After two years of working-committee meetings and SSA Board of Directors meetings, the Specialty Sleep Association (SSA) has completed the non-profit industry group’s updated vision and mission statements; elected new officers; created an expanded board; introduced two new websites (www.sleepinformation.org and www.bedfax.org ); introduced the final, restructured BEDFAX® consumer disclosure contents label program and promulgated the new SSA logofor membership and marketing purposes at the Las Vegas Summer 2016 market.
Starting with a meeting held in the snow in Boulder, Colorado in the early spring of 2014, over a period of two years the SSA redefined its overall vision for the future and its mission (see below) , and then set about restructuring the governing board, the association’s websites, its consumer transparency labeling program and concluded this fundamental phase of the change process with the introduction of the new clean, crisp and modern SSA logo (see attached). “It took us two plus years,” says SSA President Dale T. Read; “however, this focused non-profit industry association has emerged with new board members and officers, new vitality and energy, new websites, a renewed message and a new look and feel with both the BEDFAX® program and the SSA logo.”
MISSION STATEMENT
“To serve sleep innovators, both manufacturing and retail, by promoting members, product transparency, and education.”
Vision
SSA’s vision is to be a trusted authority for consumers on product transparency and education for specialty sleep products.
“Our re-focus with the updated mission statement,” says Read, “puts us back center stage in the business of advocacy for innovators and emerging companies in the specialty sleep field. If you look at our SSA Showroom in Las Vegas, where we have over 30 manufacturing exhibitors, you will see innovative, cutting edge products offered by emerging companies. These innovators offer the industry new types of foams, suspension systems, biometric monitoring and measurement systems, organic materials, new designs, accessories for heating and cooling, power and electronics, as well as top-of-bed, under-the-bed andfashion accessories to name a few of the product categories,” says Read. “For over two decades we have been an advocate or a host for emerging specialty sleep companies offering new products to the retail marketplace. Many of the larger, well known mattress/ bedding exhibitors in Las Vegas today started out with the SSA over 20 years ago on our show floors in Orlando, San Francisco or Las Vegas. Both returning and new companies approach us for every market, and we are pleased to serve the vital role as an advocate and a sponsor for these emerging companies,” states Read.
“We should also note because of this vital service, which we offer specialty sleep and accessories manufacturers and the attending retailers of all types and sizes, we have sold out our show space for the past several years. Since the time following the Recession in 2010, we at the SSA have experienced a strong rejuvenation, and financial solvency that allows us to carry out our multi-faceted mission focused around advocacy and retailer education of innovative sleep products.”
News Leadership and the Next Horizon
This past summer in Las Vegas, the SSA elected three new officers to govern the board and added two new members to the SSA board. Angela Owen, CEO and Owner of Colorado based Suite Sleep was elected to serve as Chairman of the Specialty Sleep Association. Owen, who has more than fifteen years of experience in the sustainable bedding industry, sees her leadership as a bold challenge to try to change the industry’s “smoke and mirrors” sales tactics to clear and transparent product labeling. “As the new chairperson of the SSA, I see two distinct challenges ahead,” states Owen, “First, we need to redirect our education and appeal for the BEDFAX® transparency labeling program to retailers and consumers, as opposed to just manufacturers. Secondly, we are going to explore added-value for SSA members to encourage growth and expansion of our membership including specialty sleep retailers, manufacturers and industry suppliers,” says Owen.
Sarah Bergman, who is Vice President of Marketing & Creative for PureCare, who oversees the company’s brand development, design, social media, PR, marketing and retail enhancements ( POP,etc.) was elected to serve as Vice Chairman of the SSA. At the same meeting, Pascal Roberge, Director of Sales for Beaudoin, a leader in bed frames, support systems and upholstered beds was elected to serve as the SSA Secretary / Treasurer. Among other duties, Roberge will be focused on developing SSA-sponsored research and marketing advocacy for the expanding under-the-bed, frame and support category. Dale Read and Tambra Jones were also re-appointed to serve respectively as President and Executive Director of the SSA.
In addition to the three newly elected officers, the SSA board also elected two new members to the board expanding it to a total of ten voting members.
With the goal of increasing and strengthening retailer representation on the SSA board, the board has elected specialty sleep veteran Brian Davis, General Manager of the Saint Louis, MO-based Bedroom Store with 15 locations in the Midwest. Davis’s long affiliation with specialty sleep guru and former President of the SSA Denny Boyd helps re-focus the SSA in its mission to address specialty sleep issues at the retail level. Davis will serve for three years on the board. At the same time, looking for new blood and an international perspective, the board elected Thomas Frismodt, CEO of US-based Danican, an innovative and growing specialty sleep company, to a three-year term. Frismodt has blazed a trail of marketing and product achievements at companies in Denmark, Sweden and now in North and South America. Frismodt’s company brings a new, expanding and modern touch to the SSA showroom C-1565 at the World Market Center, Las Vegas.
The unveiling or introduction of the new SSA Logo was the final act or icing on the new cake for the SSA. The logo was developed by a branding committee consisting of Sarah Bergman, Mark Miller, Angela Owen and Tambra Jones. “We are pleased to introduce this new, clean, contemporary and stylish logo: one that fulfills our vision, mission and our future plans. It works very well with our new BEDFAX® logo introduced earlier in the year at the ISPA EXPO in Florida, states Executive Director Jones.