Frank VanderSloot inducted into Idaho’s Hall of Fame

Melaleuca’s President and CEO, Frank L. VanderSloot, was inducted into Idaho’s Hall of Fame during a ceremony in October alongside other prominent Idahoans, including Governor C.L. ‘Butch’ Otter, previous Governor Jim Risch and Vice Admiral John Grossenbacher. Frank’s name joins a list that already contains television inventor Philo Farnsworth, Idaho businessman J.R. Simplot, and Olympic Gold Medalist Stacy Dragila.

“[Frank] definitely falls into the category of someone who has changed Idaho for the positive,” says Hall of Fame Board member and former Idaho State Sen. Ann Rydalch, who nominated Frank for the award. “When one reviews the awards Melaleuca has received, how Frank treats his employees, and how he is always there to help people, it is clear Frank has helped a lot of people without any fanfare—he’s done things for others that no one knows about. He’s a very humble man and an example for our future leaders to follow.”

In its 22nd year, Melaleuca Inc. continued to provide an Idaho-produced brand, a proud spirit of entrepreneurship, and high quality employment for nearly 2,000 Idahoans. Melaleuca’s Consumer-Direct Marketing® message had, in 2005, spread to 13 countries worldwide while the company’s annual sales have grown to more than $783 million.

Frank was born in northern Idaho and worked as vice president for two Fortune 500 companies before moving back to the state to become Melaleuca’s President and CEO in 1985. Frank’s phenomenal leadership is evidenced by Melaleuca’s 22 years of uninterrupted annual growth.

The Idaho Hall of Fame, which is not held every year, was “organized to recognize the people who’ve made Idaho great in the past and present,” Ann says. “It’s a way to bring alive the greats of the past, pay tribute to the greats of the present, and pave the way for the greats of the future.”

Idaho’s Hall of Fame, a nonprofit organization, was founded in the late ‘80s and then recognized by the Idaho Legislature in 1991. The group aims to educate Idaho’s future leaders, today’s schoolchildren, about leaders past and present who paved the way for the future. In the coming years, Frank’s image will join the other Hall of Fame members in a projected wing of the Idaho Historical Museum in Boise.

This honor only adds to a growing list of awards given to both Melaleuca and Frank as the company and its CEO continue to do good wherever possible.

TWO SOUTHEAST IDAHOANS INDUCTED INTO IDAHO’S HALL OF FAME

Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot and Idaho National Labs Director John Grossenbacher Receive Recognition

Boise, Idaho – Oct. 12, 2007 – This Saturday, two distinguished Southeast Idahoans, Melaleuca President and CEO Frank VanderSloot and the Idaho National Lab’s President and Laboratory Director Vice Admiral John Grossenbacher, will be inducted into Idaho’s Hall of Fame. Comprised of educators, authors, public servants, business leaders and more, this year’s class showcases the tremendous character found within the great state of Idaho.

VanderSloot and Grossenbacher join the ranks of other distinguished Idahoans that have previously been inducted, including Joseph Albertson, J.R. Simplot, Ezra Taft Benson, Dirk Kempthorn Cecil Andrus, Phil Batt and Frank Church. About 100 people have been inducted into the Idaho Hall of Fame since it 1995.

Born and raised on a farm in Northern Idaho, VanderSloot learned the longstanding Idaho values of hard work and dedication at a young age. During his career, he held key management positions with two Fortune 500 companies: Automatic Data Processing and Cox Communications. Over the last 22 years, VanderSloot has served as President and CEO of Melaleuca, an Idaho Falls-based manufacturer of health and wellness products, where he has led the company to achieve 22 consecutive years of record-setting revenues and growth.

VanderSloot has been the recipient of numerous awards from both Idaho and national organizations, including Idaho’s Business Leader of the Year by Idaho State University in 1998 and Entrepreneur of the Year for the Northwest region by Ernst & Young, CNN and USA Today in 2001.

Vice Admiral Grossenbacher had a distinguished naval career before his appointment as President and Laboratory Director of the Idaho National Laboratory. He oversees an operation that has been designated by the Department of Energy as the lead laboratory in advanced nuclear technologies.

Prior to his retirement as a senior Navy submarine officer, he served as the Commander of Submarine Forces and U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Submarines Allied Command Atlantic. In October 2001, he became the first Commander, Naval Submarine Forces, and was responsible for all U.S. submarine forces.

Grossenbacher has received numerous awards for his military service, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and he is one of only a handful of officers in U.S. Navy history to be awarded both the Stockdale and David Lloyd Awards for Leadership Excellence.

Joining VanderSloot and Grossenbacher in the Idaho Hall of Fame’s 2007 class are: Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, Lt. Gov. Jim Risch, Dr. Robert Kustra, Chris Petersen, Sen. Larry Craig, Judge Roy Mosman, Dee Sarton, Larry May, Arthur Hart and Fred Norman.