- The document summarizes the history of Shaklee Corporation from its founding in 1915 by Dr. Forrest Shaklee to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2015. It details how Dr. Shaklee developed the first known vitamin supplement to help heal himself from tuberculosis as a child and then radiation poisoning. In 1956, he founded Shaklee with his two sons to distribute these natural health products. The company pioneered many innovations in nutrition and green products and grew successfully over the following decades based on Dr. Shaklee's philosophy of using only safe, natural ingredients.
2. All Shaklee Distributors have EVERY REASON to
Celebrate and to be Proud of their Company
that has changed
the HEALTH and WEALTH of Millions
3. Dr. Shaklee experienced the “power
of nature” in his own life, and
wanted to share that power of
“God’s Pharmacy” with others
4. So this year, as we celebrate 100
years of innovative products from
Shaklee, I want to share the
history of
Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee
who was the second child to
ROBERT & MARTHA SHAKLEE,
born in November 1894.
His brother, RALPH, was 6 years older,
born in 1889
… and a sister, CECILY, was born into the
family three years later, in 1897
5. This is a wonderful story of a mother’s deep
love for her child.
6. Forrest was born
in Carlisle, Iowa
which was a
sooty, dirty coal
mining town.
At birth, he was
diagnosed with
consumption which is
tuberculosis of the
lungs. This wasting
disease eventually
suffocates you to
death.
7. When Forrest was born he
showed no signs of life.
Midwives made repeated efforts to stimulate
breathing by artificial respiration.
2 local doctors were summoned on horseback.
PROGNOSIS …
The case is HOPELESS … this baby cannot be
expected to live long … his short life will be
living death!
8. For weeks, Forrest lay
motionless in his cradle hewn
from red cedar by his father
but his mother, Martha refused to give
up … she believed in the power of God
and the power of Nature.
9. She massaged his little body over and
over with oils and herbal concoctions
.. as long as he had breath she had
hope.
She incorporated many herbal brews into his
diet, that she had learned from her mother
and grandmother.
She refused to
accept her son’s
death warrant.
10. The family made a decision to move to a farm in
Moorhead, Iowa. The farm provided an opportunity to
live as close to nature as possible.
Forrest was fed a diet of natural foods from plants and
herbs. He was exposed to clean air.
His childhood was that of a convalescent …
… and finally at the age of four he sat up by himself
for the FIRST time!
11. His teen years were spent in the fields
observing animals and their instincts as well
as the cycles of nature.
One of Forrest’s famous quotes is …
“Animals watch for the signals and
listen to the voice of Nature, while
men have forgotten how to read or
listen to them.”
12. Throughout this time, a
question loomed in his
mind … “Why did I live
and other children born
with consumption die?”
He recognized it was his
mother’s love and
commitment to immerse
him in everything natural.
He was a living testimony
of nature’s healing power.
13. He was fascinated by the power in
plants, and began stabilizing minerals
extracted from vegetables.
14. When he was a teenager his philosophy was born.
This philosophy would eventually change the well being
of hundreds of thousands of lives.
“Living in harmony with nature”
became the foundational principle in his life.
This philosophy manifested itself in a product creed …
“I will never create a product that will
harm one tissue cell in the body.”
15. By 1915, at age 21, he had created a product which
contained concentrated nutrients, and called it
“VITALIZED MINERALS”
17. A few years before, Casimir Funk,
a Polish biochemist, was also studying
the isolation of natural
substances from food called
“vitamines”.
Although much publicity in scientific
circles was given to Casimir Funk’s
study of vitamins, Forrest had
CREATED the first known Vitamin
Supplement in the World.
18. So while World War I raged, Forrest
Shaklee created the first known
supplement that began a revolution in
natural health care as we know it today.
19. 1915 marked another very important date for
Forrest Shaklee. He took keen interest in
chiropractic studies. He believed that many
secrets of human power lie in the spinal cord,
the brain & the nervous system.
Dr. Daniel David Palmer, the first chiropractorForrest Shaklee
20. Dr. Daniel David Palmer,
Father of Chiropractic
He studied under the first known chiropractor in the
world, Dr. Daniel David Palmer, who had opened the
very first chiropractic school in 1897.
Forrest graduated from Palmer School of Chiropractic
in Davenport, Iowa in June 1915 at the age of 21.
Palmer School of Chiropractic, Davenport, Iowa
21. He bought another chiropractor’s
practice for $1,000 and set up
practice in Rockwell City, Iowa.
22. That December in 1915, at the
age of 22, he married RUTH
CHAPIN, an accountant … a young
girl he had met at church.
26. … in early 1918, at age 24,
Forrest moved to Fort
Dodge, Iowa, and opened a
HEALTH CENTER.
The Health Center
incorporated a 15 bed
sanatorium and 32
treatment rooms.
