How does a successful surgeon end up in a clinic that treats patients with nutrition instead of surgery? Quite naturally, according to Jack.

After med school and a 4-year surgical residency in California, he served for 2 years in the U.S. Navy as a surgeon at a naval hospital in Texas. And following certification from the American Board of Surgery, he opened a surgical practice in Puyallup, WA, and was later elected as a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. So we know he was pretty good at it.

Despite his success, he began to doubt that his patients needed the multiple procedures he was performing. That led him to the Institute for Functional Medicine. He then began to incorporate functional medicine into his surgical practice, which he decided to give up completely in 2003 and opened an integrated, holistic medical clinic in Federal Way, WA.

And he didn't keep his awakening to himself. He's lectured internationally on health and wellness, particularly on personalizing therapeutic lifestyle programs for chronic inflammation, altered immunity, and cardiovascular disease to help address the root causes of these conditions.

Before Jack officially joined our research team in 2008, he was a clinical consultant for several years at our FMRC, where he was in charge of investigative clinical studies with nutritional protocols. We're very lucky to have him full time now.

Although his snowy white hair and beard are reminiscent of a jolly old fella who only brings gifts once a year, Jack brings patients the gift of health every day through his work here. That gives us all something to believe in.