Category: SSB

Less Coffee? No Dessert? Serta Simmons Bedding Unveils The Things People Would Give Up for a Better Night’s Rest and More Insights on Americans’ Sleep Habits

By JD Velilla, Head of Sleep Experience at Serta Simmons Bedding

As a self-proclaimed “sleep nerd,” I geek out when it comes to talking to people about how to get a good night of sleep. Here at Serta Simmons Bedding, we are all about helping people sleep better so they can live healthier lives.

Timed to Sleep Awareness Month, we recently commissioned a study with OnePoll* to understand Americans’ sleep habits and discovered several interesting findings, including:

  • The Average Bedtime is 10:00 p.m. – That said, those who claim they have “excellent” sleep prefer to hit the hay a little earlier at 9:39 p.m. When looking at different generations, Millennials are the most likely to go to bed the earliest at 9:49 p.m., followed by Generation X and Baby Boomers.
  • People Aren’t Sleeping Well Right Now – Only two in five people rate their quality of sleep as “excellent” (41%). And less than a third of adults feel refreshed when waking up in the morning, even after getting the recommended amount of sleep (30%).
  • They Are Willing to Sacrifice to Get Better Sleep – 43% of respondents said they would give up coffee for better sleep, and 30% would sacrifice dessert.
  • Falling Asleep Can Be Tough – Two in three have trouble falling asleep thinking about everything they must do the next day. What likely keeps people up at night is being worried about their family (42%) or work (41%).

With so many challenges tied to achieving a good night’s rest, I’m often asked for tips on how to sleep better. Here are a few:

  • Stick to a Sleep Schedule – Our bodies crave consistency. Many people go to sleep and wake up at different times from day to day, but consistency can fundamentally improve sleep quality. To create an impactful sleep routine, I suggest starting with what time you need to wake up, then counting back 7.5 hours (or five 90-minute sleep cycles) from there to determine your ideal bedtime.
  • Know Your Chronotype – Night owls and early birds have different peak productivity times. Also, their respective biological rhythms impact their sleep/wake schedules. Ideally, you can plan your day based on chronotype to maximize productivity and get better rest.
  • Find Your Sleep Routine – Sleep routines can extend beyond simple bedtimes to encompass nightly habits that prepare our mind and body for sleep. To unwind for bed, our study found that most people take under half an hour to complete their nightly routine like brushing their teeth (45%), completing their skincare regimen (41%) and watching TV (38%). Sleep routines can also encompass anything that enables people to relax before bed, from dimming the lights or lighting a candle.
  • Make Your Bedroom a Recovery Room – Seven in 10 Americans said they need their nighttime environment to be a certain way to get their best sleep (71%), according to our study. For example, our study found that getting shuteye in a silent room (31%) with some light on (72%) contributes to “excellent” sleep.
  • When All Else Fails, Take A Nap – Even after we find the best sleep schedule, refine our sleep routine, and create the ideal sleep environment, we all may encounter restless nights from time to time. Our survey found that, while the average person wakes up twice a night, more than a quarter (29%) of those who have “bad” sleep find themselves wide awake at least five times a night. But there is still an easy way to catch up on rest. After a suboptimal night of sleep, 30 minutes of napping can be a short yet refreshing way to get through the next day.

As you can see, there are many factors that can negatively impact sleep, but having the right gear shouldn’t be one of them. At Serta Simmons Bedding, we offer a wide range of products across our brands – from an assortment of mattresses (Serta Arctic and the Beautyrest Harmony Lux lines are two of my favorites) to bedding and accessories – to provide consumers with everything they need for their personalized sleep journey.

And don’t forget: if you don’t have a great night of sleep, you always have another night ahead of you to try again.

# # #

*Study surveyed 2,000 Americans on their sleep habits.

Serta Simmons Bedding Names Shelley Huff Chief Executive Officer

David Swift to retire as Chairman and CEO after serving on the Board of Directors since 2013

Doraville, GA – Nov. 2, 2021 – Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC (SSB), one of North America’s largest sleep companies, announced today that Shelley Huff, Chief Operating Officer of SSB and Chief Executive Officer of Tuft & Needle, has been named Chief Executive Officer of SSB, effective Dec. 1, 2021. Huff succeeds David Swift, who will retire from his post after serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dawn Holdings, Inc., SSB’s parent company, since 2013 and as Chairman and CEO since 2019. Huff will also join the Board of Directors of Dawn Holdings, Inc. on Dec. 1.

