More than 200 mattress industry professionals including mattress manufacturers, retailers and suppliers came together for education, networking and a little rest and relaxation at the 2013 ISPA Industry Conference that took place in Orlando,
The Conference offered attendees timely and relevant educational sessions geared specifically toward the interests of the mattress industry. Such topics included marketing to the “rationally irrational,” the importance of search engine optimization and social media, updates on mattress recycling legislation, ways to increase creativity and imagination in the workplace, and finally, how to really understand an important demographic- Generation Y. “This Industry Conference was a tremendous success,” noted John Grove Sr. of Spring Air Mattress Corporation. “The quality of speaker and the educational programming were excellent. My two sons, John Jr. And David, and I, were able to take full advantage of the agenda and the many networking opportunities offered. Another big plus was the location…great weather and Disney World, too! How can you beat that Combination “Traveling to the ISPA Industry Conference in Orlando from California was a worthwhile trip,” said Robin Azevedo of McRoskey Mattress Company. “I have already shared and even put some marketing and retail ideas into action. Networking is always valuable, and I’ll be meeting with a couple of other attendees in the next two weeks. The up-to-date status of the recycling legislation in California and other states is critical information, and I appreciate ISPA’s efforts of keeping us informed and involved.” And no trip to sunny Florida would be complete without some fun in the sun.
When attendees weren’t engaged in the educational sessions, they were networking and catching up with friends including a special event for the ISPA Women’s Network (IWN) where they mixed and mingled with other likeminded women in the mattress industry. 4 new trustees elected to ISPA Board Four new trustees have been elected by the membership of the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) to serve on its Board of Trustees. The newly elected Trustees are: Iv Culp, president of Culp, Inc.; Jim O’Donnell, vice president of ales development for Tempur-Pedic International; Robert L. Simpton, executive vice president for Lady Americana Associates, Inc.; and Valerie Stranix, chief marketing officer for Rev. With the expiration of his term as Chair of the ISPA Board, Gerry Borreggine, president of Therapedic International, has taken on the role of Immediate Past Chair. The Board elected Ron Passaglia, president/chief marketing officer of Restonic Mattress Corp. and Vice Chair of the ISPA Board, to the position of ISPA’s Chair. Kathryn Roedel, executive vice president, chief technology & services officer, of Select Comfort Corporation, was elected Vice Chair.
Passaglia and Roedel assumed their new roles during the ISPA Board of Trustees meeting last week, immediately prior to the ISPA Industry Conference in Orlando. Board members who were re-elected as Trustees were Roger Coffey, Latexco West LLC; Aslan Cohen, Spring Air Mexico S.A. de C.V., Tom Eisenberg, Latex International, Adam Lava, A. Lava & Son Co., Tony Smith, Simmons Bedding Co., and Scott Veitzer, Omaha Bedding Co. Rick Anderson, Tempur- Pedic International, Don Wright, Wright Global Graphic Solutions, Michael Crowell, Flexible Foam Products, Inc. Dean Woods, Hodder Lumber Company, and John Larsen, Sound Sleep Products, have completed their terms on the Board. “I congratulate our new officers on their election and welcome the new trustees to the ISPA Board,” noted ISPA President Ryan Trainer. “Generous volunteers like these, who dedicate their time and creative energy for the betterment of the entire industry, founded this association nearly 100 years ago and are what keeps it vibrant and relevant to this industry today. I look forward to working with them and getting their input on the issues we currently face.”