Forrest hired a staff of
chiropractors, osteopaths,
internists, general
practitioners, and surgeons.
FORREST was the
Administrator
Forrest wanted to
serve people within
a 100 mile radius.
27. Forrest knew Wilbur and Orville Wright,
the two American brothers, inventors,
and aviation pioneers who are credited
with inventing and building the world's
first successful airplane.
28. So when the major mode of transportation
was still horse & buggy … in order to serve
patients within a 100 mile radius of Fort
Dodge, that same year Forrest bought a 2
passenger Curtis airplane that could land in
patient’s fields.
He was the first flying
doctor in the state of
Iowa, and one of the
first in the United
States.
29. At the clinic Forrest spent a great deal of time
in X-RAY DIAGNOSIS.
At that time, the hazards of exposure to
X-rays were not fully known.
31. By 1921, at age 27, Forrest was
suffering from severe ulcerated burns
on his left shoulder and left hip as a
result of radiation exposure.
32. The Mayo Clinic diagnosed him
with TERMINAL CANCER, and
offered amputation of the arm
up to the
shoulder, and
amputation of
the leg up to
the hip.
33. So here he was
… 6 years after creating
the first known
vitamin in the world
… with a death sentence as a
result of attempting to help
other people to regain their
health
34. Forrest decided …
“Cancer WILL NOT cut my life
short, and I will not become a
helpless amputee.
… I will live
… I will heal
… I know I can do it.”
35. He sold the clinic and moved
back to a farm in Davenport,
and began an intensive program
of nutrition from fresh food
direct from the soil, and
supplemented his diet with
large quantities of his own
“VITALIZED MINERALS”.
36. He also created a combination
of nine herbs that had
detoxifying and healing
benefits that he had learned
from his mother as a child.
Besides nutrients, he knew he
needed support from nature to
promote blood, liver, lymph,
bowel, and cellular cleansing to
overcome the damaging impact
of the radiation poisoning.
This was the origin of Shaklee
Herb Lax … one of Shaklee’s
most popular products still
today.
37. For several months …
there was
NO IMPROVEMENT
but Forrest
persevered.
His mother’s example
had taught him well.
Persevere when
things appear
impossible
38. That December, Forrest & Ruth’s
second son was born … Raleigh Lee
… a brother
for
Forrest Jr.
40. … after consistent, excellent nutrition and
massive supplementation, the ulcers finally
stopped festering and healed over completely
with healthy tissue.
The Mayo Clinic
acknowledged that a
full and remarkable
remission had been
effected, but
REFUSED TO BELIEVE
it had anything to do
with his diet &
supplements.
42. … in July, 1924, at age 30, he moved to
Mason City, Iowa, and became the Chief of
Staff of what was then the
“Largest DRUGLESS Clinic in the World.”
His formulations for food supplements were
packaged and dispensed to
all patients in need.
43. When asked what he believed to be
the greatest aid in restoring health
to the patients, he replied “…
COMMON SENSE … the most
uncommon thing in the world.”
44. Forrest continued
studies in many
areas close to his
heart.
In the mid 1920’s
he received his
degree of Doctor
of Divinity, and was
ordained a
Minister at the
Church of Christ.
45. January 1929 … the Shaklee clinic
burned to the ground.
Forrest was 35 years old.
46. So he invented the “first mobile home” and
decided to do some traveling with his family.
47. But then the STOCK MARKET
CRASHED, and he lost all of his
investments, keeping only about
a dime on every dollar.
48. So he moved to Oakland, California, and
set up another clinic.
Dr. Shaklee was always
a student. In 1931,
at the age of 37,
he received his
diploma as
DOCTOR OF
NATUROPATH.
50. … TRAGEDY struck the Shaklee family.
In 1941, at the age of 47, Forrest was
widowed.
His wife, Ruth, while crossing a street, was
struck by a young drunk, uninsured driver.
51. • Forrest Jr. joined the
Army, and
• Lee joined the Navy.
• Forrest continued
practicing, but became
a licensed short-wave
radio operator and
trained radio operators
for submarines.
… then came the second WORLD
WAR (1939-45)
52. In 1943, at the age of 49, Forrest
retired from the clinic and bought a
420 acre ranch in California which he
turned into a hunting lodge.
Among frequent visitors who came to
the lodge were Bob Hope and Andy
Devine.
53. In 1945, he sold the lodge
and continued his research
and writing and preaching.
He became a renowned
radio personality.
As a result … people
wanted his
“Vitalized Minerals”.
54. So 10 YEARS LATER, in
1955, he called his two sons to a
business meeting to see if they
would be interested in going into
business with him to distribute his
supplements.
Lee had reached great success in the insurance field,
and Forrest Jr. owned an accounting business that
was thriving.
The two boys said … “YES”
They each invested $5,000.
