USANA CELEBRATES ANOTHER RECORD YEAR
USANA flagship Essentials and HealthPak 100 nutritional supplements rate 'best of the best' out of 1,600 products evaluated in Canada and United States.
USANA Health Sciences, a leading global health supplement manufacturer, once again received 5-Star Gold Standard ratings for its nutritional products in the much-anticipated 4th and latest edition of the NutriSearch Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements.™
Author Lyle MacWilliam MSc, FP, a former biochemist and educator, released the 1st edition of the guide in 1999 to help consumers make informed, scientifically based decisions about nutritional supplements. The latest edition features detailed comparisons of more than 1,600 products based on a blended standard created from published recommendations of 12 nutritional authorities and 18 rating criteria developed from scientific literature.
USANA's Essentials and HealthPak 100™ products both received 5-Star Gold Standard ratings and the NutriSearch Gold Medal of Achievement™. USANA is no stranger to this recognition as similar high ratings were given in the first, second and third editions of the guide.
According to the comparative guide, companies that receive 5-Star Gold Ratings must meet the "highest standards of quality in research, formulations and manufacturing." The guide also noted that companies awarded the NutriSearch Gold Medal of Achievement™ have gone to considerable expense to meet and exceed the most stringent of manufacturing standards. USANA was one of only four companies rated this highly and asked by publishers to include a company description within the latest edition of the guide.
"It is gratifying to have our Essentials and HealthPak products independently recognized for excellence," explains Dr. Tim Wood, USANA's executive vice president of research and development. "We applaud Mr. MacWilliam's efforts to raise the bar on quality within the supplement industry."
11/11/2007
USANA PRODUCTS MEET REQUIREMENTS OF INFORMED-CHOICE & HFL
USANA Health Sciences announced that six of its nutritional supplements have been independently tested and found to meet the stringent requirements of Informed-Choice, an organization that works to ensure that both athletes and general consumers are fully informed about the supplements they choose to take.
Working in conjunction with United Kingdom-based HFL (www.hfl.co.uk), Informed-Choice conducted extensive testing on USANA supplements Active Calcium™, Procosa® II, Chelated Mineral, Poly C®, Mega Antioxidant, and Body Rox™. All were examined and found to be free of the contaminants targeted by Informed-Choice from the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances, qualifying the products to carry the highly respected INFORMED-CHOICE logo.
Dr. John Cuomo, Executive Director of R&D for USANA, said, “We are proud to obtain this certification from Informed-Choice. USANA Health Sciences always strives to produce the highest quality nutritional supplements available. Our goal is to provide products that are safe and effective for both athletes and the general public. We take great pride in the quality systems and manufacturing practices we have established. This certification by Informed-Choice is yet another demonstration that USANA truly provides Nutritionals You Can Trust.”
According to its Web site, the Informed-Choice testing specification was developed based on the analysis of thousands of supplement samples over a six-year period, as well as research into supplement contamination levels and analysis of positive drug tests within global professional sports.
Working in conjunction with United Kingdom-based HFL (www.hfl.co.uk), Informed-Choice conducted extensive testing on USANA supplements Active Calcium™, Procosa® II, Chelated Mineral, Poly C®, Mega Antioxidant, and Body Rox™. All were examined and found to be free of the contaminants targeted by Informed-Choice from the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances, qualifying the products to carry the highly respected INFORMED-CHOICE logo.
Dr. John Cuomo, Executive Director of R&D for USANA, said, “We are proud to obtain this certification from Informed-Choice. USANA Health Sciences always strives to produce the highest quality nutritional supplements available. Our goal is to provide products that are safe and effective for both athletes and the general public. We take great pride in the quality systems and manufacturing practices we have established. This certification by Informed-Choice is yet another demonstration that USANA truly provides Nutritionals You Can Trust.”
According to its Web site, the Informed-Choice testing specification was developed based on the analysis of thousands of supplement samples over a six-year period, as well as research into supplement contamination levels and analysis of positive drug tests within global professional sports.
USANA HEALTH SCIENCES PRODUCT RECEIVES APPROVAL OF CONSUMER LABS.COM
USANA Health Sciences announced that its supplement Visionex™ has been evaluated and approved by ConsumerLab.com, LLC. A leading provider of independent test results and information, ConsumerLab.com (“CL”) helps consumers and healthcare professionals evaluate health, wellness, and nutritional products.
In a recent blind study, CL purchased and evaluated lutein and zeaxanthin products from various nutritional supplement manufacturers to determine whether they contained the amounts of the compounds as stated on their labels. Upon completion, CL announced that USANA’s Visionex had “met [its] label claim and ConsumerLab.com’s standards for lutein and zeaxanthin products.”
“ConsumerLab.com is an organization at the forefront of research in the arenas of nutrition and health,” said USANA’s Executive Vice President of Research & Development Tim Wood. “USANA takes great pride in the quality systems and manufacturing practices we have established, and we are honored to have obtained this qualification from a company as reputable and highly regarded as CL.”
According to its Web site, CL publishes results of its tests at www.consumerlab.com, which receives more than 3 million visits per year, as well as in its acclaimed book, ConsumerLab.com’s Guide to Buying Vitamins & Supplements, and in special technical reports. In the past eight years, CL has tested more than 1,900 products, representing hundreds of different brands and nearly every type of popular supplement. Its research is cited frequently in the media, in books, and at medical meetings.
In a recent blind study, CL purchased and evaluated lutein and zeaxanthin products from various nutritional supplement manufacturers to determine whether they contained the amounts of the compounds as stated on their labels. Upon completion, CL announced that USANA’s Visionex had “met [its] label claim and ConsumerLab.com’s standards for lutein and zeaxanthin products.”
“ConsumerLab.com is an organization at the forefront of research in the arenas of nutrition and health,” said USANA’s Executive Vice President of Research & Development Tim Wood. “USANA takes great pride in the quality systems and manufacturing practices we have established, and we are honored to have obtained this qualification from a company as reputable and highly regarded as CL.”
According to its Web site, CL publishes results of its tests at www.consumerlab.com, which receives more than 3 million visits per year, as well as in its acclaimed book, ConsumerLab.com’s Guide to Buying Vitamins & Supplements, and in special technical reports. In the past eight years, CL has tested more than 1,900 products, representing hundreds of different brands and nearly every type of popular supplement. Its research is cited frequently in the media, in books, and at medical meetings.
USANA Founder Dr. Myron Wentz Receives Albert Einstein Award
Dr. Myron Wentz, founder, chairman, and CEO of USANA Health Sciences was honored June 25 at a special ceremony in Jerusalem with the Albert Einstein Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Life Sciences.
The Albert Einstein Award, given by Global Capital Associates, salutes leaders whose vision and commitment have contributed to the critical advancement of vital life-saving and life-enhancing technology to benefit mankind. Dr. Wentz received the award in recognition of his many scientific and charitable endeavors.
"I am honored and humbled to receive an award that bears the name of Albert Einstein," Dr. Wentz said. "As both an extraordinary scientist and dedicated humanitarian, he serves as a great inspiration for my life's work, helping people lead healthier lives through nutritional science."
Dr. Wentz is an internationally recognized microbiologist, immunologist and pioneer in the development of human cell culture technology and infectious disease diagnoses. In 1974 he launched Gull Laboratories, which developed groundbreaking viral diagnostic assays, including the first commercially available test for diagnosing infection with the Epstein-Barr virus. Dr. Wentz sold his controlling interests in Gull Laboratories in 1992 and founded USANA Health Sciences, a state-of-the-art manufacturer of science-based nutritional supplements and personal-care products. Most recently, he founded Sanoviv Medical Institute, a holistic medical facility with full hospital accreditation located in Baja California. He holds a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of Utah.
Today Dr. Wentz is increasingly focused on his humanitarian and charitable endeavors, recently founding the Wentz Medical Centre and Laboratory in Uganda and the Wentz Medical Centre in Cambodia to serve children in those countries orphaned by diseases such as malaria and HIV. Dr. Wentz was a recipient of the Children's Champion Award by Children's Hunger Fund, for which he travels worldwide as a medical missionary.
While Dr. Wentz' primary focus is on health and disease prevention, his love for music and appreciation for his undergraduate alma mater led him to contribute generously to the construction of the Wentz Concert Hall and Fine Arts Center at North Central College in Naperville, Ill.
The Albert Einstein Award, given by Global Capital Associates, salutes leaders whose vision and commitment have contributed to the critical advancement of vital life-saving and life-enhancing technology to benefit mankind. Dr. Wentz received the award in recognition of his many scientific and charitable endeavors.
"I am honored and humbled to receive an award that bears the name of Albert Einstein," Dr. Wentz said. "As both an extraordinary scientist and dedicated humanitarian, he serves as a great inspiration for my life's work, helping people lead healthier lives through nutritional science."
Dr. Wentz is an internationally recognized microbiologist, immunologist and pioneer in the development of human cell culture technology and infectious disease diagnoses. In 1974 he launched Gull Laboratories, which developed groundbreaking viral diagnostic assays, including the first commercially available test for diagnosing infection with the Epstein-Barr virus. Dr. Wentz sold his controlling interests in Gull Laboratories in 1992 and founded USANA Health Sciences, a state-of-the-art manufacturer of science-based nutritional supplements and personal-care products. Most recently, he founded Sanoviv Medical Institute, a holistic medical facility with full hospital accreditation located in Baja California. He holds a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of Utah.
Today Dr. Wentz is increasingly focused on his humanitarian and charitable endeavors, recently founding the Wentz Medical Centre and Laboratory in Uganda and the Wentz Medical Centre in Cambodia to serve children in those countries orphaned by diseases such as malaria and HIV. Dr. Wentz was a recipient of the Children's Champion Award by Children's Hunger Fund, for which he travels worldwide as a medical missionary.
While Dr. Wentz' primary focus is on health and disease prevention, his love for music and appreciation for his undergraduate alma mater led him to contribute generously to the construction of the Wentz Concert Hall and Fine Arts Center at North Central College in Naperville, Ill.
USANA HEALTH SCIENCES EXPANDS RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP WITH RENOWNED LINUS PAULING INSTITUTE
USANA Health Sciences announced that it is expanding its existing partnership with the Linus Pauling Institute (LPI), in an effort to better determine the function and role of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (micronutrients) in promoting optimal health and preventing disease. USANA will contribute $500,000 per year to this institute over the course of 10 years.
For over a decade, LPI, one of the nation’s first Centers of Excellence for Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine, has been committed to the research of heart disease, cancer, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases. Along with its research on mirconutrition, LPI’s mission includes:
Determining the role of oxidative and nitrative stress and antioxidants in human health and disease, and
Helping people everywhere achieve a healthy and productive life, full of vitality, with minimal suffering, and free of cancer and other debilitating diseases.
“The partnership between LPI and USANA will significantly enhance the Institute’s research mission, enabling our scientists to better understand the role antioxidants, phytochemicals, and other nutrients play in human health,” said Balz Frei, director of the Linus Pauling Institute. “We are very excited about this opportunity.”
USANA’s research team will collaborate with LPI on cutting-edge nutritional and clinical research. This collaboration and contribution will support:
Discovery that advances the science of human nutrition and health,
Information that helps USANA to formulate and upgrade superior nutritional products,
Information that helps USANA to better advise its customers on how to use USANA products to promote and maintain health, and
Publications in leading scientific and medical journals that credit USANA for support and that may bear the name of USANA scientists as contributing scientists and authors where appropriate contributions have been made.
“The Linus Pauling Institute is clearly at the forefront of research in the arenas of nutrition and health,” said USANA’s Executive Vice President of Research & Development Tim Wood. “USANA is proud to be supporting their efforts and we look forward to working with LPI in advancing the science of nutrition in both laboratory and clinical settings.”
For over a decade, LPI, one of the nation’s first Centers of Excellence for Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine, has been committed to the research of heart disease, cancer, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases. Along with its research on mirconutrition, LPI’s mission includes:
Determining the role of oxidative and nitrative stress and antioxidants in human health and disease, and
Helping people everywhere achieve a healthy and productive life, full of vitality, with minimal suffering, and free of cancer and other debilitating diseases.
