When Dr. Bland speaks, people listen. His passion for nutrition's role in healthcare is evident, and his internationally recognized annual seminar (recently celebrating its 30th anniversary) has been called "career changing." He's a very important part of our past, our present, and the legacy we hope to build.

Thousands of clinicians worldwide have taken up the charge to practice "functional medicine"—a term he coined to describe the practice of personalized medicine to focus on the cause of chronic disease instead of the symptoms. But his influence doesn't stop there. He established the Institute for Functional Medicine and is one of the 4 original founders of Bastyr University, both of which also teach nutritional medicine applications.

He was raised with a strong belief in the power of natural medicine (instilled by his mother), which likely influenced his choice to study nutritional biochemistry and join the nutritional research division at the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine. Later he founded Healthcomm International to develop and manufacture patented products to reflect his research—and filled a much-needed void in professional nutritional protocols. (He served as its CEO from 1985 until its merger with Metagenics in 2000. His father, sister Christie, wife Susan, son Kelly, son Kyle and daughter-in-law Melissa also helped build the company.)

This boating enthusiast and grandfather of 4 has written 9 books (and counting!) on nutrition for healthcare professionals and the general public. And he's the principal author of over 100 peer-reviewed research articles.

Can he take credit for the current shift to a more natural way of practicing medicine? Well, we think he's certainly qualified to lead it.