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Frank VanderSloot

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Frank L. VanderSloot (born August 14, 1948) is an American entrepreneur, radio network owner and cattle rancher. He is chief executive officer of Melaleuca, Inc., an Idaho Falls, Idaho,-headquartered multi-level marketing company that sells home goods and health-related products. VanderSloot is one of thirteen national finance co-chairs for the 2012 Mitt Romney presidential campaign.

Early life and education

Born to a Dutch immigrant family, VanderSloot grew up on a small farm in rural Idaho. His father worked as a railroad laborer. VanderSloot graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Business Administration.

Career

Prior to Melaleuca, VanderSloot served as a Regional Vice President for Automatic Data Processing (ADP), then later as Vice President for Cox Communications.

Tenure as CEO of Melaleuca

VanderSloot was offered the helm of a startup multi-level marketing business (Oil of Melaleuca, Inc.) by Roger and Allen Ball in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Finding that company’s business model was untenable, VanderSloot closed the original company and reopening later the same year as Melaleuca Inc. The current company is a manufacturer of nutritional supplements, cleaning products, and cosmetics which are distributed through multilevel marketing. Melaleuca operates internationally, with U.S. operations centered in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Knoxville, Tennessee. Melaleuca was recognized as an Inc. 500 Hall of Fame business in 2000. Gross sales for 2011 were more than one billion dollars. Melaleuca is a member of the United States Direct Selling Association.

Other business ventures

VanderSloot owns Riverbend Ranch, a business he began as a means of teaching his children about the value of hard work. It has grown into one of the largest in the United States for both purebred cattle operations and commercial cattle operations. He also owns Fort Ranch Quarter Horses in Promontory, Utah.

VanderSloot also owns Riverbend Communications, a group of radio broadcast stations in Eastern Idaho that he purchased from Bonneville Communications in 2006. Riverbend Communications operates KLCE Classy 97, KCVI Kbear 101, KTHK 105.5 The Hawk, KFTZ Z103, and KBLI News-Talk AM 690 - 1260.

Public activity

United States Chamber of Commerce

VanderSloot sits on the board of directors for the United States Chamber of Commerce and is on the Executive Committee for that group. He is an advocate of the free enterprise system and immigration law reform.

Romney Campaign National Finance Co-Chair

VanderSloot serves as a national finance co-chair for the Mitt Romney 2012 presidential campaign. VanderSloot’s companies contributed a total of $1 million to the Restore Our Future political action committee, a group that supports Romney for President.

LGBT issues

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VanderSloot has been criticized by the Human Rights Campaign for his public opposition to a 1999 PBS documentary on homosexuality and his wife's $100,000 donation to the Proposition 8 initiative to rescind gay marriage in California. VanderSloot responded online: “Our company has thousands of gay customers, independent marketing executives, and employees. I believe they feel welcome and valued. I believe that people deserve freedom, respect, and privacy in their own lives.”

VanderSloot, in a newspaper advertisement, devoted several paragraphs to establishing that the reporter who had written articles about pedophiles being permitted to work with Boy Scouts in the Grand Teton Council was gay.

Response to critics

VanderSloot has been accused by Rachel Maddow and others of threatening defamation lawsuits, copyright infringement and other legal action against critics and outlets that have published critical voices, including Maddow herself, Forbes magazine, lawyer Glenn Greenwald, Mother Jones Magazine, and Idaho journalist Jody May-Chang.

Philanthropy

VanderSloot created the Melaleuca Foundation in 2001 to help victims of the September 11th attacks. The Melaleuca Foundation has been the primary financial supporter of the Santa Lucia Children's Home in Quito, Ecuador to help orphaned and abused children, and it won the 2007 Salvation Army “Others Award” for helping with relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina. The foundation provided aid to Japan after the 2011 tsunami.

Each year since 1992, Melaleuca has organized the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration, in Idaho Falls. The event is billed as the largest Independence Day fireworks display west of the Mississippi.

Personal life

VanderSloot and his wife, Belinda, live in Idaho Falls. VanderSloot is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

See Also

References

  1. Berman, Phyllis. "Forbes.com If You Believe". Forbes.com.
  2. ^ Fried, John. "Inc.com Hall of Fame Profile: Frank L. Vandersloot".
  3. Confessore, Nicholas (2012-01-31). "G.O.P. Donors Showing Thirst to Oust Obama in November". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  4. "Frank Vandersloot". Sandpoint Magazine Online.
  5. "Two Southeast Idahoans Inducted into Idahos Hall of Fame". Business Wire. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
  6. "Melaleuca Inc". Funding Universe.
  7. Mencimer, Stephanie (May/June 2012). "Get-Rich-Quick Profiteers Love Mitt Romney, and He Loves Them Back". Mother Jones. Retrieved 09/08/2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  8. Dickinson, Tim (May 24, 2012). "Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 09/08/2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  9. ^ Mencimer, Stephanie. "Pyramid-Like Company Ponies Up $1 Million for Mitt Romney". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  10. "Get To Know Melaleuca". Melaleuca Inc.
  11. "What Does a Billion Dollars Mean?". Melaleuca Inc. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  12. "About Direct Selling". DSA. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  13. "Ranch maintains family's link to tradition". Capital Press. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  14. "Riverbend Ranch to Host World's 2nd Largest Angus Bull Sale". KPVI News. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  15. "Fort Ranch". Fort Ranch.
  16. "Frank L. Vandersloot".
  17. Ring, Trudy (3/10/2012). "HRC to Romney: Ditch Anti-LGBT Finance Chair". Advocate.com. Retrieved May, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  18. "Response From Frank Vandersloot". Frank Vandersloot.
  19. Miller, Dean. "A Local Newspaper Endures a Stormy Backlash". Nieman Reports. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  20. Rachel Maddow Show, 15 May 2012, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#47454638
  21. "VanderSloot Responds To Allegations Of Threatening Media". KIFI Local News 8.
  22. "A Special Cause: The Santa Lucia Children's Home". Melaleuca Inc. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  23. "Salvation Army "The Others Award" Recipients, Melaleuca". Melaleuca Inc.
  24. "Melaleuca Foundation". Melaleuca Inc.
  25. "Freedom Celebration". Melaleuca.
  26. "The Extra Mile - Evacuee family finds friends, new start in Idaho Falls". LDS Church. Retrieved 17 September 2005.

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