“The partnership between LPI and USANA will significantly enhance the Institute’s research mission, enabling our scientists to better understand the role antioxidants, phytochemicals, and other nutrients play in human health,” said Balz Frei, director of the Linus Pauling Institute. “We are very excited about this opportunity.”
USANA’s research team will collaborate with LPI on cutting-edge nutritional and clinical research. This collaboration and contribution will support:
Discovery that advances the science of human nutrition and health,
Information that helps USANA to formulate and upgrade superior nutritional products,
Information that helps USANA to better advise its customers on how to use USANA products to promote and maintain health, and
Publications in leading scientific and medical journals that credit USANA for support and that may bear the name of USANA scientists as contributing scientists and authors where appropriate contributions have been made.
“The Linus Pauling Institute is clearly at the forefront of research in the arenas of nutrition and health,” said USANA’s Executive Vice President of Research & Development Tim Wood. “USANA is proud to be supporting their efforts and we look forward to working with LPI in advancing the science of nutrition in both laboratory and clinical settings.”
USANA HEALTH SCIENCES WINS TWO UTAH BEST OF STATE AWARDS
USANA Health Sciences was recognized on May 19, 2007 with two Utah Best of State Awards. USANA will receive an award for the best dietary supplements in the state of Utah along with an award for best personal-care products.
Recognition for having the best dietary supplements in Utah is especially meaningful because of the numerous supplement manufacturers located in the state. According to the Utah Natural Products Alliance, Utah has more than 100 dietary supplement companies generating estimated revenues of $4.4 billion.
This is the fourth time USANA will accept a Best of State award for dietary supplements. The company also received Best of State awards for dietary supplement in 2003, 2004 and 2006. In addition, this year USANA will receive its first Best of State award for personal-care products. USANA’s revolutionary Sensé™ skin-care line is valued by customers for its nourishing ingredients and exclusive technologies including patent-pending self-preserving formulas.
“For 15 years now, we’ve been advancing the standards within our industry,” said Dr. Tim Wood, USANA's executive vice president of research and development. “Our mission has always been to provide our customers the highest quality science-based nutritional and skin-care products possible, and it is gratifying to be independently recognized for excellence.”
According to the Best of State Awards Web site, the awards program was created to recognize outstanding individuals, organizations and businesses in Utah.
Recognition for having the best dietary supplements in Utah is especially meaningful because of the numerous supplement manufacturers located in the state. According to the Utah Natural Products Alliance, Utah has more than 100 dietary supplement companies generating estimated revenues of $4.4 billion.
This is the fourth time USANA will accept a Best of State award for dietary supplements. The company also received Best of State awards for dietary supplement in 2003, 2004 and 2006. In addition, this year USANA will receive its first Best of State award for personal-care products. USANA’s revolutionary Sensé™ skin-care line is valued by customers for its nourishing ingredients and exclusive technologies including patent-pending self-preserving formulas.
“For 15 years now, we’ve been advancing the standards within our industry,” said Dr. Tim Wood, USANA's executive vice president of research and development. “Our mission has always been to provide our customers the highest quality science-based nutritional and skin-care products possible, and it is gratifying to be independently recognized for excellence.”
According to the Best of State Awards Web site, the awards program was created to recognize outstanding individuals, organizations and businesses in Utah.
USANA HEALTH SCIENCES RECEIVES U.S. PATENT ON EXCLUSIVE SELF-PRESERVING TECHNOLOGY FOR SKIN AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS
USANA Health Sciences received an official patent on May 8, 2007 from the United States Patent & Trademark Office for its exclusive self-preserving technology currently used in the company's Sensé beautiful science® skin and personal care product line.
The patent covers USANA's formulation for manufacturing Sensé products so that they are capable of maintaining their shelf life without the need for added chemical preservatives. USANA is leading the way by creating products that are "self-preserving" in that they don't require traditional chemical preservatives to maintain their shelf life.
Considered truly innovative in the skin-care industry, self-preserving technology combines proprietary blends of purifying botanicals in protective liquid crystals to keep the product fresh naturally, so skin can receive all the benefits of pure and healthy ingredients.
"Our customers value their health and trust USANA for pharmaceutical-grade supplements, and they want their skin to reflect their good health," USANA President Dave Wentz said. "After nearly 10 years of research and development, USANA found a way to formulate truly healthy skin care products. Now our customers can enjoy healthier-looking skin and the peace of mind that comes with safe, self-preserving products."
The patent covers USANA's formulation for manufacturing Sensé products so that they are capable of maintaining their shelf life without the need for added chemical preservatives. USANA is leading the way by creating products that are "self-preserving" in that they don't require traditional chemical preservatives to maintain their shelf life.
Considered truly innovative in the skin-care industry, self-preserving technology combines proprietary blends of purifying botanicals in protective liquid crystals to keep the product fresh naturally, so skin can receive all the benefits of pure and healthy ingredients.
"Our customers value their health and trust USANA for pharmaceutical-grade supplements, and they want their skin to reflect their good health," USANA President Dave Wentz said. "After nearly 10 years of research and development, USANA found a way to formulate truly healthy skin care products. Now our customers can enjoy healthier-looking skin and the peace of mind that comes with safe, self-preserving products."
USANA CELEBRATES ANOTHER RECORD YEAR
Unparalleled financial results
Paid out more than $800 million in commissions to-date
Increased Million Dollar Club to 73 Associates
Surpassed $374 million in sales
Achieved record-setting growth for the 18th consecutive quarter (4 1/2 years)
Recognition from respected national experts
Ranked #12 on Forbes' "200 Best Small Companies" list, and the only direct sales company to make the top 20 for the last three years in a row (Nov. 1, 2006)
Voted "People's Choice" for nine years running by NetWork Marketing Today & The MLM Insider Magazine
President Dave Wentz named Chairman of Direct Selling Education Foundation & Vice Chairman of Direct Selling Association
Listed in The Wall Street Journal's "Smart Money Stock Screen/Efficiency Experts" (April 20, 2006)
Named one of Utah's "Best Companies to Work For" by Utah Business magazine (Nov. 2006)
Products unequalled in quality
USANA Essentials™ received highest ranking for a nutritional supplement in North America by Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements
Awarded Utah's Best of State 2006 medal for dietary supplements for a record third year
Received NSF International certification for successfully meeting all listing criteria for Dietary Supplement Standards
Manufacturing facility received dietary supplement Good Manufacturing Practices registration by NSF International
Selected as official nutritional supplement supplier for Sony Ericsson WTA Tour (Women's Professional Tennis)
Making a difference worldwide
Donated more than $3 million to Children's Hunger Fund since 2001
Treated more than 7,000 people at Dr. Myron Wentz' privately funded medical center in Uganda and broke ground on second facility in Cambodia
Established an environmental policy to help USANA conserve energy, reduce waste, and lessen impact on the environment
Received the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership Certificate
Paid out more than $800 million in commissions to-date
Increased Million Dollar Club to 73 Associates
Surpassed $374 million in sales
Achieved record-setting growth for the 18th consecutive quarter (4 1/2 years)
Recognition from respected national experts
Ranked #12 on Forbes' "200 Best Small Companies" list, and the only direct sales company to make the top 20 for the last three years in a row (Nov. 1, 2006)
Voted "People's Choice" for nine years running by NetWork Marketing Today & The MLM Insider Magazine
President Dave Wentz named Chairman of Direct Selling Education Foundation & Vice Chairman of Direct Selling Association
Listed in The Wall Street Journal's "Smart Money Stock Screen/Efficiency Experts" (April 20, 2006)
Named one of Utah's "Best Companies to Work For" by Utah Business magazine (Nov. 2006)
Products unequalled in quality
USANA Essentials™ received highest ranking for a nutritional supplement in North America by Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements
Awarded Utah's Best of State 2006 medal for dietary supplements for a record third year
Received NSF International certification for successfully meeting all listing criteria for Dietary Supplement Standards
Manufacturing facility received dietary supplement Good Manufacturing Practices registration by NSF International
Selected as official nutritional supplement supplier for Sony Ericsson WTA Tour (Women's Professional Tennis)
Making a difference worldwide
Donated more than $3 million to Children's Hunger Fund since 2001
Treated more than 7,000 people at Dr. Myron Wentz' privately funded medical center in Uganda and broke ground on second facility in Cambodia
Established an environmental policy to help USANA conserve energy, reduce waste, and lessen impact on the environment
Received the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership Certificate
USANA Manufacturing Practices and Select Products Certified by NSF International
USANA ACHIEVES DIETARY SUPPLEMENT CERTIFICATION AND GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES (GMP) REGISTRATION THROUGH NSF INTERNATIONAL
USANA Health Sciences sets the standard for excellence in dietary supplement manufacturing. Now, NSF Certification for Good Manufacturing Practices and Dietary Supplement Standards are further proof that USANA products are truly Nutritionals You Can Trust.
USANA recently announced certification of the ESSENTIALS™ (MEGA ANTIOXIDANT and CHELATED MINERAL), PROFLAVANOL® 90, and the HEALTHPAK 100™ through NSF International's Dietary Supplement Certification program. USANA successfully met all listing criteria in NSF's NSF/ANSI 173 Dietary Supplement Standard, the only standard for dietary supplements.
In accordance with NSF/ANSI 173, NSF conducted product testing in its own accredited laboratories to ensure that all contents of supplements tested matched labeled amounts, that there were no product ingredients not openly disclosed on the label, and that there were no unacceptable levels of contaminants in the product. USANA successfully met all of these requirements.
USANA also received Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Registration through NSF International's Dietary Supplement Certification program after meeting all requirements included in NSF's GMP Registration Program.
GMP are regulatory requirements that provide guidelines for necessary processes, procedures, and documentation to assure the product produced has the identity, strength, composition, quality, and purity it is represented to possess. NSF conducted a plant audit to verify compliance with GMP and will conduct periodic audits at USANA's facility to ensure continued conformance. GMP for the current NSF Dietary Supplements Program are included in NSF American National Standard 173-Dietary Supplements, the only American National Standard for Dietary Supplement. USANA's GMP registration reflects their continued commitment to ensuring quality and satisfaction to give you confidence that the organization operates in conformance to established GMP. For meeting GMP requirements, USANA receives a NSF GMP registration certificate and is listed on the NSF Web site.
NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization, helps protect you by certifying products and writing standards for food, water, air and consumer goods (www.nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting public health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. Additional services include safety audits for the food and water industries, management systems registrations delivered through NSF International Strategic Registrations, Ltd., organic certification provided by Quality Assurance International and education through the NSF Center for Public Health Education.
USANA HEALTH SCIENCES APPLAUDS SONY ERICSSON WTA TOUR PLAYERS’ PERFORMANCE AT WIMBLEDON 2007
USANA Health Sciences, the official health supplement supplier of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, would like to congratulate the 2007 Wimbledon Women’s Doubles Champions.
· Ladies Doubles - Cara Black (ZIM) & Liezel Huber (RSA)
Wimbledon, the oldest major championship in tennis, is commonly regarded as the most prestigious international tennis competition.
In late 2006, USANA announced its partnership with the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, introducing USANA’s unmatched nutritional products to 400 of the world’s most elite athletes in women’s tennis.
“Tennis is an extremely rigorous sport and very demanding on the body,” said South African native and ladies doubles champion Liezel Huber. “Since taking USANA products, I have truly experienced a noticeable difference in my health. I firmly believe that USANA’s world-class nutritional supplements played a major role in my performance at Wimbledon 2007.”
· Ladies Doubles - Cara Black (ZIM) & Liezel Huber (RSA)
Wimbledon, the oldest major championship in tennis, is commonly regarded as the most prestigious international tennis competition.
In late 2006, USANA announced its partnership with the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, introducing USANA’s unmatched nutritional products to 400 of the world’s most elite athletes in women’s tennis.
“Tennis is an extremely rigorous sport and very demanding on the body,” said South African native and ladies doubles champion Liezel Huber. “Since taking USANA products, I have truly experienced a noticeable difference in my health. I firmly believe that USANA’s world-class nutritional supplements played a major role in my performance at Wimbledon 2007.”
USANA SPORTS ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER & ASSOCIATE JENNIFER AZZI INDUCTED INTO BAY AREA SPORTS HALL OF FAME
Jennifer Azzi, member of the USANA Health Sciences Sports Advisory Board, was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (BASHOF) on April 26, 2007 in San Francisco.
