Mike Hofmann
Mattress major Serta Simmons Bedding, with headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, has hired Mike Hofmann to the new position—and functional area—executive vice president of research and innovation.
Hofmann is responsible for guiding research and innovation activities and investments across both mattress brands. He reports to Gary Fazio, chief executive officer, and works closely with a new Innovation Review Committee made up of Fazio, Michael Traub, president of Serta; Tony Smith, president of Simmons; Brian Callahan, chief financial officer of Serta Simmons; and Mark Baron, executive vice president of operations of Serta Simmons.
Previously, Hofmann spent 11 years with Sealy, where he most recently served as executive vice president of operations. While there, Hofmann was responsible for directing product development, from research and development to process engineering to supply sourcing. Prior to that, he was vice president of engineering with Hill-Rom, where he worked for two decades in various product-development roles.
According to an internal memo shared with BedTimes, the new, top-level research and innovation functional area will enable the individual Serta and Simmons brand teams “to keep their eyes firmly fixed on the road immediately ahead, while (the parent) looks for opportunities on the horizon.”
