Jim McIngvale (also known as Mattress Mack) was born in Starkville, Mississippi. He is a Houston businessman, who founded Gallery Furniture, one of the largest home furnishing retail stores in the United States.

Mack opened Gallery Furniture in 1981 in Houston, TX; the largest furniture store now does around $200 million in sales per year.

Mattress Mack is well-know in Houston for community involvement and philanthropy. In early 1984, he began a Christmas tradition of giving away furniture to 15 needy families per year. In 1992, Mack paid to feed 20,000 homeless people, and in 2005 he sponsored a trip to Rome for Catholic students and teachers from 60 different schools in the Houston area. He has worked with former presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton to raise funds for the Houston Tsunami Relief Fund and the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund. He has made sizable donations to local schools, colleges, and charitable efforts. Jim's core values can best be summed up in his 2002 co-authored book, 'Always Think Big', where he outlines 7 principles he uses every day in his approach to marketing and management. They are the compass points that guide him in solving problems, making decisions, and delighting customers. Mack's lessons are applicable to work settings, career management, community involvement, and life. They are specific, practical, and powerful. Mack's strong work ethic is matched by his generosity and exceeded only by his commitment to his family.

McIngvale and his wife, Linda have three children. His youngest daughter Elizabeth is the founder of Peace of Mind, a non-profit organization devoted to the research and cure of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.