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Manoj Bhargava ­ Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Manoj Bhargava
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Manoj Bhargava is the founder and CEO of 5 Hour
Energy. His net worth is around $4 billion making him
one of the wealthiest Indians in America. Even though he
has all this money, his leads a simple life and has pledged
99% of his wealth to charity. Bhargava explained the
origins of 5­hour Energy and his business philosophy
during his keynote speech at TIECon 2013.[1]
Manoj Bhargava.
Contents
1 Early life and education
2 Professional
3 5­Hour Energy
4 Philanthropy
5 Politics
6 Billions in Change
7 References
8 External links
Early life and education
Born
1952 (age 62–63)
Lucknow, India
Citizenship
United States
Education
Princeton University (one year)
Occupation
Entrepreneur philanthropist
Known for
Founder, 5­Hour Energy
Net worth
USD $4 billion
Bhargava graduated from The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, in 1972. He went on to attend
Princeton University for one year.[2] After that, he went back to India, where he lived in an ashram as a
monk for 12 years.[3]
Professional
Early in his life, Bhargava worked at a variety of jobs, including construction laborer, construction cleaning
contractor, accounting clerk, taxi driver, printing press operator and business manager.[4] He returned to the
United States permanently in the early 1990s and took over his family’s plastics company, Prime PVC Inc.,
later called Prime Conduit, which he grew to $20 million in sales and then sold to a private equity firm in
2007.[5]
During this time he started a consumer products company, Living Essentials.[6] In 2004, the company
developed the product "5­Hour Energy", which has become a well­known brand in the energy drink
market.[7][8] Bhargava's stake in Living Essentials is valued at over $3 billion.
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His businesses include Living Essentials (maker of 5­Hour Energy), Senterra Water (desalination and water
purification), ETC Capital (an investment company), Oakland Energy & Water Ventures (an investment
company), Stage 2 Innovations[9] (products for fuel efficiency that invests in Michigan tech),[10] MicroDose
Life Sciences (medical devices),[11][12] and US Rail (railroad and freight terminal operations).
5­Hour Energy
5­Hour Energy was introduced to the marketplace in 2004. Retail sales grew to over $1 billion by 2011.
Forbes reports that the research firm Symphony IRI believes 5­Hour to hold 90% of the energy shot
market. Bhargava's innovation was creating a blend of vitamins and amino acids that was safe and effective
for those who felt tired. His other innovation included the 2 oz. packaging, pointing out that people who
needed energy were not necessarily also thirsty enough for an 8­ounce drink. The smaller­size packaging
allowed retailers to place the product near checkout counters and at easy point­of­sale locations. The
product contains functional nutrients, such as B vitamins and amino acids. Production and distribution are
handled inside the company itself, in a million­square­foot facility located in Wabash, Indiana.[13]
Philanthropy
Bhargava's foundations include Knowledge Medical Charitable Trust and Rural India Charitable Trust. The
charities have funded medical research in the United States and over 400 charities in India.[14] Two of the
major initiatives are hospitals for the poor and education for disadvantaged women in rural areas.[15]
The Hans Foundation is solely supported by the Rural India Charitable Trust, and in five years it has given
300 crore rupee (approximately $48.1 million U.S.). In November 2014, Bhargava committed 500 crore
rupee (approximately $80.2 million) to develop villages in Uttarakhand, India. [16] In September 2012,
Bhargava joined The Giving Pledge. He has pledged 90% of his wealth to charity, with an emphasis on a
common sense approach to philanthropy. Instead of simply giving money, Bhargava believes that personal
involvement is necessary. [17][18] Bhargava was interviewed on the ABC News show Nightline in
September 2012.[19]
Politics
The Center for Public Integrity dubbed him the "political kingmaker nobody knows" after finding out that
