Rex Maughan
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| Rex G. Maughan | |
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| Occupation | Founder, President, and CEO of Forever Living Products |
|---|---|
| Religious beliefs | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
| Spouse | Ruth |
Rex G. Maughan is the founder, president, and CEO of Forever Living Products. A philanthropist who has given millions to several causes, in 2002 Maughan was listed in the Forbes 400 as the 368th richest man in the world, with a net worth of $600 million.[1]
Maughan grew up on a ranch in Soda Springs, Idaho and eventually served an LDS mission in Samoa. Rex met his wife Ruth at Brigham Young University (BYU) when he volunteered to coach her on her tennis serve. The two were shortly thereafter married, and after Ruth graduated from BYU with a degree in elementary education, the two moved to Arizona. Ruth taught school while Rex finished his degree at Arizona State University, eventually earning his B.S. in Accounting in 1962.[2]
Maughan began investing in land while still working as an accountant in the early 1960's, buying a few acres here, a small ranch there. Then, tiring of accounting, he joined Del Webb, builder of retirement communities, and spent the next 13 years working his way up (eventually to vice president) while steadily adding to his own real estate and ranching investments.[3][4]
Today, Rex and Ruth have three children and 12 grandchildren.[5]
Contents |
[edit] Forever Living Products
Rex founded Forever Living Products in a two-room office. The company initially made lotions from the aloe vera plant, a desert succulent known for its healing properties. The product line has grown and diversified, now encompassing 180 health and beauty aides ranging from vitamins to aloe detergent, from spring water to lip gloss, from protein powder to bee pollen. Since aloe vera is still a key ingredient in many of Forever Living products, Maughan segued into aloe cultivation and processing.[6]
He branched into the resort business in 1981, under the umbrella of a sister company, Forever Resorts.[7][8] His reasoning for this venture, he explains, was out of business opportunity and to fulfill his love for travel.
[edit] Philanthropic efforts
[edit] Robert Louis Stevenson Museum
In Samoa the Maughans have preserved author Robert Louis Stevenson’s home, making it into a museum, collecting Stevenson’s books, and continuing his memory.[9]
[edit] BYU Television
In early 2005 Maughan accompanied a BYU Television team to American Samoa to coordinate installation of a satellite receiver he and Ruth had donated.[10]
Other projects have included becoming involved with the U.S. parks system, collaborating on thorny public-land and cattle-grazing issues; persuading tribal chiefs in Samoa (remembering that Maughan speaks Samoan) to cancel a rain forest logging contract with a Japanese company and turn the acreage into a protected park--he, in return, built a modern school to replace the village's thatch-roofed hut, and hired certified teachers.[11]
His philanthropy has also extended to financially support various political campaigns, including most recently Mitt Romney's bid for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Presidency.[12]
[edit] Honors & Awards
- ASU Alumni Hall of Fame (Inducted October 27, 2007)[13]
- BYU President's Leadership Council Executive Committee Member[14]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Forbes.com: Forbes 400 Richest in America 2002
- ^ Rex and Ruth Maughan Energetically Advocate BYU Television
- ^ Rex and Ruth Maughan Energetically Advocate BYU Television
- ^ Rex Maughan: Forever Living Products Founder Turns to Philanthropy - Knowledge@W.P. Carey
- ^ Rex and Ruth Maughan Energetically Advocate BYU Television
- ^ Rex Maughan: Forever Living Products Founder Turns to Philanthropy - Knowledge@W.P. Carey
- ^ Forever Houseboats - A True Luxury Houseboat Exprerience
- ^ Rex Maughan: Forever Living Products Founder Turns to Philanthropy - Knowledge@W.P. Carey
- ^ Rex and Ruth Maughan Energetically Advocate BYU Television
- ^ Rex and Ruth Maughan Energetically Advocate BYU Television
- ^ Rex Maughan: Forever Living Products Founder Turns to Philanthropy - Knowledge@W.P. Carey
- ^ Rex Maughan - $4,300 in Political Contributions for 2008
- ^ Department News
- ^ Building BYU
