Biography
In February 1980, aged 24, Hughes founded Los Angeles-based Herbalife International. It has since become one of the world's largest distributors of herbal products through network marketing, with sales of about $3.5 billion in 2007 and 2.1 million Independent Distributors in 83 countries and record retail sales of $5.4 billion in 2011 according to company statements.
In 1994. Mark and Suzan Hughes started the Herbalife Family Foundation, a charity dedicated to helping children. The Herbalife Family Foundation and its sister organization, the International Herbalife Family Foundation, have donated more than $5 million to children's causes worldwide. Created in 1994 by Herbalife Founder Mark Hughes, Herbalife Family Foundation (HFF) creates partnerships with charities to help meet the nutritional needs of children at risk. At the same time, HFF is there to provide funds to organizations assisting victims of natural disasters. HFF is a global non-profit organization working in communities around the world. In 2007 the Herbalife Family Foundation established the HFF Humanitarian Award to recognize Herbalife Independent Distributors who exemplify the foundation’s mission and, through their outstanding involvement and dedication, have made a significant contribution to changing lives though community service. The honoree is announced at the Herbalife Honors event.
Hughes often stated that his mother died of an accidental overdose of prescription diet pills when he was 18, which he claimed was the impetus for the founding of Herbalife.
Mark Hughes died at age 44 of an accidental overdose of alcohol and doxepin, an anti-depressant. He died while married to Darcy LaPier, to whom he was married for a very short time.
Before his marriage to LaPier, Hughes was married to Suzan Hughes for 10 years. Suzan is the mother to their only son, Alexander.
To the surprise of many, after Mark Hughes' death, his attorney Conrad Klein assumed control of all Hughes' ventures including Herbalife, The Herbalife Family Foundation and The Mark Hughes Trust.
In 2006, The Los Angeles Superior Court suggested the potential removal of the Custodian of The Mark Hughes Trust, Jack Reynolds, for the possibility that he may have ceded control of $40,000,000 to Conrad Klein.
Read more about this topic: Mark R. Hughes
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