"he makes donations through several of his more than 70 limited liability companies". Michigan politicians
have said that Bhargava has never tried to influence a piece of legislation nor has he asked for anything in
return for the donations.[20]
Billions in Change
Manoj is currently working on his project to help to people under the slogan "Billions in Change"
Companies affiliated with 5­hour Energy—mainly ETC Capital—have "given at least $5.3 million to help
elect state­level candidates since 2009". Political donations by companies with 5­hour Energy affiliations
increased, while 33 states announced that they would investigate the company. They donated more than
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$1.2 million to state attorneys general and their political campaigns. In 2014 ETC Capital donated $2.5
million to the Republican Governors Association, which seeks to elect Republican governors, but Bhargava
has also given more than $310,000 to Democrats. [20]
A New York Times article that highlighted 5­hour Energy's lobbying to influence the state's attorney general
cited a press release put out by 5­hour Energy where Bhargava used the word "ransom" to describe the
attorney general soliciting the company for money. In the statement, Bhargava says that he's not going to
take money he's pledged to the poor and give it to the attorney general. [21]
References
1. Manoj Bhargava (Founder, 5­Hour ENERGY) ­ TIECon 2013 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x46­
XiMOoJE), Youtube.com
2. Duggan, Daniel (19 February 2012). "Wizard of odds". Crains Detroit.
3. "Profile". Forbes.
4. "Newsmakers of the Year 2011". Crains Detroit Business. January 1, 2012.
5. Frank Esposito (June 4, 2007). "Spell purchases Prime PVC". Plastics News.
6. "Prime Conduit".
7. Murphy, Eamon (9 February 2012). "5­Hour Energy: A Success Equal Parts Caffeine, Chemistry and
Meditation". DailyFinance.
8. Jennifer Zegler (August 1, 2011). "Focus on Function: 5­Hour Energy maintains dominance in energy shots".
Beverage Industry. pp. 36–39.
9. Rechtin, Mark. "Manoj Bhargava partner, former Chrysler CEO Tom LaSorda named CEO of Fisker
Automotive". Crain News Service. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
10. Brennan, Mike (15 June 2011). "Private fund has $100 million to invest in Michigan tech". The Center for
Michigan.
11. Gormley, Brian (May 19, 2010). "With Tempting Idea For Start­Ups, MicroDose Makes First Two Deals". Wall
Street Journal.
12. "Ex­Pfizer staff notch start­up hits with MicroDose Life Sciences". Concentrate: Issue Media Group. Retrieved
26 May 2010.
13. Walsh, Tom. "Manoj Bhargava tells the story of the phenomenal growth of his 5­Hour Energy drink". Detroit
Free Press. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
14. "Manoj Bhargava, richest Indian in US commits 90% earnings to charity". The Economic Times. 10 April 2012.
15. O'Connor, Clare (February 8, 2012). "The Mystery Monk Making Billions With 5­Hour Energy". Forbes.
16. "The Hans Foundation". Retrieved 23 February 2012.
17. Saumya Bhattacharya (November 11, 2014). "Philanthropists in the world not thinking through what people need:
Manoj Bhargava". The Economic Times.
18. "Manoj Bhargava". Glasspockets. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
19. Johnson, Eric. "5­Hour Energy Inventor Likes 'Toiling in Obscurity' ". ABC. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
20. Ben Wieder (March 26, 2015). "The political kingmaker nobody knows". Center for Public Integrity.
21. Eric Lipton (October 28, 2014). "Lobbyists, Bearing Gifts, Pursue Attorneys General". New York Times.
External links
Manoj Bhargava: The 'billionaire monk' (http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/the­buck­stops­
here/manoj­bhargava­the­billionaire­monk/228920?hp)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Manoj_Bhargava&oldid=687539965"
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Categories: Living people 1953 births American businesspeople American philanthropists
American people of Indian descent Giving Pledgers Indian emigrants to the United States
Indian businesspeople Indian philanthropists People from Lucknow Princeton University alumni
The Hill School alumni American billionaires
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