“When I stepped into the CEO role two and a half years ago, I had a clear objective – to set the foundation for the company’s transformation from a heritage mattress business into a digital-first, consumer-centric sleep company,” said Swift. “One key focus was on ensuring we had the right people in place to drive the business forward and, from day one, Shelley has been a critical addition to the team. Her outstanding track record and deep expertise in omnichannel retail, as well as her consumer-centric and team-first approach, is unmatched. She is uniquely qualified to lead Serta Simmons Bedding into the future.”

“It is a privilege to have the opportunity to lead the Serta Simmons Bedding team into the next phase of our company’s transformation,” said Huff. “Dave has put in place the critical building blocks to set the company up for growth. With this foundation, in addition to our unwavering commitment to quality craftsmanship and innovation, portfolio of power brands, top retail and supplier partners, and most importantly, incredible talent across the organization, we are well-positioned to become the trusted authority on sleep.”

In conjunction with Huff assuming the role of CEO, the company has appointed David Porter as non-executive Chairman of the Board. Porter is a retail executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience at companies including Walmart, DreamWorks Animation and Microsoft, where he currently serves as Corporate Vice President responsible for the company’s direct-to-consumer global retail business.

“It is an honor to join the Dawn Holdings Board at this dynamic time in the industry, as consumers increasingly prioritize sleep and wellness,” said Porter. “I look forward to partnering with Shelley, her leadership team and the existing board as the addressable market grows and consumer expectations evolve in the sleep industry.”

Huff joined SSB in July 2020 as Executive Vice President of Direct-to-Consumer of SSB and CEO of Tuft & Needle and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in April 2021. She came to SSB from Hayneedle.com, a Walmart-owned online home furnishings destination, where she served as President and CEO. Prior to that, Huff held a variety of leadership roles within Walmart’s U.S. division and at Walmart eCommerce, including serving as the Vice President of Operations at Walmart eCommerce, General Manager of Home and Apparel at Walmart.com and Vice President of Housewares at Walmart U.S. Huff is Chair of the University of Arizona Alumni Association Governing Board, where she is an advisor to the Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing and the School of Family and Consumer Sciences. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona and her master’s degree from the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.

 

About Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC

 

Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC is one of the largest manufacturers, marketers, and suppliers of mattresses in North America. Based in Atlanta, SSB owns and manages two of the best-selling bedding brands in the mattress industry: Serta®, which has five other independent licensees, and Beautyrest®. The brands are distributed through national, hospitality, and regional and independent retail channels throughout North America. SSB also owns the Simmons® brand and Tuft & Needle® direct-to-consumer mattress brand. SSB operates 27 plants in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about SSB and its brands, visit www.sertasimmons.com.

 


Media Contact:

Gabrielle Braswell
Serta Simmons Bedding
470-303-1964
gbraswell@sertasimmons.com

 

 

Serta Simmons Bedding Announces New Supply Chain and Operations Roles

Doraville, GA – September 23, 2021 – Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC (“SSB”), one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of mattresses in North America, recently announced two organizational enhancements that will accelerate its industry-leading Supply Chain journey.

Heather Decker now serves as the company’s newly created Senior Vice President of Central Operations. Heather, who joined SSB in 2020, is responsible for centrally driving the processes, systems, capabilities, and investments across 27 plants in the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, she continues to serve as Chief of Staff for the company’s Direct-to-Consumer business and Operations organization and leads its Partnerships, Data Science and Analytics, and Transformation teams.

Heather has over 20 years of experience in merchandising, buying, product development, digital transformation, and direct-to-consumer operations. Prior to joining SSB, she served as Chief Merchant of Hayneedle, a digitally-native Home Specialty retailer that was acquired by Walmart in 2017.

Rory O’Kane joins SSB as its new Vice President of Operations for the Southeast. Rory is responsible for driving operational excellence, safety, quality, service, and cost across eight manufacturing facilities. He oversees continuous improvement, lean manufacturing initiatives, and talent development for the region.

Rory joins SSB with over 30 years of extensive Supply Chain experience in domestic and international supply chains for billion-dollar organizations. Rory recently served as Senior Vice President of Operations for Cornerstone Building Brands, where he was responsible for Supply Chain, Manufacturing and Engineering.