55. They established their first distribution center, and
only six months later, on
April 1st, 1956
… “SHAKLEE PRODUCTS” became an entity with a
100% commitment to make
products that improve the health of people
without harming the planet!
The company slogan was …
“Products in Harmony with Nature and Good Health”
and their operating motto was … “Do business by the:
56. Dr. Shaklee was in charge of
Product Development and was the
General Manager.
Forrest Jr. was the Business
Manager, and Lee was in charge
of Marketing and Promotion.
They had one very efficient office
girl, + the 100% inspiration and
support of the wives of Lee and
Forrest Jr.
… PLUS the dedication of a NEW
FLAME in Dr. Shaklee’s life,
Dorothy Potter, a medical
secretary.
57. The Shaklees put their heads together to design a
UNIQUE business plan.
They wanted their company to provide an unlimited
opportunity to anyone who joined.
58. The business plan they established
allowed anyone, regardless of …
• education
• work experience
• social status
• financial background
• age
• sex or
• race
to rise to the very top of the
Shaklee Sales Organization.
It gave everyone a chance to DREAM!
They wanted their business plan to
BREAK DOWN EVERY BARRIER TO SUCCESS!
59. This was the FIRST
Network Marketing Company
based on the distributor’s ability
to teach others … to teach
others … to teach others
60. All three men knew that success or failure
was dependent upon the QUALITY of their
products. They PLEDGED that unless a
product was the finest of its kind on the
marketplace, it would not be introduced.
Dr. Shaklee is known for
his very famous quote:
“All I ever did was listen
to Nature, and pass the
word along.”
61. The company was founded with almost
no assets … but the absolute conviction
of the Shaklees and a SINGLE high
quality product.
This was living proof
that the American
Dream can still come
true.
62. On August 8th, 1957, wedding
bells rang across California, as
Dr. Shaklee, at the age of 62,
married Dorothy Potter.
They took their vows in a very
romantic moonlight ceremony on
the shores of Lake Tahoe.
Forrest remembers that during
the ceremony, the waters
lapped to the edge of the
beach, getting his shoes
thoroughly wet. In typical Dr. Shaklee humor, he
said “In all the time that I had known My Dorothy,
that was the only moment that I got cold feet.”
63. The first and only product that the
company was founded on was
PRO-LECIN NIBBLERS.
(soy protein and soy lecithin in a tablet).
Later that year, HERB LAX was
introduced, and LIQUA LEA was
introduced to replace
Dr. Shaklee’s original
“Vitalized Minerals”.
64. The following year, in 1957,
VITA LEA in tablet form was
added to the product line.
65. It was the FIRST
phosphate-free,
concentrated and
biodegradable
all-purpose cleaner.
1960 … Basic H was
introduced to the
American marketplace.
66. The focus on a “Green Environment” was born!
Up until that point, the world
knew “GREEN” only as a colour!
68. Shaklee became the
Soy Isolate Pioneer
…the FIRST company
to create a
soy-isolate protein.
69. Eight years after the company
opened its doors, the first Shaklee
Convention was held in
San Francisco with 150 Sales
Leaders in attendance … 1964.
70. In the 1970’s, while half way around the
world, the Vietnam War raged on and
took the lives of so many brave men …
71. … the Forrest C. Shaklee Research Centre was
established in Hayward, California, to further
study how to preserve excellent health.
This research center was active for 43 years.
In April 2015, it was replaced by a NEW
Research Centre to celebrate 100 years of
innovative products.
1971
77. 1977 – Shaklee was listed on the
New York Stock Exchange … they
were gaining recognition as a major
industry.
78. In the early 1980’s when Monsanto was
introducing genetically modified seeds which
have created major health concerns, ………
79. Shaklee was providing the nutrition for the
American Everest Expedition with
Sir Edmund Hillary, (the FIRST mountain
climber to reach the top of
Mount Everest).
80. Also in the 1980’s –
Shaklee became the
official Nutrition
Consultant to the
U.S. Ski Team
81. In fact, to date, Shaklee products
have been chosen by over
120 Medal Winners
…
82. … and at least 10% of Team USA were
using Shaklee Products in 2014 in Sochi.
Each of these athletes understands the
importance of premium quality nutrition.
83. 1981 – Shaklee
introduced the world’s
FIRST plant-based
sustained-release
delivery system for
Vitamin C.
How did Shaklee fit
the Vitamin C
equivalent to 1,350
oranges in one little
bottle?
84. 1982 – Shaklee became a
Fortune 500 Company … one
of the largest corporations
in the world
85. For a company that had
started from such
humble beginnings … this
was an amazing feat.
86. 1986
Dr. Forrest C.
Shaklee died,
at the age of 91
years, leaving behind
a legacy that had
changed the lives and
would continue to
change the lives of
millions of people.
1894 - 1986
87. In 1986, Shaklee
served as the Official
Nutrition Consultant to
the pilots of the 1st
nonstop airplane flight
around the entire globe
without refueling.
