1. Jim McIngvale is known for owning and operating the Gallery Furniture retail chain, based in Houston, Texas.
22 Facts About Jim McIngvale
1. 2.
Jim McIngvale was born on February 11,1951, in Starkville, Mississippi.
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Jim McIngvale graduated from Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas, attended the University of Texas at Austin, and later attended North Texas State University, now University of North Texas, in Denton where he played football at both.
4.
In 1999, McIngvale spoke to the British Deming Association annual conference about the influence of W Edwards Deming on his business methods.
5.
Jim McIngvale co-authored the book Always Think Big with Thomas Duening and John Ivancevich, which was published in 2002, and chronicles the ups and downs of his entrepreneurial career.
6.
In May 2009, the Houston Chronicle reported that Jim McIngvale refused to pay $48,000 in taxes to the Greater Northside Management District that were assessed from 2005 to 2007.
7.
Jim McIngvale did pay taxes to the district in 2008.
8.
When Tropical Storm Imelda flooded Houston in 2019, Jim McIngvale opened the doors of Gallery Furniture and partnered with Crisis Clean-Up to provide free meals and shelter at the North Freeway location.
9.
Also in 2021, in the wake of evacuation and destruction due to Hurricane Ida which hit the Gulf Coast, Jim McIngvale began to shelter Louisianan residents at Gallery Furniture as well as provide warm meals and amenities for free.
10.
Jim McIngvale organized a supply donation drive and caravan into south Louisiana to deliver supplies to the area.
11.
Jim McIngvale has primarily donated to Republican candidates for office including Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Lauren Boebert and Madison Cawthorn.
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Jim McIngvale funded full-page ads for the Tea Party that appeared in the Houston Chronicle.
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Jim McIngvale was a guest speaker along with many local conservative radio hosts for The North Houston Tea Party Patriots at Sam Houston Race Park.
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In 2018, Jim McIngvale endorsed the reelection of Republican US Representative John Culberson and appeared in commercials supporting the congressman.
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In February 2020, after endorsing Bill King for mayor in 2015, Jim McIngvale endorsed the reelection of Democratic mayor Sylvester Turner.
16.
Speculation emerged that Jim McIngvale had concerns about voter fraud in the 2020 election.
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However, in January 2021, two months after the election, Jim McIngvale sent out checks to those who predicted Biden would win.
18.
Jim McIngvale paid for the funeral of Jocelyn Nungaray in 2024, stating that "if [the killers] wouldn't have been here, she would still be alive," in reference to the allegation that the two people arrested for the murder were illegal immigrants.
19.
Jim McIngvale criticized Harris County prosecutors in comparison to neighboring Montgomery County, which he believes is tougher on criminals.
20.
In June 2019, Jim McIngvale suffered a possible transient ischemic attack.
21.
On February 3,2022, Jim McIngvale placed an unsuccessful $4.5 million wager on the Cincinnati Bengals to win Super Bowl LVI.
22.
Jim McIngvale has lost $9.2 million betting on the last two CFP National Championship games.