Mark R. Hughes facts for kids

Mark R. Hughes (born January 1, 1956 – died May 21, 2000) was an American businessman. He founded, led, and was CEO of Herbalife International Ltd. This company sells health and wellness products using a special sales method called multi-level marketing.

Mark's Early Life

Mark Hughes was born in La Mirada, California, on January 1, 1956. His parents divorced when he was 14 years old. Mark stayed with his mother.

When he was 16, Mark went to a special private school called CEDU High School. This school helped young people learn important life skills. Part of his learning there involved raising money by selling raffle tickets. Mark became the best salesman at the school. He enjoyed being successful and wanted to be the best right away.

Starting Herbalife

Mark Hughes began his career in 1976. He worked at a company called Seyforth Laboratories, selling diet products. He was one of their top 100 earners for three years.

In 1979, Seyforth Laboratories closed down. Mark then joined Golden Youth, which sold exercise gear and weight-control products. When Golden Youth also closed, Mark decided to start his own business.

In February 1980, when he was 24, Mark founded Herbalife International in Los Angeles. Herbalife grew into one of the world's largest sellers of health and wellness products. They use a system called multi-level marketing. By 2013, Herbalife had sales of $7.5 billion and operated in 95 countries.

Challenges for Herbalife

In the mid-1980s, Herbalife faced some challenges from government agencies. These included the Food and Drug Administration and the California attorney general's office. They looked into some of Herbalife's product claims and sales methods.

Regulators were concerned that the company was making claims that sounded like medicines. Medicines are carefully checked by the F.D.A., but nutritional supplements are not. Some health experts also questioned if Herbalife products really worked as claimed.

In March 1985, California officials said Herbalife made "untrue or misleading" claims about its products. They were mainly concerned about the amount of caffeine in some items. They also looked into the company's sales practices.

Mark Hughes was asked to speak at a U.S. Senate meeting in May 1985. This happened after some people complained about getting sick from Herbalife products. During the meeting, Mark admitted he had left school after the 9th grade. When asked how he could challenge medical experts, he said, "I defy anybody to be able to produce results as this company has."

Mark reached agreements with the government agencies in 1986. He agreed to pay $850,000 to settle the issues with California. The California attorney general at the time called it the "largest settlement ever" from a health products company.

Mark's Family Life

In 1979, Mark Hughes met Kathryn Whiting, who became his first wife. They divorced in 1984. Later that year, he married Angela Mack, a former beauty queen from Sweden.

In September 1987, Mark married Suzan Schroder. She was a former actress and had been Miss Petite U.S.A. Mark and Suzan had their only son, Alexander Reynolds "Alex" Hughes, in December 1991. Suzan filed for divorce in September 1997.

In February 1999, Mark married Darcy LaPier, an American actress and model. They were married until his death on May 21, 2000, at his home in Malibu, California.

Alex's Inheritance

Mark's son, Alexander "Alex" Hughes, was nine years old when his father passed away. Alex was named the only person to receive his father's money, which was about $400 million. Mark's will said that most of this money would be held in a special trust until Alex turned 35. This trust was managed by three people.

Over time, there were some disagreements about how the money was being managed. In 2013, a judge ordered that all three managers be removed because they had not followed the rules of the trust. After this, Alex chose a new company, Fidelity Investments, to look after the money.

Helping Others

Mark and Suzan Hughes started the Herbalife Family Foundation (HFF) in 1994. This is a non-profit group that helps children in need. They work to improve the lives of vulnerable children by helping charities provide food and care. They also give money to organizations that help people after natural disasters.