Azzi, the only woman on the hall's 2007 inductee list, will be recognized this year along with San Francisco 49er Jerry Rice, New York Yankee Jerry Coleman and Will "The Thrill" Clark of the San Francisco Giants.
Azzi played for Stanford University's women's basketball team and is regarded by many as one of Stanford's greatest players. While there, she helped lead the team to a 1990 NCAA National Championship win, was named NCAA Player of the Year, and was selected as MVP for the 1989-90 women's Final Four. Azzi was the youngest person ever inducted into Stanford's Athletic Hall of Fame. She also played professionally as a point-guard for the WNBA and starred on the 1996 U.S. Olympic gold medal women's team.
Outside of her basketball accomplishments, Azzi shares her unique knowledge of health, fitness and leadership as a motivational speaker while running her own business, Azzi Training. She also actively works a successful USANA enterprise with her business partner, Richelle Lund. In addition, she serves as a Sports Advisory Board member for USANA Health Sciences. USANA's Sports Advisory Board is dedicated to educating athletes and the public about the health-enhancing properties of nutritional supplements.
Azzi recently spoke at a USANA Celebration held in Las Vegas, Nevada in March 2007. Incidentally, the Las Vegas USANA Celebration attracted the largest attendance ever recorded at a U.S. regional event. "USANA products are undoubtedly the best supplements in the world and athletes can trust USANA, which means so much," Azzi explains. "I am involved with USANA's business opportunity because I believe in the products and it has proven to be a great partnership."
Alan Bergstrom, USANA's vice president of customer service, says he is excited about Azzi's induction into BASHOF. "This is a great recognition for Jennifer and totally deserved. Working with her over the last few years, it has been my pleasure to witness the focus, direction and professionalism that created her success as an athlete. She has the perfect blend of team spirit and individual leadership. USANA is proud to have her on our team."
USANA Supports World Class Athletes
USANA Athletes Bring Home the Gold
39 USANA Athletes competed in the 2006 Torino Games
15 USANA Team medals were won, placing our athletes 7th in the world in medals achieved
12 Individual USANA Athletes took home 25 medals
One Million Dollar Athlete Guarantee
USANA guarantees the quality and safety of its products, making it the company that world-class athletes trust with their health.
OFFICIAL HEALTH SUPPLEMENT SUPPLIER OF THE WTA
OFFICIAL SUPPLIER OF US & CA SPEED SKATING TEAMS
WTA
USANA Health Sciences is proud to be the official health supplement supplier to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. "Up until now, the inability of our players to take vitamins and health supplements without fear of accidentally ingesting a prohibited substance has been a real issue. In USANA, the Tour has found a manufacturer that can not only meet the Tour's...rigorous anti-doping standards, but one that is also willing to back it up with both athlete and Tour guarantees. This is fantastic news for players, and a critically important step forward in ensuring player health while maintaining the strict anti-doping standards that are necessary to continue to ensure that women's tennis remains a clean sport."
-Larry Scott, CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour
US Speedskating Team 2006
"U.S. Speedskating thanks USANA for making it possible for the U.S. Speedskating Olympic Team and the U.S. Short Track Speedskating Olympic Team to realize their dreams. With the support USANA has provided, our skaters came home from the Torino Olympic Games with 10 medals, the most ever won at an Olympic Games on foreign soil."
-US Speedskating Team 2006
Canadian Speedskating Team
"USANA products kept me healthy throughout my training and the 2006 Games in Torino, allowing me the opportunity of completing my lifelong dream of becoming an Olympic medalist! The Canadian Speedskating Team never could have brought home the Silver Medal if we didn't have the science of USANA working with us to keep us healthy and help us recover. I will never go a day without the USANA products. Thank you Dr. Wentz for helping make my dream come true!"
-Jason Parker, Canadian Speedskater, Silver Medalist at the 2006 Torino Games
Great athletes require great support. Speed Skating Canada thanks USANA Health Sciences for their commitment to excellence. Your support has allowed Canadian speed skaters to achieve their best ever Olympic performance with 12 medals.
-Canada Speedskating Team 2006
Cross Country Canada
"USANA products have been pivotal over the past two years in providing our team with an extensive line of quality dietary supplements, guaranteed clean products, necessary for high performance training in the sport of cross-country skiing"
-Tom Holland, Director of High Performance, Cross Country Canada
Jillian Vogtli
"I have been using the USANA products for 2 1/2 years and I will use no other. I truly respect my body and am very aware of what I put in it. That is how I came to find USANA. I believe in the quality of the products as well as the research that is behind it."
-Jillian Vogtli, US Freestyle Mogul Skier
39 USANA Athletes competed in the 2006 Torino Games
15 USANA Team medals were won, placing our athletes 7th in the world in medals achieved
12 Individual USANA Athletes took home 25 medals
One Million Dollar Athlete Guarantee
USANA guarantees the quality and safety of its products, making it the company that world-class athletes trust with their health.
OFFICIAL HEALTH SUPPLEMENT SUPPLIER OF THE WTA
OFFICIAL SUPPLIER OF US & CA SPEED SKATING TEAMS
WTA
USANA Health Sciences is proud to be the official health supplement supplier to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. "Up until now, the inability of our players to take vitamins and health supplements without fear of accidentally ingesting a prohibited substance has been a real issue. In USANA, the Tour has found a manufacturer that can not only meet the Tour's...rigorous anti-doping standards, but one that is also willing to back it up with both athlete and Tour guarantees. This is fantastic news for players, and a critically important step forward in ensuring player health while maintaining the strict anti-doping standards that are necessary to continue to ensure that women's tennis remains a clean sport."
-Larry Scott, CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour
US Speedskating Team 2006
"U.S. Speedskating thanks USANA for making it possible for the U.S. Speedskating Olympic Team and the U.S. Short Track Speedskating Olympic Team to realize their dreams. With the support USANA has provided, our skaters came home from the Torino Olympic Games with 10 medals, the most ever won at an Olympic Games on foreign soil."
-US Speedskating Team 2006
Canadian Speedskating Team
"USANA products kept me healthy throughout my training and the 2006 Games in Torino, allowing me the opportunity of completing my lifelong dream of becoming an Olympic medalist! The Canadian Speedskating Team never could have brought home the Silver Medal if we didn't have the science of USANA working with us to keep us healthy and help us recover. I will never go a day without the USANA products. Thank you Dr. Wentz for helping make my dream come true!"
-Jason Parker, Canadian Speedskater, Silver Medalist at the 2006 Torino Games
Great athletes require great support. Speed Skating Canada thanks USANA Health Sciences for their commitment to excellence. Your support has allowed Canadian speed skaters to achieve their best ever Olympic performance with 12 medals.
-Canada Speedskating Team 2006
Cross Country Canada
"USANA products have been pivotal over the past two years in providing our team with an extensive line of quality dietary supplements, guaranteed clean products, necessary for high performance training in the sport of cross-country skiing"
-Tom Holland, Director of High Performance, Cross Country Canada
Jillian Vogtli
"I have been using the USANA products for 2 1/2 years and I will use no other. I truly respect my body and am very aware of what I put in it. That is how I came to find USANA. I believe in the quality of the products as well as the research that is behind it."
-Jillian Vogtli, US Freestyle Mogul Skier
USANA Story
USANA Story
dream of a world free from pain and suffering. I dream of a world free from disease. The USANA family will be the healthiest family on earth.
Share my vision. Love life and live it to its fullest in happiness and health."
-Dr. Myron Wentz, Founder and Chairman,
USANA Health Sciences
A Message from Dr. Myron Wentz, Founder and Chairman, USANA Health Sciences, Inc.
Good health and financial freedom - that's everyone's dream. USANA PROVIDES BOTH!
We have forgotten what it is like to die of old age in this world. Instead we die of man-made diseases that could and should be prevented. Statistics tell us that one in three Americans will die of cancer, one in three will prematurely die as a result of heart disease, and that most of the rest will die of either another form of disease or by accidental death. Only a few of us will die of old age.
Chronic degenerative diseases are rampant throughout the world. Both of my parents died prematurely. My father succumbed to heart disease when I was 17 years old, and my mother died a few years ago of cancer. When my father died, I remember my mother saying to me that she wished I could have done something to help him. I believe that with the USANA Health Sciences products, people can live longer, healthier lives and I'm excited about sharing this good news with others.
I find it tragic that the vast majority of people leave this earth too soon and spend too many of their years in pain and suffering. Since I've been using the USANA Nutritionals I believe that time is on my side. How many of you can say the same?
I know that I am providing the cells of my body with the right kind and the right amounts of nutrients, and that the dangerous free radicals that produce diseases and weaken my immune system are being neutralized. I also know that more of the degenerated cells in my body are being replaced with healthy, disease-resistant cells.
As you learn more, you may ask yourself whether you can afford to use the USANA products every day. Just let me say that you can't afford not to! A single case of cancer or heart disease can cause financial ruin for a family.
The USANA products should be at the top of your grocery list. After all, isn't your health the most important thing you have? If you knew what I know about the USANA products, you would not be without them.
The USANA opportunity also rewards you for taking control of your health. The innovative business plan provides weekly paychecks for independent associates with unlimited earning potential.
The USANA Health Sciences staff, and tens of thousands of independent Associates, have built the USANA corporation into a major player in the network marketing industry in just a few short years.
I encourage everyone to adopt the healthy lifestyle that USANA products support, and invite those interested in a rapidly growing opportunity to study our compensation plan. You'll be pleased with USANA.
I dream of a world free from pain and suffering. I dream of a world free from disease. The USANA family will be the healthiest family on earth. Share my vision. Love life and live it to its fullest in happiness and health.
Myron Wentz, Ph.D.
Founder and Chairman, USANA Health Sciences, Inc.
Our Mission
To develop and provide the highest quality, science-based health products, distributed internationally through network marketing, creating a rewarding financial opportunity for our independent Associates, shareholders, and employees.
USANA Products Combat Eroding Health
USANA Health Sciences has become one of America's leading companies in the field of health and nutrition. The two main reasons are: (1) a superior product line that you can always trust, and (2) an innovative network marketing program that amply rewards both the average and ambitious Distributor.
Company founder Myron Wentz, Ph.D., is a world-renowned pioneer in cell-culture technology. In the early 70s, he founded Gull Laboratories, which soon became the world's leading producer of commercially-available diagnostic test kits for viruses. While Gull played a critical role in the world health arena, Dr. Wentz always felt that disease prevention was as important as detection.
He and other scientists were finding that our environment, lifestyle, and diet factors were continually eroding our health. One of the most significant research findings has been the value of antioxidants in countering the negative effect of "free radicals" in the human body. Free radicals are believed to be the cause of many degenerative diseases, and spawn from a variety of factors including pollution, high-fat diets, lack of exercise, and smoking.
Today, USANA's products are on the leading edge of providing adequate cell-level nutrition, fiber, and antioxidant protection for our bodies. Dr. Wentz is applying the same level of scientific expertise, technical brilliance, and dedication he employed in pioneering viral diagnostics to create breakthrough approaches to nutritional wellness.
The Need for Nutrition
As sciences go, nutrition is a young one. To put its age in perspective, if the history of the human race were compressed into 24 hours, scientific discoveries began about 12 seconds ago, and nutrition, as an organized science, emerged only during the last three to six seconds.
While much has been discovered about nutrition in its short scientific history, the road ahead still holds many discoveries in our journey toward optimal health. Of the many vehicles on that road, USANA is the Mercedes Benz®, leading the way in quality and integrity.
The following articles provide strong evidence of the need for nutritional supplementation:
Overworked and Undernourished
The human species has existed in something like its present form for hundreds of thousands of years. During that time, the immune system has played a vital role in our ability to weather exposure to parasites, bacteria, viruses, toxins, and other hazards that assert themselves daily by interacting with our bodies. Each of us has a personal responsibility for our own health. "Health is not just the absence of disease–it is the empowering of our bodies to perform at its optimal level." -Dr. Myron Wentz, Founder and Chairman, USANA, Inc. Our body's struggle against disease is ongoing, a person's immune system meets innumerable challenges, foiling countless opponents in a lifetime. A fatal infection often represents the only unqualified loss in a generally victorious campaign. For a time, it was widely assumed that infectious diseases had been brought under control, especially in the industrialized nations. The appearance of AIDS, and the recent resurgence of tuberculosis, including the evolution of organisms resistant to many drugs, illustrates that the monster was not slain–it was merely asleep. The study of immunology embraces more than just the nature and prevention of infections. Dr. Wentz' immunologic research points toward new approaches for protecting against certain diseases that result from lapses or malfunctions in the immune response. This work provides a scientific framework for examining the chemical organization of living systems and integrating that information into an understanding of how this amazing organism, the human body, functions as a whole.