“The world continues to rapidly change and it’s critical we drive operational excellence in everything we do, which starts with great leadership and role models,” said Shelley Huff, COO, Serta Simmons Bedding and CEO, Tuft and Needle. “I’m confident Heather and Rory’s expertise and industry knowledge will help us deliver even better on our mission to provide innovative sleep solutions to our consumers, all while creating a great workplace where our employees can grow their careers.”

ABOUT SERTA SIMMONS BEDDING, LLC

Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC is one of the largest manufacturers, marketers, and suppliers of mattresses in North America. Based in Atlanta, SSB owns and manages two of the best-selling bedding brands in the mattress industry: Serta®, which has five other independent licensees, and Beautyrest®. The brands are distributed through national, hospitality, and regional and independent retail channels throughout North America. SSB also owns the Simmons® brand and Tuft & Needle® direct-to-consumer mattress brand. SSB operates 27 plants in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about SSB and its brands, visit www.sertasimmons.com.

Serta Simmons Bedding Elevates Two Key Leaders, Streamlines Organizational Structure to Accelerate Growth and Transformation

Melanie Huet Named Chief Commercial Officer, Shelley Huff Named Chief Operating Officer
Sleep Company Aligns Sales, Marketing and Innovation Under Huet’s Leadership, Extends Huff’s Oversight to Also Include Supply Chain and Customer Experience

Doraville, GA (April 6, 2021) – Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC (“SSB”), one of North America’s largest sleep companies, recently announced organizational enhancements, including changes to its leadership team, as part of its transformation and growth strategy. Most notably, Melanie Huet (formerly Chief Marketing Officer and EVP of Marketing and Innovation) will take on the role of Chief Commercial Officer for SSB, and Shelley Huff (formerly CEO of Tuft & Needle, EVP of Direct to Consumer) will become SSB’s Chief Operating Officer. Huet and Huff will maintain their former titles of Chief Marketing Officer and CEO of Tuft & Needle, respectively, continue to serve on the company’s executive leadership team, and report to SSB Chairman and CEO David Swift.

“We are relentless in our pursuit of helping people sleep better through consumer-inspired innovation, a digital first mindset, our commitment to exceptional service and an outstanding team who always strives to set the bar higher,” said David Swift, Chairman and CEO of Serta Simmons Bedding. “Both Melanie and Shelley have made a tremendous impact on our business in their time with the company. I look forward to partnering with them as we continue in that pursuit and accelerate our strategy for growth.”

Huet has been instrumental in developing SSB’s portfolio of brands over the last two years and has led the company’s transformation to a consumer-centric organization. As Chief Commercial Officer, she will lead an expanded, unified team which brings together sales, marketing and innovation functions. She will work in partnership with Chief Sales Officer Derek Miller to accelerate eCommerce growth, strengthen SSB’s omnichannel approach and increase speed to market. Huet joined SSB in 2019 after spending time in a variety of marketing and sales roles with The Kraft Heinz Company, Kimberly-Clark and Unilever.

Huff has played a critical role in building the SSB’s direct to consumer (DTC) business across its portfolio of brands and growing the Tuft & Needle brand. As Chief Operating Officer, she will oversee the company’s supply chain and enterprise-wide customer experience teams, and will continue to lead the company’s (DTC) business and the Tuft & Needle brand. Under Huff’s leadership, this expanded Operations team will bolster the company’s digital-first mindset and better leverage data and technology to drive growth across the business. Huff joined SSB in July 2020 as CEO of Tuft & Needle and EVP of DTC after serving in a number of leadership roles across Walmart U.S. and Walmart eCommerce, including as President and CEO of Hayneedle.com.

Bob Hellyer, formerly Chief Supply Chain Officer, will take on a new role as EVP of Strategic Initiatives designed to leverage his deep industry expertise and strong relationships throughout SSB’s value chain. He will also support the Commercial team in accelerating breakthrough innovation.

The digital-first approach that underpins the company’s customer-focused growth strategy requires fostering, harnessing and elevating the talent of existing team members, as well as recruiting new talent in key roles. Two new executives will join Huff’s Operations team to continue to drive SSB’s digital transformation forward:

• Cream Pepito joins SSB as Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for DTC responsible for leading the technology strategy for SSB’s DTC business, inclusive of platform and marketing technology.  Pepito most recently worked with Northwestern Mutual where she led high performing teams responsible for their technology solutions. Pepito has extensive experience leading various technology-enabled transformations for companies in financial services, fin tech, logistics and manufacturing.
• Bhavani Subramaniam joins SSB as Senior Vice President, Integrated Supply Chain, and is responsible for the company’s DTC supply chain, enterprise logistics and warehousing, as well as Sales & Operational Planning. Subramaniam joins SSB with more than 20 years’ experience in strategic and operational supply chain leadership roles in the retail and CPG industries, most recently with Walmart.

About Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC
Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC is a leading sleep company and one of the largest manufacturers, marketers and suppliers of mattresses and sleep solutions in North America. Based in Atlanta, SSB owns and manages two of the best-selling bedding brands in the mattress industry: Serta®, which has five other independent licensees, and Beautyrest®. The brands are distributed through national, hospitality, and regional and independent retail channels throughout North America. SSB also owns Simmons® and Tuft & Needle® direct-to-consumer mattress brands. SSB operates 27 plants in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about SSB and its brands, visit www.sertasimmons.com

###

Media Contact:
Casey Swanson
ICF Next for Serta Simmons Bedding
Casey.swanson@icfnext.com

Serta Simmons Bedding Closes Previously Announced Deleveraging and Liquidity Enhancing Transaction

Reduces Existing Debt by More Than $400 Million

Provides $200 Million of New Money, Increasing Cash on Balance Sheet to More Than $300 Million

Increases Company’s Financial Flexibility and Supports Acceleration of Business Transformation Plan

ATLANTA, June 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC (“SSB” or the “Company”), one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of mattresses in North America, today announced the close of a Priority Term Loan and amendments to the Company’s First and Second Lien Term Loans.

The transaction includes $200 million of new capital and the exchange of approximately $1 billion in First Lien Debt and $300 million in Second Lien Debt, and will reduce the Company’s debt held by participating lenders by over $400 million, increasing the Company’s liquidity and financial strength, while supporting the acceleration of SSB’s business transformation plan.

“We are pleased to complete this transaction and are appreciative of the majority of our lenders for their support and confidence in our business,” said SSB Chairman and CEO David Swift. “I am confident that this transaction will position the Company for continued success and enable us to execute on our growth strategy while we continue to offer our customers the leading products they have come to expect from SSB.”

About Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC
Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC is one of the largest manufacturers, marketers and suppliers of mattresses in North America. Based in Atlanta, SSB owns and manages two of the best-selling bedding brands in the mattress industry: Serta®, which has five other independent licensees, and Beautyrest®. The brands are distributed through national, hospitality, and regional and independent retail channels throughout North America. SSB also owns Simmons® and Tuft & Needle® direct-to-consumer mattress brands. SSB operates 27 plants in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about SSB and its brands, visit www.sertasimmons.com

Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements herein are “forward-looking statements” made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements reflect current expectations or beliefs concerning future events, and actual results of operations may differ materially from historical results or current expectations. Any such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including risks related to the terms of and potential transactions contemplated by the transaction support agreement and the definitive documents implementing the transaction contemplated therein (the “Transaction Agreements”), the ability to comply with the terms and conditions of the Transaction Agreements, the financial condition or results of operations of the Company, the actions and decisions of creditors that may be inconsistent with the Company’s operational and strategic plans, litigation commenced by creditors to challenge the transactions setout in the Transaction Documents, the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern, financing and operational relationships and to retain key executives. Forward-looking statements are also subject to various risks and uncertainties related to the Company’s business, such as its ability to anticipate and timely respond to changes in trends and consumer preferences, the strength of the global economy, competitive market conditions, its ability to attract and retain key personnel, its ability to successfully develop, launch and grow its newer concepts and execute on strategic initiatives, product offerings, sales channels and businesses, its ability to implement its growth strategy, material disruption to its information systems, compromises to its data security, its ability to maintain the value of its brands and protect its trademarks, its ability to implement its real estate strategy, changes in demographic patterns, adverse or unseasonable weather or other interruptions in its foreign sourcing, customer call, order fulfillment or distribution operations, increases in the demand for or prices of raw materials used to manufacture its products, trade restrictions or disruptions, the impact of potential global health emergencies such as COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, including potential negative impacts on the global economy, product demand, foreign sourcing and operations generally. Because of the factors described above and the inherent uncertainty of predicting future events, the Company cautions you against relying on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts
Ed Trissel / Kate Thompson / Sophie Throsby
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
212-355-4449

