From The Top

Although MRM and Chemi-Source were started in 1996, my passion of maximizing performance and well-being through nutrition started with simple curiosity back in High School. My swim and water polo coach introduced me to the strange world of “desiccated liver tablets”. If nothing else, it made me curious as to how nutrition and particular exercises made a difference in my performance and recovery.

This curiosity blossomed one Sunday morning, while driving to Church, when I decided to make my passion my career. Soon I was enrolled in the Dietetics and Nutrition program at CSULB and eventually became president of the SDA (Student Dietetics Association). This immersion into academia and the conventional nutritional thinking of the ADA (American Dietetic Association) propelled me into the Clinical Nutrition graduate program which included a clinical research project at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center teaching hospital (GCRC/CSC-5E) and research facilities. Working in the metabolic ward enabled my craving for a deeper understanding of nutrition, especially as a modality for enhancing wellness and restoring health.

It was the early days at the GCRC, working with physicians and investigators from various disciplines, developing specific nutritional protocols, collecting data, performing analytical work and biostatistics that matured my thinking and approach to nutritional interventions. Additionally, I was exposed to new paradigms of thought through collaboration with International Doctoral students from countries utilizing eastern medicine approaches to health management and restoration. This allowed me to complement my western medical training with the benefits of whole body equilibrium and balance approach; obvious universal constructs undervalued in our current western medical system.

During my tenor at the GCRC, I was offered work within the natural nutritional products industry. I was fortuitously exposed to all aspects of ingredient development, product formulation, pharmaceutical manufacturing and even industry (NNFA) committee’s working on political  and industry development issues (DSHEA). All this culminated into my desire to develop my own ideas (ingredients, formulations, clinical trial validation, etc.) and satisfy my creative curiosity which ultimately has a positive effect on the Quality of Life of others (mainly my father, who was diagnosed with leukemia and fought valiantly for 9 years).

Thus Chemi-Source was born! Leaving my research and my generous consulting salary, I started sourcing and procuring “novel nutritional intermediates” for Chemi-Source, which was a challenging but rewarding experience. At the time not many brands or manufacturers knew of compounds like Lipoic Acid, DHEA, Pregnenolone, 5-HTP or MSM. Sales were slow which ultimately brought about the launch of MRM as a “doctor only” line of supplements. It was only a few months before progressive health food stores began offering MRM products.

Since 1996 we have been growing steadily. Starting the company with $10,000 borrowed from Dad, I have focused on product effectiveness and quality. These attributes work well with our preferred “try before you buy” sampling and marketing approach. This, coupled with our “direct sourcing” product development, has allowed us to offer high quality ingredients in effectively dosed formulations at very reasonable prices.

We operate much like a family (yes, with different personalities forcing tolerance and acceptance). Laughing each day is brutally forced upon every employee – even if it’s at me! Life is short, find your passion and work can be gratifying.

We proudly boost of our employee statistics:

• 24% < 12 years
• 33% < 10 years
• 81% < 5 years

Here we are in 2012. This is the longest job I have ever had and I get to work with great minds that challenge me all the time.

Sincerely,
      Mark Olson, President