"Infectious and chronic diseases are dual enemies that have to be fought simultaneously on a global scale. The battle for health in the 21st century must begin today." -Dr. Myron Wentz
What can you do to help ensure that your body has what it needs in order to maintain optimal health? The answer is very complex, but most research concludes that the answer depends strongly on your nutritional and lifestyle choices. A majority of the illnesses that afflict us are related to nutritional factors (a diet high in animal fat, protein, and cholesterol, and low in fiber ), lifestyle (tobacco smoking, excessive alcohol consumption), and the environment (chemical carcinogens, ozone depletion, air pollution, and industrial toxins). When it comes to your well being, there are no guarantees. However, the daily decisions you make may have a tremendous effect on the outcome of your overall health. The better your nutritional status, the better all systems–including your immune system–will be. Commit today to take the necessary steps toward giving your body the best possible defenses against disease.
Your Health is Priceless... Don't Turn it Over to the Lowest Bidder or Latest fad
By Myron Wentz, Ph.D.
Your daily diet must provide the essential nutrients for optimal health and proper cell function. However, research shows that because the foods we eat today are lacking many essential nutrients and most people simply don't eat right, we could be deficient in the nutrients needed to maintain good health.
But the concept of going to the store and pulling different supplements off the shelf–whatever seems to be the latest fad–is not the way to supply proper nutrition. Nutrition must be balanced.
Healthy Cells = Healthy Bodies
The first company I founded, Gull Laboratories, was successful in growing billions of cells for the purpose of diagnosing viral diseases. I developed the first commercially available test kit for the diagnosis of the Epstein-Barr virus. And now doctors and hospitals around the world use Gull products to accurately diagnose viral diseases.
Our ability to grow healthy and vibrant cells was the reason Gull set the "Gold Standard" for detecting viral diseases.
However, our diagnostic products did little to help people prevent disease. Realizing that nutrition plays a key role in cell health and disease prevention, I turned my attention to human nutrition. I founded USANA because it became increasingly apparent that the nutritional requirements of the human body were not being met in today's environment.
I knew that my knowledge and expertise in growing human cells could be used to design an advanced nutritional system that could help improve peoples' health and quality of life.
Why You Should Consider Nutritional Supplementation
Our bodies are constantly being assaulted by the damaging aspects of the environment, such as radiation, stress, and the toxic chemicals that pollute our air, water, and food. USANA nutritional products are designed to provide a complete and balanced spectrum of beneficial nutrients to help counteract poor nutrition and to prevent the damage caused by this environmental onslaught.
Give yourself the gift of nutrition–your cells will love you for it.
Dr. Myron Wentz
An Urgent Sense of Mission
It began near the end of high school with a mother's plaintive statement of confidence.
"My father died when I was 17," recalls Dr. Wentz, founder and chairman of USANA. "It was one of the most traumatic events in my life. I so much wanted his approval and I may, in a sense, be compensating for his loss even today. And yet, like other teenagers, I felt I hadn't taken enough time for him. When he died, of course, it was too late. I think that put a mark on me–that I was denied a father at a young age."
That mark, difficult though it was to bear, was the catalyst for a lifetime of work and innovations in the field of human health and nutrition–ongoing advances are benefiting growing numbers of men, women, and children throughout the world.
The Roots of a Productive Life
Although his father was taken from him while still in high school, Dr. Wentz enjoyed an upbringing that many would consider ideal.
"I benefited from a very loving home," he says, pointing out that his parents purposely spaced the births of their three boys years apart in order to give each of them their full attention during the crucial formative years. "Marvin is 14 years older than I am, and Charles was seven or eight years older. It was like having three 'only children.' I got a lot of attention as a child. My parents were very devoted to each other and to us."
Born in 1940, Dr. Wentz grew up in Napoleon, North Dakota, a small rural town of about 1,000 people. His father, Adam, and his mother, Bertha, were of German descent. They had been raised in the environs of Napoleon and both came from families of 12 brothers and sisters. Each of their families had left Germany to settle in southern Russia several generations earlier when the czars were encouraging German farmers to move into that part of their empire. The family stayed there until the rising threat of Russian nationalism convinced them to pack up and leave. They arrived in America and settled in North Dakota just before the turn of the century.
"These people preserved all their German culture, their food, and even their language throughout their sojourn in Russia and even after they arrived here," Dr. Wentz says. "I remember well the German dialect my grandparents spoke when I was a child."
While his industrious ancestors brought very little Russian influence to America, Dr. Wentz confesses to having a strong feeling for the Russian people–a feeling that has motivated him to fund medical research in Moscow and to engage Russian scientists to further his nutritional work at USANA.
Like almost everyone else in that area of North Dakota in those days, Dr. Wentz' father was a farmer. But unlike most of his contemporaries, Adam Wentz was also a businessman. "He wasn't content to just farm," explains his son, "so he and one of his younger brothers created some businesses. They started a hardware store, a furniture store, and they bought a John Deere implement shop and a Ford dealership."
Because of these businesses, the Wentz family moved from their outlying farm to a home in town about six years before Myron was born. They were considered "sidewalk farmers" because they lived in Napoleon and farmed outside of town. The home was modest, and like many others in the community at that time, did not have running water or indoor plumbing.
The life of young Myron Wentz was happy, though not exceptional. "He was a serious boy," says his older brother, Marvin, "but he knew how to have a good time. He wasn't a star athlete, but he loved to play sports and lettered in all the high school sports. He was always into music, played in the band, and sang in the choir. He has a wonderful voice."
The restless energy and high-activity level that would be characteristic of later years was already evident. In addition to music and sports, he served as a class officer every year and was an editor of the yearbook.
Marvin Wentz: "He wasn't an outstanding student in early grade school, but excelled in high school and when he graduated from college he got serious about doing something great." In recent years Dr. Wentz has been honored by his high school as Alumnus of the Year and by the University of North Dakota with their highest honor.
Bertha Wentz was a very religious person, and she made sure that her sons went to church every Sunday and to other special meetings. In fact, she wanted Myron to become a minister. The family attended an evangelical church in the area. As a boy, Myron was sent to church camps every summer and was active as a Boy Scout leader.
It was a comfortable life in a loving home with good examples to follow. "My father was highly regarded as a man of generosity and compassion," Dr. Wentz states. "I remember, even years later, when I would go home from college to go duck hunting or whatever. When I would stop by a farm or a store, all I had to do was say I was Adam Wentz son and they would roll out the red carpet for me. It seemed that everybody in that area had been the recipient of my father's help or generosity, or they simply had a great deal of admiration and respect for him."
"I think that made it even harder to lose him at such a young age. He died at 57 from heart disease. But as far back as I can remember he suffered from heart disease, having to go to hospitals and long-term care facilities."
Dr. Wentz saw degenerative diseases claim other members of his family. With only a few exceptions, he watched cancer and heart disease claim his many aunts and uncles on both sides of his family. Even his mother had her challenges. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 60's and went through surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. "She was a fighter, though–a real survivor," Dr. Wentz says, "She wasn't about to let cancer and its therapies kill her early." Cancer took a further toll on the family when it claimed his older brother Charles, at age 66. "Degenerative disease is definitely a problem in my family," he states.
Meeting the Challenge Head-On
Different people handle problems in different ways. Some surrender to them. Others deny or hide from them. And then there are those who make a personal commitment to fight their problems and beat them. Dr. Myron Wentz is one of the latter. He made it his life's work to meet degenerative diseases head-on and do everything in his power to conquer them.
He attended North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, where he earned a bachelor's degree in biology and pre-med in 1963.
"It seems that most of my fellow students went into pre-med programs and then on to medical school," he recalls. "It was the thing to do. But I am not a me-too person. I decided that I was going to do something that was, in my opinion, better. Rather than going the route of medical school and being a front-office practitioner, I wanted to create scientific solutions–to provide the tools for medicine, rather than just use them."
Having decided not to go to medical school, he took a year off to map out the best path to reach his goal. During that time he worked as a microbiologist and decided that he wanted to pursue the study of infectious diseases. "So I enrolled in the graduate school at the University of North Dakota, got a part-time job as a bacteriologist, and earned a master's degree in microbiology."
"Back at the turn of the 20th century, the five leading causes of death were all infectious diseases," Dr. Wentz says."The epidemic of degenerative diseases has developed throughout this century."
From there, the aspiring student–now married to his college sweetheart, Jackie–went on to pursue a Ph.D. in microbiology at the University of Utah, in Salt Lake City. He chose this school because he was interested in immunology, and it boasted one of the strongest immunology departments in the country. Also, he was accepted to study under a renowned professor in his field.
After earning his Ph.D. in microbiology, with a specialty in immunology (his dissertation was on tumor immunology), Dr. Wentz joined a pathology group in Peoria, Illinois. "Although my curriculum had included all the medical courses, it was unusual at that time for a Ph.D. in the medical sciences to be a partner in an M.D. group," he recounts. He served as the infectious disease expert for the group, directing all the microbiology and immunology lab work for three hospital laboratories in the Peoria area.
A Necessary Turn in the Journey
After three years with the group, Dr. Wentz saw an opportunity to make a deeper contribution to medical science. There were only two viral diseases at that time–hepatitis and rubella–whose diagnoses could be confirmed in the laboratory, so he decided to try his hand at developing diagnostic tests for the many other viral infections. He hoped that such tests could be completed and reported to clinicians before their patients left the hospitals–much more rapidly than was then the standard practice.
He left the pathology group in Peoria and returned to Salt Lake City, Utah, where a fully-equipped laboratory with cell-culture facilities stood vacant. "I sold everything I owned," he says, "got a $40,000 SBA loan, and bought the equipment needed to develop viral diagnostics. I knew that the large pharmaceutical firms had been attempting for years to do the same thing that I was trying to do, but for some reason they had fumbled the ball. I decided that I would grow all the viruses of diagnostic importance to man and prepare test systems for those viral diseases. And that's what I did."
Dr. Wentz launched Gull Laboratories in September 1974 as a one-man operation. By June 1977, just over two-and-a-half years later, several of his viral diagnostic assays were FDA-approved and ready for sale.
He decided to focus on the herpes viruses first, and developed assays for several of them. "Those were the first such products on the market," he explains. "But the one that stole the show was the assay for the Epstein-Barr virus. The world, especially Europe, was waiting for that assay, and it made the company a tremendous success. Even though I had developed over 30 diagnostic tests, the Epstein-Barr virus assay was the one that I became known for in medical diagnostics. It was a test that nobody could duplicate, and to this day it remains the gold standard for diagnosing the virus."
USANA is Born
Some years later Dr. Wentz felt strongly that it was now time for him to throw himself completely into the fight against degenerative diseases. The fact that his own health seemed to be deteriorating under the stress and pressure of his work cemented his resolve. He sold the controlling interest in Gull Laboratories to a large German medical products firm for $21.7 million.
In 1992, armed with a unique depth of cell-culture expertise, as well as a strong belief in the importance of cellular nutrition, Dr. Wentz created USANA and its now-famous family of nutritional products.
In a world of pharmaceutical and surgical "solutions" to cancer, heart problems, and other degenerative diseases, why did he choose nutrition as the weapon with which to confront the giant? "I became convinced that the single most effective thing we could do to prevent and even reverse degenerative disease was to give our bodies proper nutrition," he explains. "To resolve the essential nutrient deficiencies of our modern diet and counteract the free radical damage from our toxic environment that is overwhelming our antioxidant defense systems."
That same realization has come to many people based on many different levels of understanding. But Dr. Wentz insights into nutrition came from the most basic level of all: the individual human cell.
