Mattress Mack Kicks Off Fletcher Lecture Series at Hardin-Simmons University

Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale told a packed audience at Hardin-Simmons University that “the essence of living is giving.” The Houston business icon’s simple but profound statement captured the heart of a candid dialogue with President Eric Bruntmyer and the audience. In wide-ranging reflections, McIngvale shared stories of resilience, business wisdom, and an urgent call for Americans to rediscover the power of work and community.

It was a fitting start to the revitalized Fletcher Lecture Series, designed to spotlight leaders whose stories inspire resilience and service. Named for former HSU President Jesse C. Fletcher, the series honors his legacy of intellectual curiosity and faith-driven leadership while reinforcing the university’s mission to equip students with both professional insight and enduring values. Each event sparks meaningful dialogue while connecting students, faculty, and staff with the broader West Texas community.

For McIngvale, those lessons began early, shaped by parents who gave even when they had little to offer. “I sponsor the teams because I’m helping all of these boys,” he recalled his father saying when questioned about sponsoring Little League. Those early lessons in service stayed with him. “They gave when they didn’t have anything to give,” he said, remembering how his father even drove a student thousands of miles back to Dartmouth when the family couldn’t afford the trip.

That conviction carried into his business career. “We started the whole business for $3,500,” McIngvale said of launching Gallery Furniture in 1981. After two years of struggle, with bankruptcy looming, he decided to take a risk on a TV commercial. Nervous and unscripted, he pulled the day’s receipts from his pocket and blurted out: “Gallery Furniture will save you money!” That improvised line launched what became tens of thousands of commercials and a Houston institution.

For McIngvale, selling has never just been about transactions.

“To be a good teacher, you’ve got to sell those students on learning. To be a good doctor, you’ve got to sell your patients on changing their lifestyle. To be a really good preacher, you’ve got to sell the congregation on morals and ethics and biblical truths,” he explained. “What I’m trying to sell at this stage in my life is that work is life’s greatest therapy. And the more Americans we can get to work in a job that they love to do, that will change the fiber of this country.”

His response during Hurricane Harvey illustrated that philosophy in action. Without hesitation, he opened his stores to hundreds of displaced Houstonians.

“People thought that was extraordinary,” McIngvale said. “Well, that was the way I was brought up. What am I going to do, let my people drown? Those are my people. These are my people. We’re Texans. We take care of ourselves.”

That sense of responsibility has fueled Gallery Furniture’s culture of community. Meals are shared daily — phones prohibited — so employees talk to each other face-to-face. “Imagine that,” McIngvale laughed. The practice has helped transform lives, from former convicts to struggling families, by offering friendship, accountability, hope, and belonging.

“One of the things this country lacks is a sense of community,” he said. “It takes an entire community to raise a child. Community is important — community breeds unity.”

Even devastating setbacks have not derailed him. When a $10 million arson fire destroyed his warehouse in 2009, he recalled standing in front of employees who feared the end. “At midnight that night, we made the decision. There was never any doubt — we’re going to go on.” With shipments arriving from distributors, by that Friday, the company had already sold $250,000 worth of furniture. His lesson to the audience was simple: “A setback sets up a comeback. Life offers you a second chance. It’s called tomorrow.”

He closed his lecture with a challenge that reflected the heart of his message: “One day, all of us are going to have to stand in front of our creator, and our creator will not ask how much money you made or how many material possessions you piled up. Instead, our creator will ask what type of difference did you make. And that’s why we’re here — to make a difference. To make the world a better place for these people that aren’t quite as fortunate as us.”

As the Fletcher Lecture Series continues to bring distinguished voices to Hardin-Simmons, McIngvale’s words resound as both challenge and invitation — to see work as therapy, community as necessity, and service as the true measure of a life well-lived.

The next luncheon in the series takes place Thursday, Oct. 2, and features Dowell Stackpole, co-founder of Texas Quantitative and Cyber Forward. Stackpole is a visionary in data science and cybersecurity, with work focused on workforce development and training that fuels innovation across Texas.

As Abilene becomes a launchpad for future AI infrastructure, Stackpole’s lecture will shed light on how communities like ours are shaping and being shaped by the future of cybersecurity and data-driven solutions.

The Fletcher Lecture Series, in partnership with the Abilene Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by First Financial Bank, First Financial Trust, KTAB, and KRBC, brings world-class leaders to campus to inspire and inform the community. To learn more about attending a lecture, click here.