Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale speaks to TiE in Houston

Askok Rao, President of TiE Houston, The IndUS Entrepreneurs, introduced the evening's speaker.

James F. McIngvale and his wife Linda are co-owners of Gallery Furniture in Houston, Texas. “Mattress Mack”, as he is known throughout Texas, started Gallery Furniture in 1981 with five thousand dollars and a dream. That dream has grown into one of the most successful businesses in Houston and the single most successful furniture store in the United States. The success of Gallery Furniture is truly embodied by Mack’s strong commitment to hard work, customer service and grassroots marketing.

Mack was born on February 11th, 1951 in Starkville, Mississippi. He graduated from Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas, and attended college at the University of Texas and North Texas State University. He played football at both universities under legendary coaches Darrell Royal and Hayden Fry.

A combination of his extensive philanthropy, daily speaking engagements, and his television commercials for Gallery Furniture have made him one of the most respected and recognizable people in Houston. In addition to his busy schedule at Gallery Furniture, Mack donates a substantial amount of his time to the Houston community that has treated him so well over the years. He has made well over 2,000 speeches to area school children about the importance of staying in school, believing in yourself, and saying no to drugs. He has given in excess of $1 Million to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Scholarship Fund. Annually, he donates furniture to refurnish dozens of neglected teachers’ lounges throughout Southeast Texas.
 
Each Christmas, he furnishes the homes of fifteen Houston-area families that have been the victims of personal tragedy. During the great flood of 2001, Gallery Furniture was one of the leading businesses in assisting Houstonians in need, and spearheaded numerous assistance programs in addition to donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to the American Red Cross and other organizations. On November 10th, 2000, he received the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s prestigious Patriots’ Award in recognition of outstanding community service.

His adoption of the management principles of the late Dr. W. Edwards Deming and his years of study with Dr. Deming have made him a sought-after speaker on quality and management philosophy. Government and private enterprises from around the world regularly send representatives to Gallery Furniture to study Mack’s innovative business philosophies in action.

Jim McIngvale and his wife Linda own Westside Tennis Club, which is the only tennis club to offer all four authentic grand slam surfaces. The McIngvales and Westside Tennis Club have been hosts to the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships since 2001, the U.S. Davis Cup Tie vs. Spain and the prestigious Tennis Masters Cup. Recently, the McIngvales used their influence and resources for a very noteworthy cause. Following the wake of the devastating tsunami in Southeast Asia, the President of the United States asked Presidents Bush and Clinton to head up a nationwide charitable effort forming the Bush-Clinton Tsunami Relief Fund. President Bush asked Jim and Linda McIngvale to step forward and help lead the Houston area response for the relief effort. As a result, over $12 million was raised for the Bush-Clinton Tsunami Relief Fund. The McIngvales have continued their fundraising efforts to assist those affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

But if you ask Mack and Linda about their greatest accomplishments, you would see a sparkle in their eyes and a smile on their faces as they tell you about their three children, James, Laura, and Elizabeth.

Submitted by Bryan Emerson.
Tags: Entrepreneur