"In order to develop the best viral assays for Gull, I had to develop the best viral antigens," he states. "But viruses need host cells to reproduce. You can't grow good viruses unless you can grow healthy, fully functioning cells. I found that by giving human cells proper nutrition, I could keep cells healthy indefinitely, with no evidence of degeneration or disease. Through nutrition, I could even restore health to damaged or degenerated cells."
Dr. Wentz work in developing a refined nutritional system to keep laboratory cells healthy led him to a firm conviction: "The principles of good nutrition are universal. If we can "nutrient" the human body in a comprehensive way–on a daily basis–with the full spectrum of essential nutrients in the right forms, amounts, and in the proper balance, we can sustain long-term health and effectively avoid degenerative disease. Health, after all, must begin at the cellular level."
Never has optimal nutrition been more critically important than in today's society. "In fact," he states, "the skyrocketing amounts of free radicals that are being generated from the toxins that we have created in this century–the synthetic chemicals, drugs, pollutants, stress, and so on–are overpowering our dietary sources and innate production of antioxidants. The body's antioxidant systems cannot stop the chain-reaction of excessive free radical activity that barrages it day in and day out.
"That's why we need better nutrition than our grandparents and our parents had. We need doses of natural, dietary antioxidants that are far larger than what the government has established as recommended daily amounts. We need supplements because our bodies require more of these nutrients than we could possibly get in our foods. When I introduced the USANA nutritionals, other medical and nutritional scientists told me I was extremist–they thought the megadose amounts in the formulas would be toxic. After just a few years, and seeing the results, those scientists now agree I was right."
The phenomenal growth of USANA, not to mention the rapidly growing family of people who claim that its products have changed their lives, stand as witnesses to the verity of Dr. Wentz' ideas and to the effectiveness of the nutritional tools he has brought to the world.
Sanoviv: A Bold New Step Forward
In his quest to improve the health of as many people as possible, Dr. Wentz realized that he needed to continue advancing the field of nutrition and to accelerate the world's understanding and acceptance of the importance of nutrition. To this end he created a wellness center for women in Atlanta, Georgia–an experiment in integrative medicine that brought conventional and alternative medical practitioners together into an intelligent, effective continuum of care that acknowledges the vital role of good nutrition.
Taking this concept one giant step further, Dr. Wentz created Sanoviv, his crown jewel. This sparkling, new, total wellness center perches like a white dove above one of the world's most inviting ocean bays. Located just south of Rosarito Beach, Mexico, Sanoviv is built on the site of the former Levi Strauss mansion.
From top to bottom, Sanoviv is Dr. Wentz' financial and spiritual creation. "Sanoviv is a model research, education, and clinical facility, where selected people with different disease entities can be studied and helped in a very controlled environment," he states. The government of Mexico agrees, seeing Sanoviv as an example of the forward-looking medicine they want to encourage in their country.
"I believe this place will enable us to uncover many of the answers that we need to prevent and reverse degenerative disease in the world today" Dr. Wentz says. "Nutrition is our primary foundation. But we are also learning how to properly detoxify our bodies from all the toxic substances we've accumulated throughout our lifetimes."
"I'm confident that Sanoviv will become a place for health and healing like no other. I'm engaging the best scientists and practitioners to help me unlock the mysteries, help me to find the answers that we need to combat all forms of degenerative diseases, using cancer as our most challenging objective."
Excellence is in the Details
Dr. Wentz is a detail man. Nowhere is this more apparent than at Sanoviv. Because he insisted on creating a non-toxic environment, he did something that many people who know him consider to be very "Wentz-like:" He demanded nothing but the best to accomplish his objective. He insisted on non-toxic technologies and building materials for this special retreat: carpeting, paints, fabrics, electrical insulation, and water purification. Everything needed to build the facility, right down to the adhesives used to glue the laminates were non-toxic. He even engaged two furniture manufacturing companies to custom-build the furniture and woodwork that would meet his uncompromising standards.
"He has an eye for details," says Dr. John McDonald, USANA's Senior Scientist, whose association with Dr. Wentz dates back to graduate school. "He used to sign all purchase orders. He did that until USANA was at least a year old and it got too big to do that anymore. You might think of that as being quirky, but he created Gull Laboratories from the ground up. He was careful and exacting."
Peter Van Duser, a senior technical writer at USANA, has written for Dr. Wentz for years. "He's a very hands-on guy," he agrees. "When I get involved helping him write speeches or articles, he is concerned about virtually every word. He wants everything to be accurate. But he also wants it to reflect how he really feels about the topic. He's very interested in being authentic in that way."
At least some of Dr. Wentz' penchant for details springs from his sense of order. Says Dr. McDonald, "He will pick up a little piece of paper that someone has left on the floor when he walks through the building. I'll never forget one day I was in a meeting with a CEO Dr. Wentz wanted me to meet. The CEO and I were sitting on the other side of his desk. It was hot so while we talked I took off my suit coat and draped it over the chair next to me. About five minutes later Dr. Wentz got up, came over, picked up my coat, put it on a hanger, and hung it on a coat tree. At the time I was kind of flabbergasted, and then as I thought about it, I realized it was typical Dr. Wentz. Later, the CEO pulled me aside and said, 'By the way, when I first met Dr. Wentz, he did the same thing. I laid my coat over something, and the guy didn't miss a beat. He kept right on talking, came around his desk, picked my coat up, hung it up, and went back to his desk.'"
"He likes everything to be clean," Dr. Wentz' brother, Marvin concurs. "He's meticulous–a real perfectionist."
The Purpose of Wealth
"I've never had an interest in money other than having enough to fund my research," Dr. Wentz says. "I was never interested in going into the academic field where I would have to rely on the government to decide whether I was going to do research in a certain area or not. I wanted to have all the dollars that I needed to do what I felt had to be done. And that's what has happened: I've sponsored and funded all the research that I've ever done over the years."
"Either I've been fortunate, or maybe it's just a natural law–that if you create something that's of value, that is a benefit to mankind, something that other scientists have not been able to do–and if you apply a little bit of good business sense, then the money will come."
Dr. Wentz doesn't think of himself as a businessman. He considers himself a scientist with a little business sense. Van Duser, who has seen him in action for many years, agrees that he is not a typical founder/chairman: "I don't think he's really a businessman at heart," he says. "He's much more a scientist and an entrepreneur, which, to my mind, is not the same as a businessman. He's not a CEO type. He's more hands-on. He's less interested in hierarchy and stratification of business and more interested in just getting things done.
Typical executive or not, Dr. Wentz the scientist has a golden touch for business. This touch earned him (among other honors and accolades) a presidential appointment to the Small Business Administration's advisory group several years ago. "I have been perceived as a good businessman, but I haven't had a single course in business," he admits. "The only business education that I've had was as a teenager. One of the many things I remember my father telling me was that it is much harder being a farmer than a businessman because you can't tell the sun to shine and the clouds to release rain. 'But in business,' he told me, 'all you have to do is take in more money than you pay out.' That's the only rule that I've gone by and it works. At least it has worked for me," he laughs.
Quiet Kindness
Kaye Gillen has known Dr. Wentz since 1975. She is a close friend, as was her now-deceased husband. "Myron Wentz is the kindest person I have ever known," she states. "He really wants to help people. Everything he has ever done in business has been motivated by his intense desire to help people be well and healthy."
"This might embarrass him, but I have never known him to refuse to help anyone, regardless of how that person may have treated him in the past. He never holds a grudge. He has always said that if you can't say anything good about someone, don't say anything. No one knows the things that he does to help people because he keeps them to himself. One day I told him that I was so proud of him for what he does. He was embarrassed and just shrugged it off. He has the biggest, kindest heart in the world."
Marvin Wentz echoes that sentiment. "Myron is very generous with his time and money. Even before he began making a lot of money, he always helped our mother. He even provided her with a car for as long as she could drive it. I rented land from him, and I would send him rent checks. But even though he could have used the money back then, he would never cash them. To this day he still has never accepted any rent from me.
"Dr. Wentz' kindness is broadly-based. According to Marvin, "Myron has no prejudices. He judges everyone as an individual. If I ever say something that seems prejudiced, he gives me a lecture."
Passions
Though he allows himself very little time to enjoy them, Dr. Wentz has his share of interests and passions outside his work.
"Music has been a lifelong passion for me," he says. "I especially love choral music. Music has even influenced my involvement in organized religion. I would sing in every church choir that I could fit into my schedule, regardless of which church it was. When I travel–for example, when I'm in Europe on a Sunday, you'll find me in the cathedral that has the best choir in the area."
"Another passion of mine," Dr. Wentz says, "is studying historical figures who have made real contributions to mankind. I haven't read a novel since high school, and I don't intend to. There is too much scientific literature to read. I don't go to movies; I feel guilty sitting there. So I tend to deny myself a lot of pleasures.
While he does not actively participate in organized religion, Dr. Wentz is a deeply spiritual person. This spiritual connection constitutes an important passion in his life. He is not the kind of minister his mother once wanted him to be, but in his own words, "I'm ministering to the needs of people through medicine." He believes that this ministry is not arbitrary, but that it is exactly what he is supposed to do with his life.
Family: the Greatest Passion of All Of all the passions in Dr. Wentz' life, the greatest is his family. Although he and Jackie were divorced many years ago, he has always been a devoted father to his two children–David and Julie, and has been very involved in their lives. When he speaks of his children, his expression changes. The determined, thoughtful look that typically molds his expression melts into softness and sheer enjoyment when he speaks of his son and daughter.
"I love my children very much," he states simply. "David has been an important figure in USANA's success. He's a wonderful young man, exceptionally considerate and caring. He has helped me through troubled times."
"Julie is off on her own. She's very independent, as I am–a free spirit. Her college training was in hotel and restaurant management, but now she's more into being an artist and has gone a different direction. She's very content with life."
Kaye Gillen offers the perspective of a close, long-time friend: "I know a Myron most people don't know," she says. "The greatest joys of his life are his children. He absolutely adores them. And they are wonderful children. He used to love to watch his son play soccer and volleyball. We'd say that David was on a volleyball scholarship that was given to him by his father. You cannot spoil a child with love, and these children were loved, and still are."
"I remember when Julie was a baby and we'd go places as couples, Myron would want to get up in the night to take care of her. I would hear him caring for and changing her, and then softly talking to her. Very few people have seen that side of this man."
Driving Hard to the Finish Line
In the final analysis, it is his dream to help people live longer, healthier lives that drives Dr. Wentz so relentlessly. The Sanoviv project has required uncounted hours, even while he continued to lead USANA. "He works all the time," says B.J. Snedaker, his personal assistant at USANA. "If his eyes are open, he is working."
Such a pace could be attributed to an unusually high level of energy. But Dr. Wentz attributes it to something else: an urgent sense of mission. "I have always felt that the time is too short for me–that life is too short for what I feel I need to get done," he says. "I was too late to help my father. I was too late to help my mother. But I think I am making contributions that are now allowing people to live the way they were intended to live: in health. I think I am helping people live their lives to the fullest without having them cut short by premature death or illness."
When the sun sets each day, Dr. Wentz interrupts whatever he is doing, walks outside, and stands facing the sun in silence. It is a personal ritual. "I've never really thought much about it," he says. "I take that time to meditate and reflect. I assess what I have been able to accomplish that day and determine whether I am pleased with it. I ask myself whether I have done all that I could. I think about what still remains ahead for me."
dream of a world free from pain and suffering. I dream of a world free from disease. The USANA family will be the healthiest family on earth.
Share my vision. Love life and live it to its fullest in happiness and health."
-Dr. Myron Wentz, Founder and Chairman,
USANA Health Sciences
A Message from Dr. Myron Wentz, Founder and Chairman, USANA Health Sciences, Inc.
Good health and financial freedom - that's everyone's dream. USANA PROVIDES BOTH!
We have forgotten what it is like to die of old age in this world. Instead we die of man-made diseases that could and should be prevented. Statistics tell us that one in three Americans will die of cancer, one in three will prematurely die as a result of heart disease, and that most of the rest will die of either another form of disease or by accidental death. Only a few of us will die of old age.
Chronic degenerative diseases are rampant throughout the world. Both of my parents died prematurely. My father succumbed to heart disease when I was 17 years old, and my mother died a few years ago of cancer. When my father died, I remember my mother saying to me that she wished I could have done something to help him. I believe that with the USANA Health Sciences products, people can live longer, healthier lives and I'm excited about sharing this good news with others.