SOURCE Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC

Serta Simmons Bedding Enters Into Agreement with Majority of Lenders on Deleveraging and Liquidity Enhancing Transaction

Transaction Expected to Reduce Net Debt by Approximately $400 Million

Provides $200 Million in New Capital to Increase Financial Strength and Support Acceleration of Business Transformation Plan

ATLANTA – June 8, 2020 – Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC (“SSB” or the “Company”), the largest manufacturer and distributor of mattresses in North America, today entered into a transaction support agreement with a majority of its First Lien and Second Lien Term Loan Holders to recapitalize the Company. The transaction is expected to reduce net debt by approximately $400 million, and further provides for $200 million in new capital to increase its financial strength and support the acceleration of SSB’s business transformation plan.

“The agreement with our lenders announced today is further validation of our business and transformation strategy as well as our leadership team,” said SSB Chairman and CEO David Swift. “The transaction set out in this agreement will deliver value to our stakeholders and provide the Company with increased financial flexibility as we continue to navigate the current macroeconomic challenges, implement our ongoing growth initiatives, and offer customers the leading products they have come to expect from SSB. We are appreciative of our lenders for their support and confidence in our long-term success.”

The transaction, once finalized, will amend certain existing loan documents to permit the following:

  • New Money Tranche: $200 million of newly funded super-priority “first out” debt ranking ahead of the Existing First Lien Term Loans.
  • Exchange Tranche: $875 million of super-priority “second out” debt ranking ahead of the Existing First Lien Term Loans in exchange for certain Existing First Lien Term Loans and Existing Second Lien Term Loans:

    • Exchange ratio of $74 of new super-priority “second out” debt in exchange for each $100 of Existing First Lien Term Loans; and
    • Exchange ratio of $39 of new super-priority “second out” debt in exchange for each $100 of Existing Second Lien Term Loans.
  • An additional basket for super-priority “third out” debt that would rank ahead of the Existing First Lien Term Loans that can be used for future exchanges of Existing First Lien Term Loans and Existing Second Lien Term Loans.
  • The use of certain assets for future liquidity enhancing and/or liability management transactions.

The transaction will be subject to certain closing conditions including the implementation of the agreed terms pursuant to definitive documents.

About Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC

Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC is the leading sleep company and the largest manufacturer, marketer and supplier of mattresses in North America. Based in Atlanta, SSB owns and manages the two best-selling bedding brands in the mattress industry: Serta®, which has five other independent licensees, and Beautyrest®. The brands are distributed through national, hospitality, and regional and independent retail channels throughout North America. SSB also owns Simmons® and Tuft & Needle® direct-to-consumer mattress brands. SSB operates 28 plants in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about SSB and its brands, visit www.sertasimmons.com

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements herein are “forward-looking statements” made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements reflect current expectations or beliefs concerning future events, and actual results of operations may differ materially from historical results or current expectations. Any such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including risks related to the terms of and potential transactions contemplated by the Transaction Support Agreement (“TSA”), the ability to comply with the terms and conditions of the TSA, the ability to satisfy all the requirements necessary to finalize the Transaction, the ability to successfully execute the Transaction contemplated by the TSA, financial condition or results of operations of the Company, the actions and decisions of creditors that may be inconsistent with the Company’s operational and strategic plans, the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern, financing and operational relationships and to retain key executives. Forward-looking statements are also subject to various risks and uncertainties related to the Company’s business, such as its ability to anticipate and timely respond to changes in trends and consumer preferences, the strength of the global economy, competitive market conditions, its ability to attract and retain key personnel, its ability to successfully develop, launch and grow its newer concepts and execute on strategic initiatives, product offerings, sales channels and businesses, its ability to implement its growth strategy, material disruption to its information systems, compromises to its data security, its ability to maintain the value of its brands and protect its trademarks, its ability to implement its real estate strategy, changes in demographic patterns, adverse or unseasonable weather or other interruptions in its foreign sourcing, customer call, order fulfillment or distribution operations, increases in the demand for or prices of raw materials used to manufacture its products, trade restrictions or disruptions, the impact of potential global health emergencies such as COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, including potential negative impacts on the global economy, product demand, foreign sourcing and operations generally. Because of the factors described above and the inherent uncertainty of predicting future events, the Company cautions you against relying on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts

Ed Trissel / Kate Thompson / Sophie Throsby Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

212-355-4449

Relief Bed International Teams up with Serta Simmons Bedding to Donate Thousands of Pillows to US Relief Organizations

SEATTLE (PRWEB) May 22, 2020

Relief Bed International announces its continued collaboration with Serta Simmons Bedding (SSB) to donate more than 12,000 pillows to major U.S. relief organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. These donations follow the two organizations’ earlier collaboration to donate Serta Relief Beds to hospitals and other medical facilities across the country.