88. 1986 … Shaklee Products provided Nutrition for the
First Recorded Expedition by Dogsled to
the North Pole,
led by explorer, Will Steger
89. In 1989, 1996 and 2007 – Shaklee funded and
provided nutritional support to
WILL Steger for three other
record-breaking polar expeditions that
investigated global warming and
melting ice caps
90. Sir Richard Branson,
world adventurer and
outspoken
environmentalist,
accompanied Will
Steger in 2007 on the
1,200 mile expedition
on Baffin Island.
91. In 1988, when Canada hosted the
World Olympic Games in Calgary
92. Shaklee was making its own WORLD RECORD … Shaklee
products powered the longest human-powered flight.
This Daedalus pilot pedaled a super lightweight plane 72
miles across a sea near Greece … 3 1/2 quarts of
Shaklee Performance was his only fuel!
1988
… a superman effort equivalent to
running two nonstop marathons
93. That was a WORLD RECORD that has
never been beaten.
98. In 1993 – NASA asked Shaklee to
provide a customized rehydration
beverage for shuttle astronauts, to stop
them from passing out when they
re-entered the earth’s atmosphere
Shaklee served NASA for 18 years
99. The famous astronaut,
Mark Kelly, would not go
into space without his
Shaklee supplements!
Space Shuttle –
The Endeavour
100. In 1994: First Woman to Run across Canada was …
Powered by Shaklee
Jo Wells, 44 year old woman from Burlington, Ontario,
was the first woman to run completely across Canada
from island to island.
111 days, 14 hours and 45 minutes …
averaging 65 km per day.
May 16th - Sept. 4th
101. 1996 –
Shaklee products were
chosen by
Environmental Giant,
Jacques Cousteau on
board the ODYSSEY,
a research vessel that
gathers data on
contaminants in the
world’s oceans.
Jacques Cousteau
102. Increase in
Skin Cancer
Medical reports showed Skin Cancer rates were
soaring. Shaklee applied its decades of
Scientific Research to
Nutrition Therapy for the Skin
103. And in 1998 introduced Enfuselle, an
exclusive Revolutionary Anti-Aging Skin
Care line backed by eight patents and with
clinically proven studies that are unmatched
worldwide
104. 2000 – Shaklee opened its state-of-
the-art WORLD HEADQUARTERS in
Pleasanton, California
105. And also in 2000 – Shaklee became the
FIRST company in the world to obtain
Climate Neutral certification and totally
offset its carbon emissions, resulting in
a net-zero impact on the environment.
106. 2002 – Shaklee received the
International “Environmental
Stewardship Award” and the
“EPA Climate Protection Award”
107. 2003 – Another environmental effort by
Shaklee included the conversion of diesel
school buses in parts of California to
biodiesel buses with low emissions
108. It’s very obvious that this company has,
from the very beginning, had a genuine
and honest respect of the Great Creator,
… and has been committed to doing all it
could to protect nature and the
environment.
109. In 2004, Dr. Shaklee’s VISION for a
healthier tomorrow caught the attention
of a 39 year old multi-billionaire … a
Yale Law School and Harvard Graduate.
His purpose was to do well by doing
good. He totally embraced
Dr. Shaklee’s Philosophy of improving
the life and health of everyone he
touched without harming the planet.
He was confident that by purchasing
Shaklee he could actively impact a
multi-national plan to change the health
of individuals, the environment,
& the economy.
Doing
what
is right
because
it’s
RIGHT
111. Roger spent 20 million dollars over five years
“looking for the RIGHT company to invest in”.
He nicknamed Shaklee the
“Crown Jewel of Network Marketing”.
112. 2005
Roger Barnett was the
featured speaker at the
“WHITE HOUSE
CONFERENCE ON
AGING”
where he spoke to the
President and 1,200
federal leaders.
113. 2005
NUTRIFERON
was introduced
… an incredible
breakthrough in
immune science.
Shaklee Corporation has
the world-wide exclusive
rights to market this
patented formula.
114. August 2008 – Vivix was introduced to
the world marketplace
A Cellular
Repair Product
that is stunning
the Scientific
World
118. Since someone is diagnosed in America every 67 seconds with
Alzheimer’s Disease, Shaklee has recently applied it’s decades of
research to Age-Related Cognitive Decline, and in 2014 just
released an AMAZING product called MINDWORKS that is truly
changing lives.
125. This is not just another vitamin company!
This is not a company that puts its labels
on some other manufacturers’ product.
126. This is not just another vitamin company!
This is not a company that puts its labels
on some other manufacturers’ product.
This is a company birthed in the healing
power of nature that today brings to the
marketplace proprietary products in harmony
with nature that are
ALWAYS SAFE, ALWAYS GREEN,
and most importantly …
ALWAYS WORKS.