I find it tragic that the vast majority of people leave this earth too soon and spend too many of their years in pain and suffering. Since I've been using the USANA Nutritionals I believe that time is on my side. How many of you can say the same?
I know that I am providing the cells of my body with the right kind and the right amounts of nutrients, and that the dangerous free radicals that produce diseases and weaken my immune system are being neutralized. I also know that more of the degenerated cells in my body are being replaced with healthy, disease-resistant cells.
As you learn more, you may ask yourself whether you can afford to use the USANA products every day. Just let me say that you can't afford not to! A single case of cancer or heart disease can cause financial ruin for a family.
The USANA products should be at the top of your grocery list. After all, isn't your health the most important thing you have? If you knew what I know about the USANA products, you would not be without them.
The USANA opportunity also rewards you for taking control of your health. The innovative business plan provides weekly paychecks for independent associates with unlimited earning potential.
The USANA Health Sciences staff, and tens of thousands of independent Associates, have built the USANA corporation into a major player in the network marketing industry in just a few short years.
I encourage everyone to adopt the healthy lifestyle that USANA products support, and invite those interested in a rapidly growing opportunity to study our compensation plan. You'll be pleased with USANA.
I dream of a world free from pain and suffering. I dream of a world free from disease. The USANA family will be the healthiest family on earth. Share my vision. Love life and live it to its fullest in happiness and health.
Myron Wentz, Ph.D.
Founder and Chairman, USANA Health Sciences, Inc.
Our Mission
To develop and provide the highest quality, science-based health products, distributed internationally through network marketing, creating a rewarding financial opportunity for our independent Associates, shareholders, and employees.
USANA Products Combat Eroding Health
USANA Health Sciences has become one of America's leading companies in the field of health and nutrition. The two main reasons are: (1) a superior product line that you can always trust, and (2) an innovative network marketing program that amply rewards both the average and ambitious Distributor.
Company founder Myron Wentz, Ph.D., is a world-renowned pioneer in cell-culture technology. In the early 70s, he founded Gull Laboratories, which soon became the world's leading producer of commercially-available diagnostic test kits for viruses. While Gull played a critical role in the world health arena, Dr. Wentz always felt that disease prevention was as important as detection.
He and other scientists were finding that our environment, lifestyle, and diet factors were continually eroding our health. One of the most significant research findings has been the value of antioxidants in countering the negative effect of "free radicals" in the human body. Free radicals are believed to be the cause of many degenerative diseases, and spawn from a variety of factors including pollution, high-fat diets, lack of exercise, and smoking.
Today, USANA's products are on the leading edge of providing adequate cell-level nutrition, fiber, and antioxidant protection for our bodies. Dr. Wentz is applying the same level of scientific expertise, technical brilliance, and dedication he employed in pioneering viral diagnostics to create breakthrough approaches to nutritional wellness.
The Need for Nutrition
As sciences go, nutrition is a young one. To put its age in perspective, if the history of the human race were compressed into 24 hours, scientific discoveries began about 12 seconds ago, and nutrition, as an organized science, emerged only during the last three to six seconds.
While much has been discovered about nutrition in its short scientific history, the road ahead still holds many discoveries in our journey toward optimal health. Of the many vehicles on that road, USANA is the Mercedes Benz®, leading the way in quality and integrity.
The following articles provide strong evidence of the need for nutritional supplementation:
Overworked and Undernourished
The human species has existed in something like its present form for hundreds of thousands of years. During that time, the immune system has played a vital role in our ability to weather exposure to parasites, bacteria, viruses, toxins, and other hazards that assert themselves daily by interacting with our bodies. Each of us has a personal responsibility for our own health. "Health is not just the absence of disease–it is the empowering of our bodies to perform at its optimal level." -Dr. Myron Wentz, Founder and Chairman, USANA, Inc. Our body's struggle against disease is ongoing, a person's immune system meets innumerable challenges, foiling countless opponents in a lifetime. A fatal infection often represents the only unqualified loss in a generally victorious campaign. For a time, it was widely assumed that infectious diseases had been brought under control, especially in the industrialized nations. The appearance of AIDS, and the recent resurgence of tuberculosis, including the evolution of organisms resistant to many drugs, illustrates that the monster was not slain–it was merely asleep. The study of immunology embraces more than just the nature and prevention of infections. Dr. Wentz' immunologic research points toward new approaches for protecting against certain diseases that result from lapses or malfunctions in the immune response. This work provides a scientific framework for examining the chemical organization of living systems and integrating that information into an understanding of how this amazing organism, the human body, functions as a whole.
"Infectious and chronic diseases are dual enemies that have to be fought simultaneously on a global scale. The battle for health in the 21st century must begin today." -Dr. Myron Wentz
What can you do to help ensure that your body has what it needs in order to maintain optimal health? The answer is very complex, but most research concludes that the answer depends strongly on your nutritional and lifestyle choices. A majority of the illnesses that afflict us are related to nutritional factors (a diet high in animal fat, protein, and cholesterol, and low in fiber ), lifestyle (tobacco smoking, excessive alcohol consumption), and the environment (chemical carcinogens, ozone depletion, air pollution, and industrial toxins). When it comes to your well being, there are no guarantees. However, the daily decisions you make may have a tremendous effect on the outcome of your overall health. The better your nutritional status, the better all systems–including your immune system–will be. Commit today to take the necessary steps toward giving your body the best possible defenses against disease.
Your Health is Priceless... Don't Turn it Over to the Lowest Bidder or Latest fad
By Myron Wentz, Ph.D.
Your daily diet must provide the essential nutrients for optimal health and proper cell function. However, research shows that because the foods we eat today are lacking many essential nutrients and most people simply don't eat right, we could be deficient in the nutrients needed to maintain good health.
But the concept of going to the store and pulling different supplements off the shelf–whatever seems to be the latest fad–is not the way to supply proper nutrition. Nutrition must be balanced.
Healthy Cells = Healthy Bodies
The first company I founded, Gull Laboratories, was successful in growing billions of cells for the purpose of diagnosing viral diseases. I developed the first commercially available test kit for the diagnosis of the Epstein-Barr virus. And now doctors and hospitals around the world use Gull products to accurately diagnose viral diseases.
Our ability to grow healthy and vibrant cells was the reason Gull set the "Gold Standard" for detecting viral diseases.
However, our diagnostic products did little to help people prevent disease. Realizing that nutrition plays a key role in cell health and disease prevention, I turned my attention to human nutrition. I founded USANA because it became increasingly apparent that the nutritional requirements of the human body were not being met in today's environment.
I knew that my knowledge and expertise in growing human cells could be used to design an advanced nutritional system that could help improve peoples' health and quality of life.
Why You Should Consider Nutritional Supplementation
Our bodies are constantly being assaulted by the damaging aspects of the environment, such as radiation, stress, and the toxic chemicals that pollute our air, water, and food. USANA nutritional products are designed to provide a complete and balanced spectrum of beneficial nutrients to help counteract poor nutrition and to prevent the damage caused by this environmental onslaught.
Give yourself the gift of nutrition–your cells will love you for it.
Dr. Myron Wentz
An Urgent Sense of Mission
It began near the end of high school with a mother's plaintive statement of confidence.
"My father died when I was 17," recalls Dr. Wentz, founder and chairman of USANA. "It was one of the most traumatic events in my life. I so much wanted his approval and I may, in a sense, be compensating for his loss even today. And yet, like other teenagers, I felt I hadn't taken enough time for him. When he died, of course, it was too late. I think that put a mark on me–that I was denied a father at a young age."
That mark, difficult though it was to bear, was the catalyst for a lifetime of work and innovations in the field of human health and nutrition–ongoing advances are benefiting growing numbers of men, women, and children throughout the world.
The Roots of a Productive Life
Although his father was taken from him while still in high school, Dr. Wentz enjoyed an upbringing that many would consider ideal.
"I benefited from a very loving home," he says, pointing out that his parents purposely spaced the births of their three boys years apart in order to give each of them their full attention during the crucial formative years. "Marvin is 14 years older than I am, and Charles was seven or eight years older. It was like having three 'only children.' I got a lot of attention as a child. My parents were very devoted to each other and to us."
Born in 1940, Dr. Wentz grew up in Napoleon, North Dakota, a small rural town of about 1,000 people. His father, Adam, and his mother, Bertha, were of German descent. They had been raised in the environs of Napoleon and both came from families of 12 brothers and sisters. Each of their families had left Germany to settle in southern Russia several generations earlier when the czars were encouraging German farmers to move into that part of their empire. The family stayed there until the rising threat of Russian nationalism convinced them to pack up and leave. They arrived in America and settled in North Dakota just before the turn of the century.
"These people preserved all their German culture, their food, and even their language throughout their sojourn in Russia and even after they arrived here," Dr. Wentz says. "I remember well the German dialect my grandparents spoke when I was a child."
While his industrious ancestors brought very little Russian influence to America, Dr. Wentz confesses to having a strong feeling for the Russian people–a feeling that has motivated him to fund medical research in Moscow and to engage Russian scientists to further his nutritional work at USANA.
Like almost everyone else in that area of North Dakota in those days, Dr. Wentz' father was a farmer. But unlike most of his contemporaries, Adam Wentz was also a businessman. "He wasn't content to just farm," explains his son, "so he and one of his younger brothers created some businesses. They started a hardware store, a furniture store, and they bought a John Deere implement shop and a Ford dealership."
Because of these businesses, the Wentz family moved from their outlying farm to a home in town about six years before Myron was born. They were considered "sidewalk farmers" because they lived in Napoleon and farmed outside of town. The home was modest, and like many others in the community at that time, did not have running water or indoor plumbing.
The life of young Myron Wentz was happy, though not exceptional. "He was a serious boy," says his older brother, Marvin, "but he knew how to have a good time. He wasn't a star athlete, but he loved to play sports and lettered in all the high school sports. He was always into music, played in the band, and sang in the choir. He has a wonderful voice."
The restless energy and high-activity level that would be characteristic of later years was already evident. In addition to music and sports, he served as a class officer every year and was an editor of the yearbook.
Marvin Wentz: "He wasn't an outstanding student in early grade school, but excelled in high school and when he graduated from college he got serious about doing something great." In recent years Dr. Wentz has been honored by his high school as Alumnus of the Year and by the University of North Dakota with their highest honor.
Bertha Wentz was a very religious person, and she made sure that her sons went to church every Sunday and to other special meetings. In fact, she wanted Myron to become a minister. The family attended an evangelical church in the area. As a boy, Myron was sent to church camps every summer and was active as a Boy Scout leader.
It was a comfortable life in a loving home with good examples to follow. "My father was highly regarded as a man of generosity and compassion," Dr. Wentz states. "I remember, even years later, when I would go home from college to go duck hunting or whatever. When I would stop by a farm or a store, all I had to do was say I was Adam Wentz son and they would roll out the red carpet for me. It seemed that everybody in that area had been the recipient of my father's help or generosity, or they simply had a great deal of admiration and respect for him."
"I think that made it even harder to lose him at such a young age. He died at 57 from heart disease. But as far back as I can remember he suffered from heart disease, having to go to hospitals and long-term care facilities."
Dr. Wentz saw degenerative diseases claim other members of his family. With only a few exceptions, he watched cancer and heart disease claim his many aunts and uncles on both sides of his family. Even his mother had her challenges. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 60's and went through surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. "She was a fighter, though–a real survivor," Dr. Wentz says, "She wasn't about to let cancer and its therapies kill her early." Cancer took a further toll on the family when it claimed his older brother Charles, at age 66. "Degenerative disease is definitely a problem in my family," he states.
Meeting the Challenge Head-On
Different people handle problems in different ways. Some surrender to them. Others deny or hide from them. And then there are those who make a personal commitment to fight their problems and beat them. Dr. Myron Wentz is one of the latter. He made it his life's work to meet degenerative diseases head-on and do everything in his power to conquer them.
He attended North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, where he earned a bachelor's degree in biology and pre-med in 1963.
"It seems that most of my fellow students went into pre-med programs and then on to medical school," he recalls. "It was the thing to do. But I am not a me-too person. I decided that I was going to do something that was, in my opinion, better. Rather than going the route of medical school and being a front-office practitioner, I wanted to create scientific solutions–to provide the tools for medicine, rather than just use them."
