Editors’ Note

Gerry Morton founded NutriScience Corporation in 2003 as a platform to build, grow and acquire nutrition product brands with the potential to lead their categories. On the nonprofit side, he is the Rotarian of the Year for the Manhattan Beach Rotary Club and Chair of the Manhattan Beach Planning Commission. He is Past-President and Chairman of the Board for the Greater Los Angeles Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Past-President of the Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO) in Los Angeles and is on the Board of Directors for the Global One Chapter of YPO (formerly Young President’s Organization). Morton is a veteran of four Ironman Triathlons, over 36 marathons, the Catalina Classic 32-mile paddleboard race and other top athletic competitions. He completed the 230-mile John Muir Trail in 7 days. He is a private pilot, ship captain, and licensed real estate broker. Morton earned a BSBA in entrepreneurship at the University of Arizona – Eller College of Management, an MS in nutrition from Clayton College, an Executive MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management and finished an Entrepreneurial Masters Program at MIT Sloan School of Management and the HBS/YPO President’s Program in Leadership at Harvard Business School.

Company Brief

NutriScience (nutriscience.com) was founded in 1997 to build, grow and acquire nutrition product companies with the potential to lead their categories. NutriScience helps companies to grow by working to bring leading nutrition options to the marketplace and developing world class nutrition products brands. It offers science-based supplements of the highest quality directly to the consumer and through retail stores.

Will you highlight the history and heritage of NutriScience and discuss how the business has evolved?

Since 2003, we have been sharing our passion and commitment to 100 percent natural supplements, wellness products and education with the world. Founded and inspired by ultra-endurance athletes seeking to achieve peak performance, we have worked with talented nutritionists and scientists to develop effective science-based, all natural, gluten free, non-GMO, organic whey protein, green superfood powders, and supplements. We built on those foundational products and offer pre-workout powder, protein bars and green bars. Doctors, fitness trainers and nutritionists are excited to recommend our products for weight loss, muscle building and overall nutrition and wellness. Recognizing that CEOs, business leaders, busy parents, and, really, everyone, could benefit from our products, we expanded our reach to anyone seeking to supplement their daily nutrition for peak performance and complement their healthy eating and exercise regime with our products.

Will you provide an overview of NutriScience’s brands and your outlook for growth for the brands?

Our leading brands include EnergyFirst and Greens Plus, both multi-decade leaders in their industries. EnergyFirst was founded in 1997 and is a leader in premium low glycemic products that facilitate stable blood sugar and optimal health. EnergyFirst was the first to market a low glycemic all-natural whey protein isolate product. Greens Plus was founded in 1989 and was the first company to ever market a blended green superfood powder. Greens Plus bars and powders have been atop SPIN nationally and its bars have been a best seller at Trader Joes. Greens Plus was inspired by the Guinness Book of World Records’ longest living quadriplegic who used Greens Plus Superfoods to achieve her longevity and wrote a best-selling book about her experiences.

How critical is innovation for NutriScience and where is innovation taking place within the business?

Innovation is core to who we are as a company. We release new products to tackle new markets and are always improving our product sourcing in ways that keep us at the forefront of the industry. The industry landscape is always changing and our “Farm to Factory” approach has allowed us to stay ahead of these trends in quality and focus.

Did you always know that you had an entrepreneurial spirit and desire to build your own business?

I’ve been an entrepreneur since birth. I enjoy solving problems and creating businesses to address unmet market needs. I started my first business as a disc jockey in high school and haven’t looked back. A desire for solving problems and building systems around those solutions has continued to lead me down the path of entrepreneurship. I even chose entrepreneurship as a major in college where I graduated with honors.

What do you see as the keys to effective leadership and how do you describe your management style?

I tend to hire great people and then give them the flexibility to run with their ideas. I also feel that we can accomplish great things if we don’t care who gets the credit so I work to share any credit for a job well done. I like to focus on systems and processes that support our team members and allow them to focus as much of their time and energy on their own unique abilities where they offer the most value to the organization. I like to create a big vision and then inspire people to reach beyond their capabilities to achieve that vision. We never know how much we can accomplish until we put ourselves out there.

You commit your time and energy to supporting many causes through your philanthropic work. What makes this so important to you and how do you focus these efforts?

Philanthropic efforts are a continuation of the mission we have as a company of helping people to live healthier and happier lives. My wife and I have always been passionate about supporting young people since they are the future of our country. In keeping with that, we’ve each run two of the largest youth serving nonprofits in Los Angeles with me serving as President and Chairman of the Greater Los Angeles Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America and my wife serving as the President and Chair of the LA Conservation Corps. We work hard to instill the value of service in our children and make it a core part of our family focus.