Facilitated by Relief Bed International, Serta Simmons Bedding suppliers, including GBS Enterprises/Healthy Sleep, Softex and Hollander Sleep Products, generously donated the pillows for distribution to hospitals, veteran homes, homeless shelters and other relief organizations across the country.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to help these critically important relief organizations with pillow donations and could not have done it without the generous support of our supply partners,” said Melanie Huet, Chief Marketing Officer for Serta Simmons Bedding. “We are grateful to Relief Bed International for helping connect us with these deserving charities.”

The donations were purposefully focused on some of the hardest hit areas in the U.S. and benefitted organizations like The Bowery Mission, who serves the homeless and hungry in the heart of New York City, The Union Rescue Mission, one of the largest missions in the country located in downtown Los Angeles, and World Vision, a humanitarian organization focused on both domestic and international relief efforts.

“Homeless shelters are some of the hardest hit organizations in the country due to the close proximity of their guests and vulnerable health conditions,” said Scott Smalling, founder of Relief Bed International. “Shelters were forced to significantly expand their operations to comply with distancing regulations which puts a further strain on their limited resources. This valuable collaboration between Relief Bed International and Serta Simmons Bedding is an enormous boost to their efforts.”

About Relief Bed International

Relief Bed International provides strategically built beds to homeless shelters in the United States and to disaster relief victims in emerging countries through their network of international relief partners around the world. For more information and how to partner with Relief Bed, please visit http://www.reliefbed.com

About Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC

Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC is the leading sleep company and the largest manufacturer, marketer and supplier of mattresses in North America. Based in Atlanta, SSB owns and manages the two best-selling bedding brands in the mattress industry: Serta®, which has five other independent licensees, and Beautyrest®. The brands are distributed through national, hospitality, and regional and independent retail channels throughout North America. SSB also owns Simmons® and Tuft & Needle® direct-to-consumer mattress brands. SSB operates 27 plants in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about SSB and its brands, visit https://www.sertasimmons.com.

Serta Simmons Bedding Appoints Shelley Huff as CEO of Tuft & Needle and EVP of Direct to Consumer

Seasoned retail business executive brings extensive industry background to a newly broadened role for
Serta Simmons Bedding (“SSB”) and Tuft & Needle (“T&N” / TN.com)

ATLANTA – May 4, 2020 – Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC (“SSB”), the largest manufacturer and distributor of mattresses in North America, has announced the appointment of Shelley Huff as CEO of Tuft & Needle (“T&N” / TN.com) and Executive Vice President of Direct to Consumer (DTC) for SSB. Huff will assume the role effective July 1 and report to SSB Chairman and CEO David Swift. She will be based in Phoenix where Tuft & Needle is headquartered.

Huff brings more than 15 years of experience in retail business and a passion for consumers and emerging trends in digital integration, building and leading high-performing teams and delivering financial results. She previously served as President and CEO of Hayneedle.com, a Walmart-owned online home furnishings retailer. Prior to her role with Hayneedle.com, she started and spent much of her career with Walmart, serving in a number of leadership roles across both Walmart U.S. and Walmart eCommerce.

In this newly broadened role, Huff will lead T&N as CEO while also serving as a critical member of SSB’s executive leadership team, overseeing the ongoing digital transformation of the total enterprise.

“Shelley brings a unique perspective to both SSB and Tuft & Needle and will foster an even stronger connection between our Phoenix operations and Atlanta headquarters, helping our entire portfolio of brands become more consumer-facing,” said SSB chairman and CEO David Swift. “This appointment is a direct reflection of the important role of direct to consumer to our business—now more than ever—and also highlights how critical the Phoenix DTC team is to our future success.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Shelley to the Tuft & Needle and SSB family,” said JT Marino, co-founder of Tuft & Needle and chief disruption officer for SSB. “Nearly eight years ago, we started this company to bring high-quality products and an exceptional experience to customers. Her addition to the team will bring the strategy and perspective we need to continue this journey of digital and direct to consumer growth.”