Having decided not to go to medical school, he took a year off to map out the best path to reach his goal. During that time he worked as a microbiologist and decided that he wanted to pursue the study of infectious diseases. "So I enrolled in the graduate school at the University of North Dakota, got a part-time job as a bacteriologist, and earned a master's degree in microbiology."
"Back at the turn of the 20th century, the five leading causes of death were all infectious diseases," Dr. Wentz says."The epidemic of degenerative diseases has developed throughout this century."
From there, the aspiring student–now married to his college sweetheart, Jackie–went on to pursue a Ph.D. in microbiology at the University of Utah, in Salt Lake City. He chose this school because he was interested in immunology, and it boasted one of the strongest immunology departments in the country. Also, he was accepted to study under a renowned professor in his field.
After earning his Ph.D. in microbiology, with a specialty in immunology (his dissertation was on tumor immunology), Dr. Wentz joined a pathology group in Peoria, Illinois. "Although my curriculum had included all the medical courses, it was unusual at that time for a Ph.D. in the medical sciences to be a partner in an M.D. group," he recounts. He served as the infectious disease expert for the group, directing all the microbiology and immunology lab work for three hospital laboratories in the Peoria area.
A Necessary Turn in the Journey
After three years with the group, Dr. Wentz saw an opportunity to make a deeper contribution to medical science. There were only two viral diseases at that time–hepatitis and rubella–whose diagnoses could be confirmed in the laboratory, so he decided to try his hand at developing diagnostic tests for the many other viral infections. He hoped that such tests could be completed and reported to clinicians before their patients left the hospitals–much more rapidly than was then the standard practice.
He left the pathology group in Peoria and returned to Salt Lake City, Utah, where a fully-equipped laboratory with cell-culture facilities stood vacant. "I sold everything I owned," he says, "got a $40,000 SBA loan, and bought the equipment needed to develop viral diagnostics. I knew that the large pharmaceutical firms had been attempting for years to do the same thing that I was trying to do, but for some reason they had fumbled the ball. I decided that I would grow all the viruses of diagnostic importance to man and prepare test systems for those viral diseases. And that's what I did."
Dr. Wentz launched Gull Laboratories in September 1974 as a one-man operation. By June 1977, just over two-and-a-half years later, several of his viral diagnostic assays were FDA-approved and ready for sale.
He decided to focus on the herpes viruses first, and developed assays for several of them. "Those were the first such products on the market," he explains. "But the one that stole the show was the assay for the Epstein-Barr virus. The world, especially Europe, was waiting for that assay, and it made the company a tremendous success. Even though I had developed over 30 diagnostic tests, the Epstein-Barr virus assay was the one that I became known for in medical diagnostics. It was a test that nobody could duplicate, and to this day it remains the gold standard for diagnosing the virus."
USANA is Born
Some years later Dr. Wentz felt strongly that it was now time for him to throw himself completely into the fight against degenerative diseases. The fact that his own health seemed to be deteriorating under the stress and pressure of his work cemented his resolve. He sold the controlling interest in Gull Laboratories to a large German medical products firm for $21.7 million.
In 1992, armed with a unique depth of cell-culture expertise, as well as a strong belief in the importance of cellular nutrition, Dr. Wentz created USANA and its now-famous family of nutritional products.
In a world of pharmaceutical and surgical "solutions" to cancer, heart problems, and other degenerative diseases, why did he choose nutrition as the weapon with which to confront the giant? "I became convinced that the single most effective thing we could do to prevent and even reverse degenerative disease was to give our bodies proper nutrition," he explains. "To resolve the essential nutrient deficiencies of our modern diet and counteract the free radical damage from our toxic environment that is overwhelming our antioxidant defense systems."
That same realization has come to many people based on many different levels of understanding. But Dr. Wentz insights into nutrition came from the most basic level of all: the individual human cell.
"In order to develop the best viral assays for Gull, I had to develop the best viral antigens," he states. "But viruses need host cells to reproduce. You can't grow good viruses unless you can grow healthy, fully functioning cells. I found that by giving human cells proper nutrition, I could keep cells healthy indefinitely, with no evidence of degeneration or disease. Through nutrition, I could even restore health to damaged or degenerated cells."
Dr. Wentz work in developing a refined nutritional system to keep laboratory cells healthy led him to a firm conviction: "The principles of good nutrition are universal. If we can "nutrient" the human body in a comprehensive way–on a daily basis–with the full spectrum of essential nutrients in the right forms, amounts, and in the proper balance, we can sustain long-term health and effectively avoid degenerative disease. Health, after all, must begin at the cellular level."
Never has optimal nutrition been more critically important than in today's society. "In fact," he states, "the skyrocketing amounts of free radicals that are being generated from the toxins that we have created in this century–the synthetic chemicals, drugs, pollutants, stress, and so on–are overpowering our dietary sources and innate production of antioxidants. The body's antioxidant systems cannot stop the chain-reaction of excessive free radical activity that barrages it day in and day out.
"That's why we need better nutrition than our grandparents and our parents had. We need doses of natural, dietary antioxidants that are far larger than what the government has established as recommended daily amounts. We need supplements because our bodies require more of these nutrients than we could possibly get in our foods. When I introduced the USANA nutritionals, other medical and nutritional scientists told me I was extremist–they thought the megadose amounts in the formulas would be toxic. After just a few years, and seeing the results, those scientists now agree I was right."
The phenomenal growth of USANA, not to mention the rapidly growing family of people who claim that its products have changed their lives, stand as witnesses to the verity of Dr. Wentz' ideas and to the effectiveness of the nutritional tools he has brought to the world.
Sanoviv: A Bold New Step Forward
In his quest to improve the health of as many people as possible, Dr. Wentz realized that he needed to continue advancing the field of nutrition and to accelerate the world's understanding and acceptance of the importance of nutrition. To this end he created a wellness center for women in Atlanta, Georgia–an experiment in integrative medicine that brought conventional and alternative medical practitioners together into an intelligent, effective continuum of care that acknowledges the vital role of good nutrition.
Taking this concept one giant step further, Dr. Wentz created Sanoviv, his crown jewel. This sparkling, new, total wellness center perches like a white dove above one of the world's most inviting ocean bays. Located just south of Rosarito Beach, Mexico, Sanoviv is built on the site of the former Levi Strauss mansion.
From top to bottom, Sanoviv is Dr. Wentz' financial and spiritual creation. "Sanoviv is a model research, education, and clinical facility, where selected people with different disease entities can be studied and helped in a very controlled environment," he states. The government of Mexico agrees, seeing Sanoviv as an example of the forward-looking medicine they want to encourage in their country.
"I believe this place will enable us to uncover many of the answers that we need to prevent and reverse degenerative disease in the world today" Dr. Wentz says. "Nutrition is our primary foundation. But we are also learning how to properly detoxify our bodies from all the toxic substances we've accumulated throughout our lifetimes."
"I'm confident that Sanoviv will become a place for health and healing like no other. I'm engaging the best scientists and practitioners to help me unlock the mysteries, help me to find the answers that we need to combat all forms of degenerative diseases, using cancer as our most challenging objective."
Excellence is in the Details
Dr. Wentz is a detail man. Nowhere is this more apparent than at Sanoviv. Because he insisted on creating a non-toxic environment, he did something that many people who know him consider to be very "Wentz-like:" He demanded nothing but the best to accomplish his objective. He insisted on non-toxic technologies and building materials for this special retreat: carpeting, paints, fabrics, electrical insulation, and water purification. Everything needed to build the facility, right down to the adhesives used to glue the laminates were non-toxic. He even engaged two furniture manufacturing companies to custom-build the furniture and woodwork that would meet his uncompromising standards.
"He has an eye for details," says Dr. John McDonald, USANA's Senior Scientist, whose association with Dr. Wentz dates back to graduate school. "He used to sign all purchase orders. He did that until USANA was at least a year old and it got too big to do that anymore. You might think of that as being quirky, but he created Gull Laboratories from the ground up. He was careful and exacting."
Peter Van Duser, a senior technical writer at USANA, has written for Dr. Wentz for years. "He's a very hands-on guy," he agrees. "When I get involved helping him write speeches or articles, he is concerned about virtually every word. He wants everything to be accurate. But he also wants it to reflect how he really feels about the topic. He's very interested in being authentic in that way."
At least some of Dr. Wentz' penchant for details springs from his sense of order. Says Dr. McDonald, "He will pick up a little piece of paper that someone has left on the floor when he walks through the building. I'll never forget one day I was in a meeting with a CEO Dr. Wentz wanted me to meet. The CEO and I were sitting on the other side of his desk. It was hot so while we talked I took off my suit coat and draped it over the chair next to me. About five minutes later Dr. Wentz got up, came over, picked up my coat, put it on a hanger, and hung it on a coat tree. At the time I was kind of flabbergasted, and then as I thought about it, I realized it was typical Dr. Wentz. Later, the CEO pulled me aside and said, 'By the way, when I first met Dr. Wentz, he did the same thing. I laid my coat over something, and the guy didn't miss a beat. He kept right on talking, came around his desk, picked my coat up, hung it up, and went back to his desk.'"
"He likes everything to be clean," Dr. Wentz' brother, Marvin concurs. "He's meticulous–a real perfectionist."
The Purpose of Wealth
"I've never had an interest in money other than having enough to fund my research," Dr. Wentz says. "I was never interested in going into the academic field where I would have to rely on the government to decide whether I was going to do research in a certain area or not. I wanted to have all the dollars that I needed to do what I felt had to be done. And that's what has happened: I've sponsored and funded all the research that I've ever done over the years."
"Either I've been fortunate, or maybe it's just a natural law–that if you create something that's of value, that is a benefit to mankind, something that other scientists have not been able to do–and if you apply a little bit of good business sense, then the money will come."
Dr. Wentz doesn't think of himself as a businessman. He considers himself a scientist with a little business sense. Van Duser, who has seen him in action for many years, agrees that he is not a typical founder/chairman: "I don't think he's really a businessman at heart," he says. "He's much more a scientist and an entrepreneur, which, to my mind, is not the same as a businessman. He's not a CEO type. He's more hands-on. He's less interested in hierarchy and stratification of business and more interested in just getting things done.
Typical executive or not, Dr. Wentz the scientist has a golden touch for business. This touch earned him (among other honors and accolades) a presidential appointment to the Small Business Administration's advisory group several years ago. "I have been perceived as a good businessman, but I haven't had a single course in business," he admits. "The only business education that I've had was as a teenager. One of the many things I remember my father telling me was that it is much harder being a farmer than a businessman because you can't tell the sun to shine and the clouds to release rain. 'But in business,' he told me, 'all you have to do is take in more money than you pay out.' That's the only rule that I've gone by and it works. At least it has worked for me," he laughs.
Quiet Kindness
Kaye Gillen has known Dr. Wentz since 1975. She is a close friend, as was her now-deceased husband. "Myron Wentz is the kindest person I have ever known," she states. "He really wants to help people. Everything he has ever done in business has been motivated by his intense desire to help people be well and healthy."
"This might embarrass him, but I have never known him to refuse to help anyone, regardless of how that person may have treated him in the past. He never holds a grudge. He has always said that if you can't say anything good about someone, don't say anything. No one knows the things that he does to help people because he keeps them to himself. One day I told him that I was so proud of him for what he does. He was embarrassed and just shrugged it off. He has the biggest, kindest heart in the world."
Marvin Wentz echoes that sentiment. "Myron is very generous with his time and money. Even before he began making a lot of money, he always helped our mother. He even provided her with a car for as long as she could drive it. I rented land from him, and I would send him rent checks. But even though he could have used the money back then, he would never cash them. To this day he still has never accepted any rent from me.
"Dr. Wentz' kindness is broadly-based. According to Marvin, "Myron has no prejudices. He judges everyone as an individual. If I ever say something that seems prejudiced, he gives me a lecture."
Passions
Though he allows himself very little time to enjoy them, Dr. Wentz has his share of interests and passions outside his work.
"Music has been a lifelong passion for me," he says. "I especially love choral music. Music has even influenced my involvement in organized religion. I would sing in every church choir that I could fit into my schedule, regardless of which church it was. When I travel–for example, when I'm in Europe on a Sunday, you'll find me in the cathedral that has the best choir in the area."
