Melaleuca – Building for the Future

by Suzanne Hobbs - LIA Magazine

Melaleuca Knoxville TN

Melaleuca recently completed construction on two major projects—a 37,000-square-foot powder plant and a 223,000 square-foot manufacturing and shipping facility—an indication of the company’s continued growth and expansion.

“Since we opened our doors in 1985, Melaleuca’s vision has been to build a business to last a lifetime,” Melaleuca CEO Frank L. VanderSloot says. “These two projects are investments to ensure that this vision becomes a reality.”

This spring, Melaleuca completed work on its mammoth 223,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Distribution Center in Knoxville, Tenn. This new facility’s completion will allow the existing 170,000- foot production and distribution center to narrow its focus to production. Using a 365-foot enclosed tunnel, the older facility will produce the products and then transport them to the new Distribution Facility to be packaged and shipped. Where the existing facilities were shipping more than 300,000 packages per month to locations east of the Mississippi River and in eastern Canada, the new facility will be capable of shipping three times that amount when fully staffed—900,000 packages per month!

Two-thousand miles from Knoxville and just a few hundred feet west of the Distribution Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho, the new 37,000-square-foot Powder Plant is already bustling with energy as employees formulate, mix and package Melaleuca’s powder nutrition products. In March, the plant began producing Sustain® Berry, Lemon, and Orange on-the-go packets and canisters; Attain® Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla shake packs; and ProFlex™, Access® and FiberWise® drinks.

With the plant’s opening came dozens of new staff positions that are welcome in a tight job market. Already known as one of the largest and best employers in Southeast Idaho, Melaleuca uses the new Powder Plant to employ researchers, machine operators and other manufacturing and production personnel. Melaleuca didn’t borrow a dime to complete the two projects, which, together, cost more than $26 million.

Related Posts:

{ 0 comments }

Shalane Flanagan - Melaleuca Interview

This recipe is a healthy pasta sauce that is tasty and loaded with antioxidants and protein.

I pair the sauce with any type of whole-wheat pasta. It is delish!

I usually enjoy this meal the night before my long runs (20miles).

Ingredients

1 can Muir Glen diced tomatoes (the basil-garlic flavor)
1 can Muir Glen tomato sauce
A couple spoonfuls of tomato paste

1 small can sliced olives
A splash of red wine (optional)

To taste:
Basil
Oregano
Thyme
Ground rosemary
Rubbed sage
Salt
Black pepper

Olive oil
1 small onion, diced
Garlic to taste, minced
3/4 – 1 lb. lean ground buffalo or turkey* (optional)

Instructions

1. Mix together tomatoes, olives, alcohol, and herbs/spices in a saucepan, tasting frequently. It helps to rub the herbs in your hands before adding them to release flavor. Set to simmer on a back burner.

2. Fry the onions in olive oil until soft. At this point, if you’re using a small frying pan, add them to the sauce. Otherwise, you can leave them in.

3. Fry the garlic for a little bit in olive oil (not much!). Then add the ground turkey or buffalo (marinate the buffalo/turkey for 3/4 hours in sauce with molasses, soy and garlic (and a touch of Horseradish).

4. Drain off grease if necessary (I use lean meat because I don’t like draining off the garlic-flavored olive oil) and add meat and garlic to sauce.

5. Simmer as long as you like. Check for flavorings before removing from heat.

Notes: You could also add mushrooms or other vegetables, although I wouldn’t add much without cutting back on the meat or leaving it out.

*Buffalo and turkey are much leaner meats than traditional hamburger

Shalane Flanagan - Signature

www.ShalaneFlanagan.com

Related Posts:

{ 0 comments }

Shalane Flanagan

The queen of U.S. distance running, Shalane Flanagan has a résumé like no other: Four American Records, a half-dozen National Championship titles, one amazing Olympic Bronze Medal performance, and, as of three years ago, a love for Melaleuca products. She’s known for dominating performances on the U.S. circuit and on tracks the world over.

What is it like being the fastest American woman over three miles? What’s it like being a professional runner? In the interview that follows, Leadership in Action finds out what Shalane thinks about running, winning, eating, Melaleuca products and coping with success and failure.

In Brief:

Favorite Books?

Bridge to Teribithia, The Secret Garden, Lord of the Flies.

Favorite Color?

“Green—I’m Irish, it’s the color of my uniform, and it’s Melaleuca’s main color.

Favorite Dessert?

“Pastries, cookies, scones, chocolate, and anything that goes with coffee.”

Favorite Movie?

“’Meet Joe Black’—I love the story of the father-daughter relationship.”

Favorite Melaleuca product?

“I use the Access™ Bars religiously, the Karamel Kruncher in particular. It satisfies my chocolate craving.”

Favorite way to spend your spare time?

“I’ve been really into cooking lately. I try to make healthy versions of my favorite foods.”

LiA: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us, Shalane.

