This year's Lifetime Achievement Award recipients are Bill Barclay and Joar Opheim, two visionaries in the omega-3 industry.
Bill Barclay was a pioneer who envisioned the potential for using microbial systems to produce omega-3s from microalgae. Barclay successfully developed and commercialised this technology, with expertise encompassing organism discovery, production, product quality, downstream applications and intellectual property. The technology he pioneered remains the foundational platform for the microbial omega-3s available on the market today.
Watch the award ceremony here.
The second honoree, the late Joar Opheim, was the founder of well known supplement brand Nordic Naturals. Inspired by the high-quality fish oil standards in his native Norway, Opheim recognised a gap in the US market while completing his MBA in California. What began as sharing bottles of Norwegian fish oil with friends evolved into a mission-driven company dedicated to improving health through omega-3 nutrition. His legacy continues to influence both consumers and the broader industry today. Watch Joar Opheim’s story here.
Member Recognition
In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Awards, GOED recognized two members who have gone above and beyond in supporting its mission to increase global consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3s. This year’s GOED Member Award recipients were Arnar Halldórsson of Icelandic fish oil producer Lysi and Jay Oh of Korean distributor O&Company.
Arnar Halldórsson, Quality Director at Lysi, is a lipid scientist with extensive research experience in the chemoenzymatic synthesis of structured lipids containing EPA and DHA. He has played a key role in supporting the development and harmonisation of omega-3 monographs across major pharmacopeias, including the European Pharmacopoeia, Japanese Pharmacopoeia and the USP. A member of GOED’s Technical Committee since its inception, Halldórsson has consistently contributed his expertise to GOED’s industry advisories and technical reports.
Jay Oh has been a strong advocate for GOED within the Korean market, actively educating brands on the value of membership and industry standards. He also supported GOED in organising a successful influencer and media engagement event in Korea, helping connect omega-3 companies with healthcare professionals and online influencers to promote consumer awareness and understanding of omega-3 benefits.
GOED extends its sincere thanks to these outstanding individuals for their dedication, leadership and lasting impact on the global omega-3 industry.