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Pasco student's invention wins him spot on 'Pitchmen'

Staff photo by FRED BELLET

An honors student at Sunlake High School, Hunter Morera enjoys putting his inventive skills to work in science class, his favorite subject. Outside of school he works as a volunteer at the Museum of Science and Industry; at home in Lutz, he enjoys building go-karts with his father, Eddie.

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By MEGAN HUSSEY

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 11, 2009

LAND 'O LAKES - Since age 7, Sunlake High School sophomore Hunter Morera has enjoyed coming up with ideas for new inventions. Now, at the ripe age of 16, he's ready to "pitch" one of his creations to the world.

Hunter and his invention, a practical multitool product, will appear on the second season of "Pitchmen," a Discovery Channel show in which people discuss and showcase their inventions with the help of internationally known product pitchman Anthony Sullivan.

"I've been told that if you can sell a product to Anthony, Anthony will sell it to America," Hunter said.

After undergoing a one-week audition process that included an appearance on the "M.J. Morning Show," a popular Tampa Bay area radio show broadcast on WFLZ, 93.3 FM, Hunter was one of a handful of local residents to win a chance to appear on "Pitchmen;" which was conceptualized by Sullivan and the late Billy Mays. He also was the youngest candidate to make the cut.

"I got an autograph from Anthony Sullivan that read, 'Great pitch, great product,' " he said.

This was high praise for Hunter, who is a fan of the show.

"I watch and say, 'Why didn't I come up with that?' " he said.

He's also a fan of the creative process.

"I'm always thinking, 'How can I make this better? How can I fix this problem?' " he said.

An honors student at Sunlake High, Hunter enjoys putting his inventive skills to work in science class, his favorite subject. Outside of school he works as a volunteer at the Museum of Science and Industry; at home in Lutz, he enjoys building go-karts with his father, Eddie.

Even so, his multitool product is Hunter's first invention.

"Before I had ideas for simple stuff, like different types of bookbags," he said, "but this is the only one I actually put together."

It was Hunter's mother, Susan Morera, who heard about the "Pitchmen" competition, and encouraged her son to apply online. Hunter was one of 176 people selected to participate in the initial round of the competition, which took place Nov. 4 at The Ritz Ybor in Ybor City.

At this Invention Convention event, each contestant had 90 seconds to present his product to judges that included Sullivan. From this initial field of competitors, 11 ultimately were selected to present their inventions to Sullivan, local radio host MJ Kelli (aka Todd Schnitt), Billy Mays III, and "Pitchmen" producers last Friday on the MJ Morning Show.

"The people were great," he said. "I was so excited, and I was speechless when I was picked," he said.

Hunter, who would like to become a cardiologist, savors the opportunity to see his product patented and presented on "Pitchmen."

"This is living the dream," he said.

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