Sam Malouf, founder and chief executive officer of Malouf, a sleep accessories supplier with headquarters in Logan, Utah, received the Ernst & Young 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the distribution and manufacturing category for the Utah region.
Sam Malouf
The EY awards are sponsored by the multinational business advisory firm Ernst & Young and recognize entrepreneurs who excel in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Malouf was selected by an independent panel of judges, and the award was presented at a gala event at The Grand America Hotel June 10 in Salt Lake City.
In accepting the award, Malouf acknowledged his wife, Kacie Malouf, for her role in founding and building the company. “At some point, Kacie did every job in the company: sales, accounting, marketing, orders. She continues to be my greatest source of leadership, wisdom and inspiration,” he said.
The couple started the company in their two-bedroom apartment 14 years ago. Today, Malouf employs 204 people, ships products to stores across the United States and neighboring countries, and runs the Malouf Foundation, which provides comfort items to those experiencing hard times.
“This is a huge honor and a bit of a surprise, to be honest,” Malouf said. “This award and our success wouldn’t be possible without the people who come to work every day and bring their best attitudes and ideas. I owe the Malouf team a huge thank you for ensuring that work is always meaningful and fun.”
