MALIBU, Calif.With the same sense of irony that saw Jim Fixx, author of The Complete Book of Running drop dead of a heart attack while jogging, 44-year-old Mark Hughes, the founder of the weight loss and nutritional products company Herbalife, was found dead in his home here May 21. While he apparently died of natural causes, an autopsy was scheduled to be performed.

Christopher Pair, executive vice president, has been named acting president and CEO. Los Angeles-based Herbalife sells products in 48 countries with a goal, as Hughes stated on the website, of bringing "good nutrition to all the citizens of the world." He founded the company after his mother died of an accidental overdose of prescription diet pills. Sales of the publicly traded company topped $950 million last year; up until April, Hughes was attempting to buy back the stock and take Herbalife private, but was unable to secure financing. The company is online at www.herbalife.com.