As the founder and chief visionary officer of Natural High, formerly the Sundt Memorial Foundation, Jon Sundt helps teens to stay away from drug use by encouraging them to pursue passions that excite them. Jon Sundt has found evidence for the effectiveness of this technique in several studies, including a social experiment conducted in Iceland.In the early 1990s, Icelandic teenagers were among the heaviest drinkers and substance users in their peer group. American psychology professor Harvey Milkman, a professor at Reykjavik University, endeavored to find out how. He believed that adolescents started and continued using drugs because their habitual response to stress predisposed them to risky behaviors, including drug use and criminal behavior, which altered their brain chemistry.Milkman and his team believed that if they taught young people how to alter their own brain chemistry through positive behavior, they could reduce the incidence of substance use. They started Project Self-Discovery, through which they began teaching skills such as dance, music, and martial arts to teenagers who had experimented with drugs or gotten involved in criminal activity. While teaching these skills, program leaders also presented life and coping skills. They helped the participants to change their perceptions of themselves, their futures, and others around them. Most importantly, they presented these lessons in a way that was relevant and engaging to teenagers.Researchers also found that time spent with family strongly and inversely correlated with drug-using behavior. A publicity push increased the amount of time that parents spent with their children, and a cure was introduced for 13- to 16-year-olds.Since the team implemented those initiatives, Iceland has seen an increase of 20 percent or more in the number of 15- and 16-year-olds who spend time with their parents and/or participate in organized sports during the week. Meanwhile, the rate of substance use in this age group has dropped significantly. Daily smoking habits decreased from 23 percent to 3 percent and monthly episodes of drunkenness decreased from 42 percent to 7 percent, while cannabis use over the course of a year decreased from 17 percent to 5 percent.
After launching his career as an options trader, Jon Sundt established Altegris Advisors, Altegris Funds, and Altegris Investments, serving as CEO and eventually selling the company to Genworth Financial. In 1994, Jon Sundt founded Natural High, a nonprofit that strives to keep young people drug free. The organization was established in memory of Mr. Sundt’s two younger brothers, who died because of drug addictions.Formerly called the Sundt Memorial Foundation, Natural High offers young people ways to feel good about themselves through natural means instead of drugs. Providing videos of celebrities who share their own stories, the organization supplies its programming free of cost to thousands of schools across the country and encourages students to take the Natural High pledge.When young people take the Natural High pledge, they promise to become involved in their communities, engage in positive activities with others, and look for the good in life. Those who take the pledge commit themselves to developing their skills, living well, and inspiring others to do the same.
Founder of the California-based alternative investment firm Altegris, Jon Sundt has more than 25 years of experience working in the alternative investment industry. Over the course of his career, Jon Sundt has been recognized for his work with honors such as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Now in its fourth decade, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year program recognizes business leaders worldwide who have created or led companies that have outperformed and outlasted others in their industry. Since it was launched in 1986, the program has highlighted the outstanding achievements of more than 10,000 men and women. The program’s list of alumni includes many prominent figures from the business community, including AOL founder Steve Case, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, and Michael Dell of Dell Technologies. In 2016, the Entrepreneur of the Year national awards were handed out to over a dozen business leaders. They included James Park of Fitbit, Trisha D. Lemery of Winsert, and J.W. Marriott, Jr., of Marriott International. In addition to national awards, Ernst & Young also oversees regional Entrepreneur of the Year programs throughout the United States. For more information about the awards program, visit www.ey.com.