In addition to her previous roles with Walmart, Huff also served as director of home for J.C. Penney & Co. She earned her bachelor’s degree with a technology emphasis in retailing and consumer sciences from the University of Arizona in Tucson, and her master’s degree from the Sam M. Walton School of Business at the University of Arkansas.

About Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC
Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC is the leading sleep company and the largest manufacturer, marketer and supplier of mattresses in North America. Based in Atlanta, SSB owns and manages the two best-selling bedding brands in the mattress industry: Serta®, which has five other independent licensees, and Beautyrest®. The brands are distributed through national, hospitality, and regional and independent retail channels throughout North America. SSB also owns Simmons® and Tuft & Needle® direct-to-consumer mattress brands. SSB operates 28 plants in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about SSB and its brands, visit www.sertasimmons.com

About Tuft & Needle
Tuft & Needle (“T&N” / TN.com) is a Phoenix-based company that is the pioneer and leader among direct-to-consumer mattress startups. The company was founded in 2012 by JT Marino and Daehee Park to create exceptional mattress and bedding products and revolutionize the customer sleep experience. T&N has served more than 1 million happy sleepers and was named as Entrepreneur’s Best Company Culture in 2017 and one of TIME’s best inventions. T&N is proud to have earned the highest customer loyalty score (Net Promoter Score® of 74) in the mattress market, with over 95% of customers loving their mattress. In September of 2018, T&N merged with Serta Simmons Bedding (SSB), making the combined company the largest sleep brand in the world. T&N stores are available in Scottsdale, Gilbert, Seattle, Kansas City, Raleigh and Portland. For more information, visit www.tn.com.

Serta Simmons Bedding to Donate 10,000 Mattresses to New York Hospitals

Top U.S. bedding producer acts as healthcare system prepares to confront capacity shortage

ATLANTA (March 25, 2020) – Serta Simmons Bedding (SSB), the nation’s largest bedding manufacturer, will donate 10,000 mattresses to New York City hospitals and temporary medical facilities fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is calling on its peers to do the same.

While the healthcare system’s shortages of masks and ventilators have been heavily publicized, bedding is also expected to soon be dangerously scarce as the coronavirus spreads and hospitalizations surge. That is particularly the case in New York, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday said the state would soon require as many as 140,000 additional hospital beds; it currently has 53,000 in use.  

Beyond its 10,000 mattress donation, SSB also offered additional assistance, noting that its factories and expansive distribution network are capable of producing up to 20,000 beds per day at the lowest possible cost if needed.

“As the largest American producer of mattresses, Serta Simmons Bedding is committed to ensuring those who are hospitalized have a bed available where they can receive care and heal,” SSB Chairman and CEO David Swift said. “We’re calling on our peers in the bedding industry to join us in addressing this need.”

SSB’s donation, which is valued at $2 million, is being facilitated through its relationship with Relief Bed International, a nonprofit organization that provides beds to impoverished people and disaster victims around the world.

#

About Serta Simmons Bedding LLC
Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC is the leading sleep company and the largest manufacturer, marketer and supplier of mattresses in North America. Based in Atlanta, SSB owns and manages the two best-selling bedding brands in the mattress industry: Serta®, which has five other independent licensees, and Beautyrest®. The brands are distributed through national, hospitality, and regional and independent retail channels throughout North America. SSB also owns Simmons® and Tuft & Needle® direct-to-consumer mattress brands. SSB operates 28 manufacturing plants throughout the United States and Canada. For more information about SSB and its brands, visit www.sertasimmons.com.

About Relief Bed International
Relief Bed International provides strategically built beds to homeless shelters in the United States and to disaster relief victims and emerging countries through their network of international relief partners around the world. For more information and how to partner with Relief Bed please visit www.reliefbed.com.

SleepScore Labs and Serta Simmons Bedding Partner to Put Consumers at the Center of Mattress Innovation

Groundbreaking Collaboration Unlocks Research and Development in Mattress Sector  

CARLSBAD, Calif. — January 6, 2020 — SleepScore Labs, the company behind the world’s most comprehensive suite of data-backed sleep solutions, today announced its partnership with Serta Simmons Bedding (SSB), the world’s leading bedding company providing great sleep experiences. The two companies, which are committed to positively impacting the way the world sleeps, partnered on a first–of–its–kind sleep study, exploring the effects of sleeping on the iComfort by Serta® CF4000 mattress and its ability to create comfortable and restful sleep.  

