Millions of Texans know him as “Mattress Mack,” but at home this father of three is simply known as Dad. Jim “Mack” McIngvale moved to Houston in 1981 with his wife, Linda, to start a furniture company, and now they’re practically celebrities. But that is not what makes McIngvale tick. Giving to others is in his blood. From a young age he watched his father give to the church, and he says today that the best way to learn is by watching what others do, not just by listening to what others say to do.

Jim McIngvale was born in Starkville, Mississippi. He graduated high school in Dallas and then attended and played football at the University of Texas and North Texas State University.

Jim and Linda married in Dallas in 1981, the same year they moved to Houston with a dream and $5,000 to pursue it. Today Gallery Furniture is among the most successful businesses in Houston, and it ranks as one of the largest and most successful retail furniture stores in the country. As the business grew, so did Jim’s ability to give back to the community that had treated him so well.

McIngvale is a well-known speaker in Houston area schools. He talks with students about a variety of subjects, from staying in school to the dangers of drugs. He also helps furnish teacher’s lounges. Each year at Christmas time, he furnishes the homes of several deserving area families, and this past year was no different. Of the thousands of letters sent in about families in need, 30 households were chosen to receive furniture for Christmas.

Jim has given millions of dollars to the Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo, the largest scholarship program in Houston that benefits youth education and sports. Sports have always played an important role in McIngvale’s life, and he and his wife are owners of Houston’s Westside Tennis Club, which has hosted the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships since 2001.

While the McIngvales continue to give, there is one organization that holds a special place in their hearts. It is called Peace of Mind, and was started by their daughter, who was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as a teenager. She founded the organization to help find a cure, and decided on the name because it is peace of mind she seeks. The organization is dedicated to helping those with this and other mental health disorders and to finding a cure for this oftenmisunderstood disease.

McIngvale gets inspiration and his management principles from his mentor, the late Dr. W. Edwards Deming, the famous business analyst and statistician. McIngvale studied under him during the ’90s and is a sought-after speaker because of the philosophies he has learned and adopted.

The recent natural disasters prompted some notable individuals to ask for Jim’s help. After the Tsunami tragedy in Southeast Asia, former President Bush asked the McIngvales to lead the way in Houston for the relief fund. Lead the way they did – more than $12 million was raised on behalf of the Bush-Clinton Tsunami Fund. Jim also spearheaded Houston’s Bush-Clinton Fund efforts to provide help for those affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The McIngvales realize their great responsibility to help those less fortunate. They continue to carry out the goals that have been set before them, yet it is their three children that mean the most. In November of 2000, Jim was recognized for his community service when he received the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s prestigious Patriot’s Award. Though he says it was a great honor, winning awards is not why he does what he does. If you asked Jim McIngvale why he still continues to give so much, he would tell you: “To those who much has been given…much is expected.”