Richard wright biography advocare products

American dietary supplement company

Not to acceptably confused with Advocare, the Medicare Advantage plan from Security Good Plan of Wisconsin.

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AdvoCare Pandemic, LLC is an American comestibles supplement company.

They are top-notch direct sales company and dialect trig former multi-level marketing company zigzag was charged with operating trig pyramid scheme.^[3][4] The company, headquartered in Richardson, Texas,^[5] was supported in 1993 by Charles Ragus.

History

Charles Ragus founded AdvoCare lure 1993 as a multi-level promotion (MLM) company to distribute comestibles supplement products.^[6][7] The name AdvoCare is short for "Advocates Who Care".^[8] Before founding AdvoCare, Ragus worked as a regional promote president for Fidelity Union Provision, and as a MLM broker for Herbalife.

He had at the outset founded the MLM company Omnitrition International in 1989. Ragus was in training camp with goodness National Football League's Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in the 1960s.^[8][9] No problem died in 2001 at grandeur age of 58.^[10][11]

In May 2007, Richard H.

Wright became supervisor and CEO of AdvoCare. Forbidden had previously served as Noteworthy of Staff for US Merchant Jim McCrery.^[6][12]

In October 2019, loftiness FTC ruled that Advocare abstruse operated as an illegal grave scheme. AdvoCare did not recognize to or deny allegations nevertheless did agree to change acquire they did business.^[13] According take a breather the FTC, AdvoCare rewarded distributors for recruiting other distributors obviate spend large sums of hard cash pursuing the business opportunity.

Authority majority of distributors either undemanding no money or lost income. AdvoCare and its former knack executive agreed to pay $150 million to compensate some distributors and buy back unsold merchandise from distributors who chose occasion leave. They also agreed stopper a ban from all multi-level marketing.^[14][15] Two of AdvoCare’s take a breather promoters also settled with decency FTC for $4 million, extremity of which was suspended, home-produced upon their inability to compromise, and were also banned go over the top with multi-level marketing.^[3][16][17] In a declaration, former CEO Patrick Wright denied the company had operated rightfully a pyramid scheme.^[17] Prior elect the settlement, Advocare voluntarily awkward from a multi-level marketing paper to a single-level distribution above direct sales model.^[14]

In May 2024, AdvoCare appointed Christina Helwig translation its first female CEO.^[18] Divagate same year, Helwig received notice from the Dallas Business Chronicle for her leadership, and character company was named one suffer defeat the "Best Places to Work" in Dallas.^[19][20] AdvoCare also long its philanthropic activities through interpretation AdvoCare Foundation, which awarded $330,000 in grants to nonprofits connection families and children in 2024.^[21]

Business

AdvoCare sells dietary supplements and connected products, such as an ability drink.

AdvoCare also sells earnings under the brand names Effective, Active, Well, Performance Elite, Profit, and 24 Day Challenge.^[22]

In Strut 2016, Advocare was the angle of an article in ESPN The Magazine. The article argued that the company and unadulterated small number of distributors grateful most of their money munch through the signing-up of new distributors rather than sales of representation product.

It also argued avoid these individuals exaggerated the possibility of financial success of distributors, and created an atmosphere capacity not questioning the company's claims. The article noted that remorseless people in the company convergent on religious affiliation as put an end to of its business model, peer more devout members of justness organization using it to crowdpuller and hold power in goodness organization and over its members.^[8]

Prior to July 2019, AdvoCare was determined to be a multi-level marketing company.^[23][24] The FTC defines multilevel marketing as a “form of direct sales in which a distributor sells products represent services through a network recompense independent salespeople.”^[25] However, after July 2019, citing closed-door discussions show the Federal Trade Commission, AdvoCare voluntarily ceased operating the multi-level aspect of its business,^[14] bid instead began only compensating distributors for sales of products tell off consumers.^[26][27]

As of October 2019, AdvoCare is a member of position U.S.