Shalane: It’s my pleasure.

LiA: My first question is, how did you get started running?

Shalane: Well, both of my parents are runners, so it seemed like running was just normal. It was a daily routine, like brushing your teeth. Being active was a major part of our lifestyle. Later I was really in grade school when I got specifically into competing. We’d have to run a mile for a physical fitness test, and the girls would get lumped in with the boys. I just remember beating every boy. That was highly motivating. The boys thought I was cool because I beat them, so I got some positive attention that way.

LiA: So do you think that was a result of your genetics—you have the running gene—or were you good at it because you were so active with your parents?

Shalane: I’m definitely genetically predisposed to being a runner. Both of my parents ran professionally; my mom was one of the first women to earn an athletic scholarship to Indiana State. The genes were definitely helping. I had some natural, raw talent, but now I’ve had to really work to become a top-tier runner.

LiA: Tell me a little bit about that work. What do you do every day?

Shalane: I switched coaches in the last year because I have aspirations of running a marathon. I needed to change my training situation to do that. I’ve been morphing into another athlete, and it’s been slightly painful because I’m running a lot more. It’s very hard on my body. Getting mentally and physically adapted to it has been challenging. We’re laying the foundation for a marathon this fall (I can’t say which one yet). A lot of preparation has been going toward that. The training is a really long, hard effort to get my body adapted to that marathon pace. Before, my long run was 13 miles, and now my long run is 21 miles. I’m more tired than I’ve ever been this past year just getting used to it.

LiA: So why the marathon? Why make the jump?

Shalane: The marathon, to me, is the ultimate test in terms of distance running. It’s so tough. No one’s really meant to run 26.2 miles. So to achieve that, regardless of how fast you run, is unbelievable. In terms of just looking at the rest of my career goals, I have an Olympic medal, I have a few national records, so the only thing left for me is to win a major marathon on U.S. soil—specifically Boston or New York. It’s extremely tough to do.

It’s cool because in the marathon, my dad can run the same race I’m running. Thousands of people get to experience the same thing on the same day.

LiA: Your mom held the marathon world record at one point, if I recall correctly. There’s a goal for you: You’ve got to beat out mom’s record, right?

Shalane: I hope to!

LiA: A statistic came out recently that said more women are competing in running events than men. What do you think about what’s happening with running in the United States right now?

Shalane: I read that statistic as well. I think our society in general is becoming more health conscious and valuing wellness more. Because running is a sport you can do solo or with a group, it’s natural that women are attracted to it. In my experience, women like to work out in groups. Also, it’s a really simple sport—all you need is time and shoes. It’s a simple way to get in your daily exercise and lead a healthier lifestyle.

And it’s getting bigger on the competitive scene as well. My teammate, Chris Solinsky, just took the American record to 27 minutes in the 10,000-meter event. He’s also the heaviest person ever to do that, so we tease him about that. It’s cool to see him out there pummeling the skinny guys on the track. In the U.S., everyone’s striving to break down barriers. People are, to borrow a term from my coach, they’re “ponying up” and putting in the work. There’s a certain degree of, we want to be respected and feared on the international track. We want to be legitimate threats. It’s kind of cool that world champions now know who I am and recognize me. To me, that’s a great compliment.

LiA: Surely you have friends who aren’t world-class runners. So what do you say to people who say, “I hate running—I’m so sick of hitting the pavement”?

Shalane: Running can be a painful sport, particularly when you’re starting out. And I’ve experienced that because I’ve had to come back from injuries. Once you get to a certain level of fitness, it becomes more enjoyable. The best places to run are obviously not on the roads. A trail system would be more ideal. I find that if I run with someone else, and we chat through the run, it goes by much quicker.

Also, running is a good bang for your buck as far as working out is concerned. My husband, Steve, he runs with me so he can eat whatever he wants. [Laughing] No, seriously, Steve is a huge help. And I also train with the men on our team out here. It’s always nice to run in a group.

LiA: Was this your childhood dream? Did you start out saying, “I want to be a professional runner”?

Shalane: I thought more, “I want to go to college and compete in college, and if I don’t find another passion besides running, I want to keep pursuing that.” My primary goal was always to graduate from college. But yeah, in my high school yearbook, they have these prophecies of what everyone would become, and a lot of students would write, “I want to go to college and have a family.” All I wrote was “Olympics.” From a young age, that was a big dream of mine was to go to the Olympics.

LiA: So you didn’t set out to get a medal from the start?

Shalane: It’s so hard to medal at the Olympics—everything has to come together perfectly. It’s one day and one race. Even if you are the best, sometimes you might not receive a medal. Making it to the Olympics seemed much more attainable for me at the time.

LiA: But then when you did medal in the Olympics, you really didn’t have your perfect race at all, did you? There you were a few days before the race, suffering from food poisoning and unable to sleep at the U.S. training camp. That’s not exactly the ideal way to spend your race week.

