Idaho Entrepreneur and Generous Philanthropist Frank L. VanderSloot to Receive 2015 Horatio Alger Award
NOTE: The SDI (Self Directed Income) Eye Opener is proud to announce that one of the most successful and respected SDI Entrepreneurs in the SDI Profession has been selected to receive the Horatio Alger award for 2015. Congratulations to Frank L. Vandersloot and the Melaleuca SDI company!
The Horatio Alger Association named only 12 new members this year. Frank L. Vandersloot joins the ranks of former inductees Ronald Reagan, Bill Marriott, Buzz Aldren, Denzel Washington and Oprah Winfrey.
This is a direct reflection of the hard-working and value-driven character of the visionary CEO of Melaleuca Inc. Melaleuca has, of course, been the beneficiary of his leadership for nearly 30 years - now the rest of the world will see him when he is recognized for his extraordinary example.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire -- Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced that Frank L. VanderSloot, CEO, Melaleuca, Inc., has been selected for membership in the prestigious organization.
Mr.
VanderSloot joins eleven other accomplished business and civic leaders
from across North America in receiving this honor in 2015. Since its establishment in 1947, the Horatio Alger
Award is annually bestowed upon renowned leaders who have succeeded
despite facing adversity, and who are committed to philanthropy and
higher education.
Mr.
VanderSloot grew up on an 80-acre farm in northern Idaho. Since his
father was gone much of the time working as a laborer on the railroad,
Mr. VanderSloot and his siblings ran the farm in his absence. At 12,
Mr. VanderSloot was running the family farm – he milked cows, fed
cattle, harvested crops, cared for chickens and chopped wood for the
stove that heated his family's humble home. He took on a series of odd
jobs as an adolescent, and saved his money to be able to pay his own way
through college.
Mr. VanderSloot attended Brigham Young University
and graduated with a degree in business administration, completely
debt-free. He began his career with Automated Data Processing and later
became vice president of Cox Communications. In 1985, Mr. VanderSloot
returned to Idaho and founded Melaleuca, a health and wellness products manufacturer. Today, the company boasts $1.2 billion
in annual revenue, 3,400 employees and has expanded to 18 countries.
Under Mr. VanderSloots's innovative leadership, Melaleuca has been
listed on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies in America five
times and was inducted into the Inc. 500 Hall of Fame. Mr. VanderSloot
also owns several large cattle ranches, including one of the nation's
largest and most elite registered Angus herds.
"The accomplishments of Mr. VanderSloot are remarkable in and of themselves," said Tony Novelly, president and CEO, Horatio Alger Association and 2000 Horatio Alger Award recipient.
"But when you see the incredible work ethic, perseverance and
entrepreneurial spirit needed to achieve such outstanding success, it
truly inspires – and it truly reflects the principles of Horatio Alger.
We are very proud to welcome Mr. VanderSloot as a lifetime Member of
the Association and an exceptional role model for all of our Scholars."
Mr.
VanderSloot is involved in numerous philanthropic endeavors. He
established the Melaleuca Foundation, which sponsors a special orphanage
in Ecuador,
and he and his wife, Belinda, recently restored a historic schoolhouse
and donated its use to a public school district. The U.S. Chamber of
Commerce, where Mr. VanderSloot currently serves on the Board of
Directors and also sits on the Executive Committee, presented Melaleuca
with the Blue Chip Enterprise Award, which recognizes companies that
have overcome great adversity.
He has been named Idaho's
Business Leader of the Year as well as the Entrepreneur of the Year for
the U.S. Northwestern Region by Ernst and Young, CNN and USA Today.
In 2007, Mr. VanderSloot was inducted into the Idaho Hall of Fame. He
has also received the Most Valuable Player award from the Idaho Republican Party, and was national finance co-chair for Mitt Romney's 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns.
In
accepting this honor, Mr. VanderSloot commented, "To be selected as a
Member of Horatio Alger Association is a wonderful honor. But I know
that I do not measure up to the great men and women who have previously
received this award. They have amazing stories. I am a great believer in
free enterprise. I am grateful to be born in a country where hard work
is rewarded and there is opportunity for everyone who throws their
heart into making the world a better place. Growing up, I learned that
you don't need much in material things to be happy, but I have also
learned that having resources can enable you to make a great difference
in people's lives. I am excited to join an organization that honors the
spirit of American ingenuity and helps nurture it in future
generations. I look forward to supporting Horatio Alger and its Scholars in any way that I can."
In
addition to presenting its annual award, Horatio Alger Association
administers one of the largest, privately-funded scholarship programs
for students in the United States
and Canada. These students, like the Members, have faced significant
adversities, but have persevered and are determined to overcome life's
challenges. Scholarships are wholly funded through private donations
from Members, Life Partners and friends, and since 1984, the Association
has provided more than $100 million to promising students in need.
Mr. VanderSloot and the Member Class of 2015 will be officially welcomed into the organization during the 68th Annual Horatio Alger Award Induction Ceremonies in Washington, D.C. April 9-11,
2015. In addition to recognizing these tremendous leaders, Horatio
Alger Association will also honor its 2015 National Scholarship
recipients, affording both groups the opportunity to meet and learn from
one another.
For more information about Horatio Alger Association and a full list of its Class of 2015, please visit http://www.horatioalger.org.
About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans: Founded
in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans,
Inc., fulfills its mission of honoring the achievements of outstanding
individuals who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging
young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. Horatio
Alger Association supports students through annual undergraduate and
graduate need-based scholarships and mentoring programs across the United States and Canada. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $100 million in college scholarships to deserving young people. For more information, please visit http://www.horatioalger.org.
CONTACT: Meg Kane 484-385-2938 (office) mkane@briancom.com
SOURCE Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc.NOTE: This article is originally published at this website:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/idaho-entrepreneur-and-generous-philanthropist-frank-l-vandersloot-to-receive-2015-horatio-alger-award-300004883.html
NOTE: Melaleuca surpassed the goal of $1 Billion in sales in 2013. Read more in this article titled: "2013: A Record-Breaking Year For Melaleuca."
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