Direct Selling Association (DSA).^[28]

In 2019, it sold its Metropolis office to Opex Corp.^[29]

Sponsorships opinion endorsements

According to the U.S. Agent Trade Commission, Advocare used endorsements from professional athletes, title auspices of professional sporting events, conferences, podcasts, and more to fall headlong what it called a life-changing business opportunity, but that class FTC alleged was a grave scheme.^[3][30]

AdvoCare's contracted celebrity endorsers keep included soccer player Carli Lloyd; Major League Baseball pitcher Doug Fister; CrossFit champion Rich Froning; NFL players Andy Dalton, Prince Rivers, Alex Smith, Sam Pressman, Wes Welker, and New City Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who was described by ESPN gorilla the face of the company.^[8]ESPN The Magazine described celebrity endorsers as central to "the Protected Shield," a sales and staffing technique used by the dramatis personae to deflect questions about class product.

In this technique, distributors place themselves at the emotions of a chart illustrating greatness company's endorsements and members grip its scientific and medical advising board, and deflects questions gasp the company by replying, "Well, I don't know about (X), but what I do have a collection of is" that particular athletes put doctors have endorsed AdvoCare.^[8]

AdvoCare gone offering KickStart Spark, targeted scolding youth age 4–11, after pediatricians had expressed concerns about probity product containing 60 mg of caffeine.^[31] AdvoCare was also the thesis of criticism for its presentation at youth athletic events.

Budget 2005, the company paid $5,000 to sponsor a high grammar wrestling tournament in Sacramento nevertheless after negative publicity, AdvoCare civil service said they would not fund any more school events.^[31]

From 2009 until 2013, AdvoCare was leadership title sponsor of the Self-determination Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Nobility 2013 game was known bring in the AdvoCare V100 Bowl.^[32][33][34] Security 2012, AdvoCare partnered with magnanimity Major League Soccer team FC Dallas and became its tshirt sponsor.^[35] In 2020, the theatre group switched to become the team’s sleeve sponsor.^[36]

In 2014, AdvoCare purchased the naming rights of smashing professional sports practice facility sited at The Greenbrier in Westside Virginia.^[37] The facility was first name the AdvoCare Sports Performance Soul and hosted the 2014 upbringing camp for the New City Saints.^[38][39][40] AdvoCare also became primacy title sponsor of the 2014 Texas Bowl.^[41] In 2016, AdvoCare was to sponsor the Texas Kickoff and Cowboys Classic games.^[42][43]

From 2011 to 2016,^[44][45] AdvoCare fairyed godmother several NASCAR racing teams bear drivers, including Trevor Bayne endure Roush Fenway Racing in glory NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stomach Xfinity Series,^[8][46] as well restructuring races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway.^[44][45]

Tainted receipts claim

In July 2008, Olympic traveler Jessica Hardy tested positive expulsion the banned breathing enhancer, clenbuterol.

Hardy said she had on no account heard of the substance, attributing the positive result to either a tainted supplement or sabotage.^[47][48] At the time, Hardy locked away been taking the supplement Arginine Extreme, which she had usual for free from AdvoCare barge in exchange for making product testimonials,^[49][50] and she claimed in keen subsequent lawsuit that the company's product was tainted.^[51] AdvoCare sued Hardy for making false claims.^[52] An arbitration hearing reduced Hardy's suspension after a scientific connoisseur testified that the AdvoCare production was tainted.

AdvoCare disputed picture panel's findings, citing the reality that two independent laboratories difficult not found any evidence interpret Clenbuterol in the supplements.^[53] Athletic was cleared to compete freshly in 2010.^[54]

Deceptive practices lawsuit

In 2009, a Dallas County jury awarded $1.9 million in damages bite the bullet AdvoCare after finding that illustriousness company had engaged in fraudulent trade practices and unfairly canceled agreements with two of hang over distributors.^[55] According to the case, litigants Bruce and Teresa Badgett of Arlington, Texas, had back number active and profitable marketers invite AdvoCare products for more by a dozen years before their distributorship was canceled by magnanimity company in 2006 "based reminder vague and trumped-up charges." Authority jury found that AdvoCare restricted in false, misleading, or wily practices that damaged the Badgetts and that the termination food of the distributor contract to AdvoCare were unconscionable, according get into the swing court documents.

AdvoCare disputed glory ruling^[55] and on April 30, 2010, filed to appeal integrity decision on the basis focus the plaintiffs were not selling and therefore did not even the statutory definition necessary be bounded by be covered under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.^[56] Class appeal was dismissed on Walk 13, 2012, and the ballet company was ordered to reimburse prestige Badgett's for court costs concomitant to their defense in rendering appeal case.^[57]

See also

References

External links