Guest Post | Mattress industry needs everyone’s involvement

Gerry Borreggine Therapedic

Gerry Borreggine, president and CEO, Therapedic International

I’d like to thank everyone who attended the recent ISPA Industry Conference for making the event a success and the International Sleep Products Association strong. ISPA is part of what makes the bedding business so very great.

ISPA President Ryan Trainer and the ISPA staff have done a wonderful job in helping us rebrand ISPA to become what we are today. Successful companies continually rebrand themselves—it’s an ongoing process of change and evolution that keeps successful companies on top. Like a successful company, ISPA has proven that it can be a successful association.

Most importantly, during the past four years, we have changed ISPA from a staff-directed association to a member-directed association. The staff has successfully managed that change and I am proud to say that today ISPA is your association, run by you, its members.

I’d like to introduce you to your new ISPA Chair Ron Passaglia of Restonic and your new Vice Chair Kathy Roedel of Select Comfort. Both are plugged-in and engaged in the industry and association business. In my role as past chair, I will be proud to work with both of them over the next two years.

During the past four years, we have kept it real. We didn’t try to invent a new mattress size or reinvent the way people should sleep. We have diligently managed industry business and responded to challenges that were—and still are—being directed toward us by state governments. Without the assiduous work of the ISPA staff, we all would be exposed to arbitrary and capricious laws enacted by individual states, which would have onerous consequences on our businesses. ISPA is a vigilant watchdog looking after your interests on a state-by-state basis. We will continue to keep you informed about the progress on these issues. They are critical to the way we will do business in the future.

The impact that these issues have on our business will greatly be affected by how we, as an industry, come together and meet the challenges. We need everyone to come together so that we meet these challenges as a united industry. And that does mean everyone. If you are a member of ISPA, you are contributing in more than just spirit.

If you are not an ISPA member, I urge you to join now. Every retailer in this country is looking to you and will expect you to do the right thing on their behalf. I think it’s unconscionable that anyone who makes a living selling products in this industry could not or would not support the industry association in fighting this cause. If you’re not a member, this is your chance to do what is right for your industry and what is right for the retailers who sell our products. Join ISPA today!

We had a very successful ISPA EXPO last year in Indianapolis. In 2014, ISPA EXPO will return to New Orleans. This is a “must-attend” event for mattress manufacturers and suppliers. We hope to see all of you—and additional staff from your companies—there. ISPA EXPO is something that always seems to produce a new idea or product or a new business relationship or friendship. Please support your business and your industry by attending.

ISPA is your association. To fully leverage all it has to offer to you, you need to be involved.

I thank you all for allowing me to represent you and your interests during the past four years as vice chair and then chair, and I am looking forward to the next two years as past chair, working with Ron and Kathy.

Gerry Borreggine is president and chief executive officer of Therapedic International and past chair of the International Sleep Products Association. This blog post is based on an address he gave at the ISPA Industry Conference March 6 in Orlando, Fla.

Borreggine began his career in 1977 as an executive with sleep products retailer 40 Winks and joined Therapedic in 2003. He became active in ISPA more than 20 years ago when he was the first retailer asked to join the board of the Better Sleep Council, ISPA’s consumer education arm.

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