"Another passion of mine," Dr. Wentz says, "is studying historical figures who have made real contributions to mankind. I haven't read a novel since high school, and I don't intend to. There is too much scientific literature to read. I don't go to movies; I feel guilty sitting there. So I tend to deny myself a lot of pleasures.
While he does not actively participate in organized religion, Dr. Wentz is a deeply spiritual person. This spiritual connection constitutes an important passion in his life. He is not the kind of minister his mother once wanted him to be, but in his own words, "I'm ministering to the needs of people through medicine." He believes that this ministry is not arbitrary, but that it is exactly what he is supposed to do with his life.
Family: the Greatest Passion of All Of all the passions in Dr. Wentz' life, the greatest is his family. Although he and Jackie were divorced many years ago, he has always been a devoted father to his two children–David and Julie, and has been very involved in their lives. When he speaks of his children, his expression changes. The determined, thoughtful look that typically molds his expression melts into softness and sheer enjoyment when he speaks of his son and daughter.
"I love my children very much," he states simply. "David has been an important figure in USANA's success. He's a wonderful young man, exceptionally considerate and caring. He has helped me through troubled times."
"Julie is off on her own. She's very independent, as I am–a free spirit. Her college training was in hotel and restaurant management, but now she's more into being an artist and has gone a different direction. She's very content with life."
Kaye Gillen offers the perspective of a close, long-time friend: "I know a Myron most people don't know," she says. "The greatest joys of his life are his children. He absolutely adores them. And they are wonderful children. He used to love to watch his son play soccer and volleyball. We'd say that David was on a volleyball scholarship that was given to him by his father. You cannot spoil a child with love, and these children were loved, and still are."
"I remember when Julie was a baby and we'd go places as couples, Myron would want to get up in the night to take care of her. I would hear him caring for and changing her, and then softly talking to her. Very few people have seen that side of this man."
Driving Hard to the Finish Line
In the final analysis, it is his dream to help people live longer, healthier lives that drives Dr. Wentz so relentlessly. The Sanoviv project has required uncounted hours, even while he continued to lead USANA. "He works all the time," says B.J. Snedaker, his personal assistant at USANA. "If his eyes are open, he is working."
Such a pace could be attributed to an unusually high level of energy. But Dr. Wentz attributes it to something else: an urgent sense of mission. "I have always felt that the time is too short for me–that life is too short for what I feel I need to get done," he says. "I was too late to help my father. I was too late to help my mother. But I think I am making contributions that are now allowing people to live the way they were intended to live: in health. I think I am helping people live their lives to the fullest without having them cut short by premature death or illness."
When the sun sets each day, Dr. Wentz interrupts whatever he is doing, walks outside, and stands facing the sun in silence. It is a personal ritual. "I've never really thought much about it," he says. "I take that time to meditate and reflect. I assess what I have been able to accomplish that day and determine whether I am pleased with it. I ask myself whether I have done all that I could. I think about what still remains ahead for me."
USANA's Commitment to Quality Assurance & Good Manufacturing Practices
Founded in 1992 by microbiologist and immunologist Dr. Myron Wentz, USANA Health Sciences is a science-based company that develops scientifically advanced nutritional, personal-care, and weight management products. The name "USANA" derives from Greek and Latin and means "true health."
USANA was founded with a mission to manufacture the highest quality products without compromise, products that people can trust. Because poor manufacturing can destroy great science, USANA is one of the few companies to manufacture most of its products in its own state-of-the-art facility. To ensure that the formulas developed in USANA's laboratories are produced consistently, the same process is followed each time manufacturing begins. When raw ingredients first arrive at USANA, they are immediately quarantined until they are tested for purity, potency, and quality. If an ingredient fails to meet set standards, it is rejected and returned to the supplier.
As the tablets are being manufactured, they are tested for hardness, thickness, disintegration, fragility, and weight uniformity. An inappropriate thickness can indicate an imbalance in ingredients, just as a slight variance in compression can result in tablets being too hard to disintegrate in the stomach, or too soft, causing them to break apart in the bottle.
Before packaging, the final product is tested once more for potency and purity. After the products are packaged, the foil seals, labels, and cotton are double-and triple-checked by both machines and people. Each step in the quality assurance process is accompanied by a written, detailed procedure.
Every dietary supplement produced by USANA carries a potency guarantee, which ensures that what is stated on the label is actually contained in the product. The foundation of USANA's nutritional system is the ESSENTIALS™, a comprehensive vitamin, antioxidant, and mineral dietary supplement that contains more than 40 active ingredients and extracts, far more than the 24 vitamins and minerals commonly considered to be adequate. The ESSENTIALS (Mega Antioxidant and Chelated Mineral), Proflavanol® 90, and the HEALTHPAK 100™ AM/PM packs have been exhaustively tested by NSF International and have been found to contain all ingredients at the labeled amounts. NSF is an independent, not-for-profit organization that helps protect consumers by certifying products and writing standards for food, water, air and consumer goods.
Currently, the Federal Drug Administration has not finalized Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for dietary supplements, as they are required to do under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Rather, Congress has initially stated that dietary supplement GMP should be modeled after foods. Because of this statement, many supplement manufacturers have chosen to follow GMP for foods. USANA, however, voluntarily follows GMP for pharmaceuticals as the basis for its quality assurance program in the manufacturing of all of its products, meaning USANA treats nutritional supplements with the same care that goes into the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products.
Similar to guidelines in many other countries, pharmaceutical GMP are federally mandated guidelines for the production of over-the-counter drugs; they are considerably stricter than the food GMP followed by many United States supplement manufacturers. Pharmaceutical GMP cover virtually every aspect of drug manufacturing, including facility design and maintenance, raw material specification and control, supplier validation, product design and testing, employee training, process control, finished product release, and complaint handling.
In several countries around the world, supplements are more highly regulated than in the United States. In Australia, for example, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which regulates dietary supplements, mandates that manufacturers follow a set of GMP identical to pharmaceutical GMP in the United States. As an Australian supplier, USANA is regularly inspected and audited by the TGA to ensure that we meet their GMP standards. Most recently, USANA was audited in June 2006 by the TGA and passed with ease.
Aside from meeting the criteria of regular TGA audits, USANA has voluntarily obtained additional third-party verification of GMP status. Most recently, USANA's Salt Lake City, Utah, manufacturing facility has been certified to be in compliance with GMP requirements set forth in NSF/ANSI Standard 173-2006, Dietary Supplements by NSF International. According to NSF, "GMP registration reflects [a] continued commitment to ensuring quality and satisfaction and gives companies confidence that their organization operates in conformance to established GMP."
It is USANA's mission to develop and provide the highest quality, science-based products. By rigorously testing each product for potency and purity and by voluntarily following pharmaceutical GMP, USANA sets the standard for excellence in dietary supplement manufacturing. Once again this is proof that USANA products are truly Nutritionals You Can Trust.
POTENCY GUARANTEE
USANA is committed to the highest standards of product design and manufacturing, and we guarantee the potency of every nutritional product we sell.
Our company follows internationally accepted Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) set out for the pharmaceutical industry. As such, we track every detail of product manufacture from start to finish—from the verification of raw materials to final testing of finished products. Standard tests include those for potency, purity, disintegration, weight, hardness, thickness, and stability.
For these reasons and more, you can be confident in the potency and overall quality of USANA Products. We truly provide Nutritionals You Can Trust.
USANA was founded with a mission to manufacture the highest quality products without compromise, products that people can trust. Because poor manufacturing can destroy great science, USANA is one of the few companies to manufacture most of its products in its own state-of-the-art facility. To ensure that the formulas developed in USANA's laboratories are produced consistently, the same process is followed each time manufacturing begins. When raw ingredients first arrive at USANA, they are immediately quarantined until they are tested for purity, potency, and quality. If an ingredient fails to meet set standards, it is rejected and returned to the supplier.
As the tablets are being manufactured, they are tested for hardness, thickness, disintegration, fragility, and weight uniformity. An inappropriate thickness can indicate an imbalance in ingredients, just as a slight variance in compression can result in tablets being too hard to disintegrate in the stomach, or too soft, causing them to break apart in the bottle.
Before packaging, the final product is tested once more for potency and purity. After the products are packaged, the foil seals, labels, and cotton are double-and triple-checked by both machines and people. Each step in the quality assurance process is accompanied by a written, detailed procedure.
Every dietary supplement produced by USANA carries a potency guarantee, which ensures that what is stated on the label is actually contained in the product. The foundation of USANA's nutritional system is the ESSENTIALS™, a comprehensive vitamin, antioxidant, and mineral dietary supplement that contains more than 40 active ingredients and extracts, far more than the 24 vitamins and minerals commonly considered to be adequate. The ESSENTIALS (Mega Antioxidant and Chelated Mineral), Proflavanol® 90, and the HEALTHPAK 100™ AM/PM packs have been exhaustively tested by NSF International and have been found to contain all ingredients at the labeled amounts. NSF is an independent, not-for-profit organization that helps protect consumers by certifying products and writing standards for food, water, air and consumer goods.
Currently, the Federal Drug Administration has not finalized Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for dietary supplements, as they are required to do under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Rather, Congress has initially stated that dietary supplement GMP should be modeled after foods. Because of this statement, many supplement manufacturers have chosen to follow GMP for foods. USANA, however, voluntarily follows GMP for pharmaceuticals as the basis for its quality assurance program in the manufacturing of all of its products, meaning USANA treats nutritional supplements with the same care that goes into the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products.
Similar to guidelines in many other countries, pharmaceutical GMP are federally mandated guidelines for the production of over-the-counter drugs; they are considerably stricter than the food GMP followed by many United States supplement manufacturers. Pharmaceutical GMP cover virtually every aspect of drug manufacturing, including facility design and maintenance, raw material specification and control, supplier validation, product design and testing, employee training, process control, finished product release, and complaint handling.
In several countries around the world, supplements are more highly regulated than in the United States. In Australia, for example, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which regulates dietary supplements, mandates that manufacturers follow a set of GMP identical to pharmaceutical GMP in the United States. As an Australian supplier, USANA is regularly inspected and audited by the TGA to ensure that we meet their GMP standards. Most recently, USANA was audited in June 2006 by the TGA and passed with ease.
Aside from meeting the criteria of regular TGA audits, USANA has voluntarily obtained additional third-party verification of GMP status. Most recently, USANA's Salt Lake City, Utah, manufacturing facility has been certified to be in compliance with GMP requirements set forth in NSF/ANSI Standard 173-2006, Dietary Supplements by NSF International. According to NSF, "GMP registration reflects [a] continued commitment to ensuring quality and satisfaction and gives companies confidence that their organization operates in conformance to established GMP."
It is USANA's mission to develop and provide the highest quality, science-based products. By rigorously testing each product for potency and purity and by voluntarily following pharmaceutical GMP, USANA sets the standard for excellence in dietary supplement manufacturing. Once again this is proof that USANA products are truly Nutritionals You Can Trust.
POTENCY GUARANTEE
USANA is committed to the highest standards of product design and manufacturing, and we guarantee the potency of every nutritional product we sell.
Our company follows internationally accepted Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) set out for the pharmaceutical industry. As such, we track every detail of product manufacture from start to finish—from the verification of raw materials to final testing of finished products. Standard tests include those for potency, purity, disintegration, weight, hardness, thickness, and stability.
For these reasons and more, you can be confident in the potency and overall quality of USANA Products. We truly provide Nutritionals You Can Trust.
USANA Scientists Committed to Research aUSANA Scientists Committed to Research and Development nd Development
"I want you to be aware of the very serious commitment we have to research and development.
I believe that we have tremendously qualified scientists and researchers working for USANA Health Sciences.
Research and Development is divided into product support, quality control, microbiology, analytical chemistry, laboratory services, regulatory compliance, technical services, and product development."
Dr. Myron Wentz
Founder and Chairman, USANA Health Sciences
I believe that we have tremendously qualified scientists and researchers working for USANA Health Sciences.
Research and Development is divided into product support, quality control, microbiology, analytical chemistry, laboratory services, regulatory compliance, technical services, and product development."
Dr. Myron Wentz
Founder and Chairman, USANA Health Sciences
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