Modern-day employees are looking for careers that are driven by a mission. According to a recent survey by Deloitte, 57% of millennial respondents reported a high level of job satisfaction in organizations identified as having a strong sense of purpose as opposed to only 23% of satisfied respondents without the same sense of purpose.
Thirty-seven years ago, Melaleuca founder Frank VanderSloot understood the power behind a purpose-driven workplace when he founded Melaleuca: The Wellness Company. And ever since, he has built a legacy by helping people in need, advocating for the free enterprise system, and running a global enterprise as the CEO of Melaleuca.
VanderSloot’s Business Management with a Mission
Founded in 1985 by Frank VanderSloot, Melaleuca has grown into a multinational consumer goods company with annual sales of over $2 billion. Their more than 400 products include a variety of nutritional supplements, cleaning supplies, and personal care and beauty products that are used by 2 million customers every month. Melaleuca uses plant-based formulations that avoid caustic chemicals in their product lineup, making homes cleaner and safer.
From the beginning, VanderSloot’s leadership led to Melaleuca’s consistent growth. Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot focused on the company’s mission statement: To enhance the lives of those we touch by helping people reach their goals. Even now, as VanderSloot passes the torch to the new chief executive officer, Jerry Felton, this mission statement guides decisions at The Wellness Company, influences product development and even extends to its charitable actions through the Melaleuca Foundation.
VanderSloot, who currently serves as executive chairman of the board of directors, has achieved strong financial results, but more than that, he’s used his influence to enhance lives around him as a business leader, a proud American and a philanthropist.
The Melaleuca Foundation
In 2001, after the September 11 attacks, Frank VanderSloot oversaw the formation of the Melaleuca Foundation, which has been helping people in need ever since. The Foundation has donated millions of dollars and large quantities of Melaleuca products to those facing humanitarian crises. It has also collected thousands of tons of food, provided wellness supplies and offered assistance to countless families across the globe. In its first fundraising effort, the Melaleuca Foundation raised $800,000 for families affected by the September 11 tragedy, and it hasn’t slowed down.
During times of natural disaster, the Melaleuca Foundation has stepped up to provide assistance after catastrophic events, including Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Harvey, Irma and Maria; wildfires in California, Colorado, Idaho and Tennessee; tornadoes in the Midwest; and devastating floodwaters in Canada and Louisiana.
Recently, the Melaleuca Foundation made a $250,000 donation after the Philippines was devastated by Typhoon Rai, and it donated $236,700 worth of Melaleuca products to aid Ukrainian refugees.
The Melaleuca Foundation regularly donates to organizations like the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Feeding America, the Second Harvest Food Bank and the Boy Scouts of America. The Foundation’s signature cause is an orphanage in Quito, Ecuador, called the Santa Lucia Children’s Home, funded exclusively by the Melaleuca Foundation.
Advocate of Free Enterprise
The success that Frank VanderSloot has achieved is a shining example of the American dream coming to life. VanderSloot grew up in a poor family, living and working on a small farm in rural Idaho. He was not given any special treatment but rather had to work hard every step of the way. When Forbes magazine profiled this billionaire, the reporter pointed out that VanderSloot lived in the back of a laundromat during college to avoid going into debt for tuition.
Reflecting on his situation, VanderSloot stated that there is no other country in the world where a person could rise above class and poverty like he has. He’s become a strong advocate for America’s free enterprise system, regularly discussing the importance of free enterprise as an essential element of American strength. He has served on the US Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors and participated as a member of its executive board for over 20 years.
Proud to be an American
Frank VanderSloot showcases his love of country each Fourth of July by funding the largest Independence Day fireworks show west of the Mississippi River, which is free to the public. Held in Idaho Falls, Idaho, the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration is a 31-minute tribute to the servicemen and servicewomen who have sacrificed for their country. This spectacular fireworks display has been highlighted by USA Today, Reader’s Digest, Travel & Leisure, the American Pyrotechnics Association and other national media.
Additionally, under VanderSloot’s direction, Melaleuca donates extensively to veterans’ organizations, so much so that the Melaleuca Foundation was awarded the prestigious Seven Seals Award by the Department of Defense in 2015 for “providing meritorious leadership and initiative in support of the men and women who serve Americans in the National Guard and Reserve.”
Police, firefighters and first responders are recipients of Melaleuca’s generosity as the company works to strengthen the infrastructure at home. The company recently donated $50,000 to buy rifle-grade bullet proof vests for local law enforcement. VanderSloot has donated land for a new police station, given free use of downtown office space to help the Idaho Falls Police Department, bought fitness equipment for Idaho State Police troopers and funded K-9 units.
Walking the Walk
Frank VanderSloot has built a world-class company that takes care of its employees. It’s no surprise then that Melaleuca has been named for three consecutive years by Forbes magazine as one of America’s best employers. Melaleuca, Inc. is also a member of Inc. magazine’s Hall of Fame, after being ranked five consecutive times on the Inc. 500 list. On average, Melaleuca employees remain much longer with the company than the national average. Overall, employees are satisfied working under VanderSloot’s leadership, which can be seen in their Melaleuca reviews.
Standing Up for the Little Guy
In 2019 and 2020, Frank VanderSloot went out of his way to create a $1 million consumer protection fund that defended Idahoans from excessive attorney fees in medical debt collection cases. This fund provided legal defense for over 200 people from around the state embroiled in medical debt cases. He did not know any of the individuals, but he created the fund to address a real problem vexing low-income families in Idaho. VanderSloot then continued this charitable work by encouraging the Idaho state legislature to make changes. His efforts were rewarded when the Idaho legislature passed the meaningful Idaho Patient Act in March 2020.
As an entrepreneur, CEO and business leader, VanderSloot has created a movement of enhancing lives through Melaleuca, which provides an opportunity for health-conscious shoppers to enjoy superior wellness products. But the culture that he’s cultivated reaches far beyond the products that Melaleuca sells. VanderSloot shows generosity and compassion to the people, organizations and charities around him. He’s improved the lives of countless families around him, lifting people up in ways that only he can. It’s not a stretch to say that this self-made billionaire has been a champion of preserving our country and the communities he loves so much.
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