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January 19, 2011 -
Simmons Bedding Company, a leading provider of
premium-branded bedding products, announces the
appointment of Jim Ruehlmann as Executive Vice
President, Product Development effective January 17. In
this newly created position, Mr. Ruehlmann reports to
Simmons CEO Gary T. Fazio and is responsible for
developing and executing the company’s new product
creation and innovation agenda.
“The addition of this executive-level position and
the restructuring of this function is a testament to
Simmons’ commitment to ongoing innovation. Jim’s vast
experience, coupled with a renewed focus on our
processes will help us to take our product development
efforts to the next level and deliver the most
innovative products to our retailers and ultimately
provide a better sleep experience to consumers,” said
Mr. Fazio. “A function solely focused on innovation
allows the company to continually improve, and I look
forward to the fresh perspective Jim will bring to our
products and brands.”
Mr. Ruehlmann joins Simmons with an extensive
background in product development, marketing and
merchandising consumer goods. He began his career at
Procter and Gamble, serving as Associate Advertising
Manager for brands including Ivory, Zest, Coast and
Safeguard for more than a decade. Mr. Ruehlmann then
served as Group Vice President for Chiquita Brands
International and later as Vice President of Marketing
for Sealy, overseeing new product development,
advertising, pricing and licensing. His previous
positions include executive-level roles at major brands
such as Evenflo, Sara Lee Foods, Mattress Firm and
Cincinnati Bell. Mr. Ruehlmann is a graduate of
Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
“I am honored and excited to join a company with a
strong brand and established foundation of innovation,”
said Mr. Ruehlmann. “I see tremendous potential for new
product development and am eager to work with the
executive leadership team to continually innovate and
improve upon our portfolio of products.”
Atlanta-based Simmons Bedding Company is one of the
world's largest mattress manufacturers, manufacturing
and marketing a broad range of products including
Beautyrest®, Beautyrest Black®, Beautyrest NxG®,
Beautyrest StudioTM, ComforPedic by SimmonsTM,
ComforPedic LoftTM, Natural Care®, Beautyrest
BeginningsTM and BeautySleep®. Simmons Bedding operates
19 conventional bedding manufacturing facilities and one
juvenile bedding manufacturing facility 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 for
consumers around the world.
For more information, visit Simmons Bedding's
website at
www.simmons.com. |