Shalane: That was a lesson to me that there’s really no perfect preparation—you just have to rely on your years of work. Even on the final days leading up, you really have to rely on your mental state. You have to fall back on the work you’ve done. I was just happy to actually be on the starting line. I wasn’t expecting to have the perfect race.

LiA: Tell me about the race—what was it like?

Shalane: It was kind of surreal just because I was so sick. I wasn’t very nervous, because I was sort of in a daze. I was just happy to be there and trying to just live in the moment and enjoy the experience. I felt like I had nothing to lose. I listened to my body and ran exactly what I was capable of running. I think that’s what allowed me to run my best. Not until the last few laps did I realize what I was about to accomplish, and that’s when I started to get nervous.

LiA: So you crossed the line, and all the cameras started flashing. What did you think at that point?

Shalane: I just couldn’t believe that it came together. Anyone in sports visualizes that great moment, that great shot. Every athlete visualizes that unbelievable moment. You think about it and you daydream about it, and you think, “I don’t know if I’ll ever attain that.” Then when it actually happens, you try to savor every minute of it, but it’s just such a blur. Having that euphoric moment, though, is highly addicting. You just want to achieve that success again.

LiA: What motivates you when things aren’t going well?

Shalane: I think about those moments when things have gone well. Everyone goes through moments when things aren’t perfect, but just persevering through it helps you realize there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. When you have success again, you know it’s all worth the pain.

Related Posts:

{ 0 comments }

Facing and Recovering from Disaster

July 9, 2010
Thumbnail image for Facing and Recovering from Disaster

As Nashville faced the worst flooding in Tennessee history, Melaleuca Marketing Executives pooled resources to aid those in need. Thirteen inches. Who knew a mere thirteen inches could leave about 2,600 people homeless on the streets, cause 42 (out of 92) Tennessee counties to be declared national disasters and take the lives of 21 people? [...]

Read the full article →

Melaleuca Products Making a Difference in Haiti

July 9, 2010
Thumbnail image for Melaleuca Products Making a Difference in Haiti

When tragedy struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti, relief efforts came swiftly and effectively, but they didn’t reach everybody. Thousands in Haiti remained without supplies, without medical treatment, and even without a warm place to stay for the night. Knowing this, a small group of benefactors—business owners, contractors, stonemasons and doctors—went to Haiti to make [...]

Read the full article →

What Can I Get for One Dollar?

June 1, 2010

Related Posts:Melaleuca Business Professionals — Video Review and Presentation Melaleuca: A Steady Income for a Secure Retirement — An Acorn Becomes an Oak TreeKim Cherveny on Frank VanderSloot and MelaleucaRafael and Monica Rojas Comment on MelaleucaAlan and Sondra Pariser Congratulate Melaleuca

Read the full article →

Santa Lucia Children’s Home and The Melaleuca Foundation

May 10, 2010
Thumbnail image for Santa Lucia Children’s Home and The Melaleuca Foundation

Changing the Lives of Children Half a World Away Six-year-old María “Gisela” is an energetic little girl with a beautiful smile. Her face emanates the love that she has for life and for those around her. Gisela is always one of the first to greet the Santa Lucia volunteers at the door with a big [...]

Read the full article →

Melaleuca: A Steady Income for a Secure Retirement – An Acorn Becomes an Oak Tree

March 31, 2010
Thumbnail image for Melaleuca: A Steady Income for a Secure Retirement – An Acorn Becomes an Oak Tree

The baby boomer generation is turning 60, but the prospect of retirement is looking more frightening than ever before. With home prices dropping, nest eggs cracking, 401(k) plans collapsing, Social Security dwindling and pensions vanishing, retirees are now facing challenges they never anticipated. Those challenges aside, retirement packs its own host of roadblocks for those [...]

Read the full article →

Kim Cherveny on Frank VanderSloot and Melaleuca

January 18, 2010
Thumbnail image for Kim Cherveny on Frank VanderSloot and Melaleuca

I’m really proud to have been part of Melaleuca for the past 15 years–it’s been unbelievable.  I know Melaleuca would not have developed into the company that it is without Frank’s leadership.  he’s a good man with a kind heart, and his leadership has built the culture of Melaleuca. And I’m really honored to know [...]

Read the full article →

Rafael and Monica Rojas Comment on Melaleuca

January 18, 2010
Thumbnail image for Rafael and Monica Rojas Comment on Melaleuca

This is a huge accomplishment for Melaleuca and for Frank. This company’s track record of success over the past 25 years is a reflection of his leadership, his vision and his passion for enhancing lives. It demonstrates the company’s stability and it bolsters our confidence in Melaleuca’s future. Rafael & Monica Rojas Melaleuca Corporate Directors [...]

Read the full article →
Melaleuca Review - Unlocking the Power of Nature | Melaleuca Scam | Melaleuca VFL