User:Michael Manhardt

Michael James Manhardt is the oldest child and only son of James H. Manhardt and Kathleen A. Magnolia. He is the step-son of Laurie Watson Manhardt of Michigan. He has five sisters, one step-brother, one step-sister and 30 nieces and nephews.

Michael is a proud New Jersey native who traveled to Ireland and Hawaii before he was 18, catching the travel bug. He has since seen most of the world. At 12 years old, he taught himself guitar and became a Praise & Worship leader and Irish Balladeer. Throughout his youth, he played many sports, excelling at basketball and tennis, having received college scholarships for both. He is a graduate of the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio and served as a Catholic Youth Minister for the Archdiocese of Denver, Colorado before founding The Office of Youth Ministry for the Diocese of Hamilton, Bermuda where he was a Board Member of CADA, the Council for Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

During his eight years in Colorado, Michael was an avid snowboarder and sand volleyball player and a pioneer in the formation of parish-based Youth Groups. While on Bermuda, Michael trademarked the popular acronym, F.A.M.I.L.Y. ~ Forget About Me I Love You®. He spent a few years working to spread this message of selfless, unconditional love in an effort to rid the world of selfishness. A best selling book, It Takes A Family, by Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, focused on this acronym suggesting it is an answer to the societal problems faced by Western culture. Michael started Family Creations Ltd. as the parent company overseeing the sale of F.A.M.I.L.Y.® branded products used to spread the message. F.A.M.I.L.Y.® wristbands are still available and very popular. The message became the mantra for the Rutgers University Football Team. The then Scarlet Knights Head Coach, Greg Schiano (Former Head Coach of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers) chose this mantra to teach his team that they are a family and there's no room for selfishness on the field, in the classroom or at home. Every member of the team wears their F.A.M.I.L.Y. wristband as a constant reminder of belonging and unity. The message has been used for retreats, conferences, schools, motivational speakers and fundraising organizations. Prior to an appearance on the Life On The Rock TV show, Michael witnessed the physical healing of Mother Angelica, a Catholic nun who started the EWTN Broadcast Network. This event deepened his already strong faith. The full account of this miracle is told in the book, My Life On The Rock by Jeff Cavins.

In 2002, Michael left Bermuda for California feeling he could accomplish greater things from Los Angeles. After four years of spreading the F.A.M.I.L.Y.® message, he became Managing Partner of Max Impact, LLC, the North American Patent and Trademark owner responsible for Overseas and Domestic Manufacturing, Supply and Distribution of specialized non-traditional advertising Premiums: the Rollabana® and FanClapper®. These products have since created hundreds of millions of impressions for corporate brands and logo exposures through professional and collegiate televised sporting events, political rallies, marathons, parades, media buys, etc. In 2011, Mike partnered with his father to form a specialized retail manufacturing company called RollaWorld, LLC. RollaWorld is an official NASCAR licensee as well as a licensee of the CLC (Collegiate Licensing Corporation) and Fermata Licensing. Please visit www.Rollaworld.com

In 2011, Mike met a talented videographer, Aaron Huisman. He hired Aaron to produce a 60 second infomercial for the RollaWorld Custom Carshade. That video led to another for a non-profit organization called Dirty Vagabond Ministries and soon led to a partnership at Anaheim Studios (www.AnaheimStudios.com).

In the Spring 2015, Mike and Aaron are scheduled to re-launch the F.A.M.I.L.Y. message through a new movement called One Strong Family. He partnered with Los Angeles Lakers legend and NBA Ironman, AC Green, in an effort to spread the message of selfless love while raising awareness and funding for worthy causes. Please visit www.OneStrongFamily.com for more information.