ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As a demonstration of its ongoing commitment to having the most innovative products in the industry, Simmons Bedding Company (“Simmons”) announced the formation of the company’s Sleep Insights and Innovation Department. The new organization marries Simmons’s previous New Product Development group with product design functions and is actively working internally and with outside partners to develop technologies under the Simmons umbrella.
“Simmons has a 142-year-history of innovation as a company and 87 years with Beautyrest,” said Simmons CEO Gary Fazio. “While the company can claim many industry firsts throughout the years, we are focused on combining consumer insights with meaningful innovation to drive an accelerated speed to market. Jim Ruehlmann and his team have set up the organization in a way that maximizes collaboration not only internally, but also externally with other innovative companies.”
Ruehlmann, who previously served as Simmons’s EVP Product Development, has been named to the newly-created role of Chief Insights and Innovation Officer. In this capacity, Mr. Ruehlmann will manage the new Sleep Insights and Innovation Department and lead the company’s effort to develop first-in-class sleep technologies.
“We have an opportunity to evolve the role of a mattress beyond its utility for getting sleep to a sleep technology that delivers the best quality sleep,” says Ruehlmann. “We believe that begins by shifting the consumer’s mindset from ‘improved sleep’ to ‘better health’ but ultimately, technology is what will deliver on our brand promise.”
Having proprietary consumer insights and access to interesting new technologies, combined with centralized product design and aesthetics, enables Simmons to deliver new innovations more quickly. Ruehlmann appointed three seasoned Simmons executives, each with deep experience in these respective areas, to focus on this effort.
Rick Gladney is named VP of New Product Development and responsible for managing the integration of new technologies into the final products that go to market.
Michael DeFranks, formerly Director of Engineering, is promoted to VP of Advanced Technologies. DeFranks will lead Simmons’s efforts to develop new component technologies both internally and externally, as well as the company’s research efforts to better understand what factors influence sleep and feeling refreshed the next morning.
Jim Ross, formerly SVP of Sales Operations, is named SVP of Design and Innovation. Ross will manage aesthetics and design for current and future products. In addition, he will work to source emerging innovations developed internally or externally.
“We are committed to serving our retail customers and consumers by having the most robust product portfolio in the marketplace,” said Ruehlmann. “As long as improving quality of sleep continues to be an important health and wellness objective in America, we will innovate products that deliver on their promise and help people to Live Life Fully Charged.”
About Simmons Bedding Company
Atlanta-based Simmons Bedding Company is one of the world's largest mattress producers and the maker of Beautyrest®. Simmons manufactures and markets a broad range of products including Beautyrest®, Beautyrest TruEnergy™, Beautyrest Black®, ComforPedic® from Beautyrest®, Natural Care® and BeautySleep®. Simmons Bedding operates 19 conventional bedding manufacturing facilities across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Simmons Bedding also serves as a key supplier of beds to many of the world's leading hotel groups and resort properties. Simmons Bedding is committed to developing superior mattresses and promoting a higher-quality sleep, helping ensure consumers around the world are Living Life Fully Charged™. For more information, visit www.simmons.com, or follow Simmons Bedding on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements that reflect our current views about future events. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release and are expressed in good faith. However, these forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Simmons's expectations, including, but not limited to, operational pressures, including our ability to launch new products on a timely basis, the success of our new products and costs related thereto; our product liability, intellectual property and other litigation claims; and strategic decisions, including potential acquisitions and personnel realignments. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, either to reflect new developments or for any other reason.