., Wisdom Natural Brands today sells products throughout North America at natural and conventional grocery stores, via online retailers, and in 30 countries. The family-owned and -operated company will continue to be led by Carol May; their son, COO Michael P. May, Ph.D.; and the executive and sales teams.