SleepScore Labs and SSB partnered to put consumers at the center of mattress research and development. Leveraging SleepScore technology powered by ResMed, the SleepScore Labs study provided SSB with objective and self-reported sleep data on how these materials impacted sleepers throughout the night – a key component of consumer-focused innovation. Based on self-reported data, 80% of study participants felt sleeping on the iComfort mattress improved their overall sleep. Participants also reported falling asleep faster and achieving better sleep throughout the night without waking up compared to their original foam mattress. Factors such as feeling cool when getting into bed contributed to the iComfort’s high scores.  

Throughout this sleep study, SleepScore Labs utilized SleepScore technology powered by ResMed to track and analyze non-contact measurements from participants’ sleep. This allowed participants to remain sleeping in the comfort of their own homes on the new iComfort CF4000 mattress which features AirSupport™ Foam that smartly contours around your body to help alleviate aches and pains caused by pressure points.  

“A study like this opens a lot of doors for further research and development of not only mattresses, but other bedding products in the market,” said Colin Lawlor, CEO at SleepScore Labs. “We’re thrilled to partner with Serta Simmons Bedding on future studies to bring this type of research into their future product development.”  

 As SleepScore Labs and SSB aim to enhance the lives of millions of people around the world through sleep, the two brands will continue partnering to measure the impact of varying mattresses on sleep in an effort to bring future sleep enhancing products to market.  

“Research and development in the bedding industry has been strong in material science and self-reported customer experience, but often failed to include objective sleep measures, for the simple reason that traditional sleep measurement is specialized, costly and cumbersome to implement,” said Roy Raymann, Chief Scientific Officer at SleepScore Labs. “With our proprietary technology and research services, we delivered the objective sleep measurement that Serta Simmons Bedding was looking for.”  

“As the leading bedding company, we’ve always been focused on providing better sleep, and we want to understand how to take that further with our products to unlock the true potential behind a great night of rest,” said JD Velilla, Head of Sleep Experience at Serta Simmons Bedding. “It’s about understanding and exploring new ways to really impact someone’s sleep health and recovery.”   

SleepScore Labs is backed by over a decade of research and millions of hours of sleep data and is committed to helping the world’s biggest brands develop new products and determine their efficacy even before going to market. SSB continues to put consumers at the forefront of their innovation and invested over one million dollars in research and development to bring the new iComfort by Serta® line to market in October 2019. The new iComfort foam line can be found at furniture and bedding retailers nationwide, and on serta.com. SSB will be making an appearance at CES alongside SleepScore Labs and can be found at booth 44149 in the Sands Expo Hall.  

About SleepScore Labs 

We’re the sleep company changing the world by improving sleep, based on science and leading-edge technology. SleepScore Labs was founded in 2016 by a team of sleep experts from companies, institutions and organizations such as ResMed, Apple, Philips, and Harvard. Together, we enable leading companies and organizations to strengthen their health and wellness offerings, proven through better sleep. After studying millions of hours of sleep for over a decade, we created the world’s most comprehensive suite of services which help consumers improve their sleep and companies to improve their offerings in the space. Initially a Joint Venture between ResMed, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Pegasus Capital Advisors L.P, the company has grown to include other strategic partners and investors. Headquartered in Carlsbad, CA, with an office in Dublin, Ireland, we’ve developed SleepScore™ technology powered by ResMed to offer the world’s most accurate sleep app. SleepScore Labs’ ecosystem also provides data insights, product evaluation tools, and technology licensing opportunities for companies developing products and solutions in the sleep industry. 

SleepScore does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment through its service or its available functions. The content and service provided are intended solely as a resource and informational tool to improve your sleep. Always seek the advice of a physician or qualified health provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. 

About Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC  

Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC is the leading sleep company and the largest manufacturer, marketer and supplier of mattresses in North America. Based in Atlanta, SSB owns and manages the two best-selling bedding brands in the mattress industry: Serta®, which has five other independent licensees, and Beautyrest®. The brands are distributed through national, hospitality, and regional and independent retail channels throughout North America. SSB also owns the Tuft & Needle® original direct-to-consumer mattress brand. SSB operates more than 30 manufacturing plants throughout the United States and Canada. For more information about SSB and its brands, visit www.sertasimmons.com.