Atlanta-based mattress producer Simmons Bedding Co. has promoted Brad Hill to senior vice president and general manager of specialty products North America and Scott Smalling to chief of specialty innovation. Both report to Gary Fazio, Simmons chief executive officer.
The promotions reflect Simmons’ commitment to advancing its position in the specialty category, the company said.
Hill is responsible for creating consumer demand, elevating brand awareness, and driving the growth and profitability of the specialty category.
He has 25 years of industry experience, most recently serving as senior vice president of sales operations and development in the Program Management Office for Simmons’ parent, AOT Bedding Super Holdings LLC. Hill joined Simmons in 2005 as senior vice president of supply chain.
“Brad has been a valuable asset to Simmons and our parent company, AOT Bedding,” Fazio said. “Over the years, he has been responsible for developing our entire sales operations process, which includes a formalization of the robust analytics capabilities that we rely on today. His expertise in operational excellence is perfectly suited for taking our specialty sleep division to the next level as we experience tremendous growth in the category.”
Smalling’s new role as chief of specialty innovation allows him to focus more closely on the innovation and development of new foam specialty products, the company said. In addition to his technical work, he continues to serve as a brand ambassador, dedicating a portion of his time to promotional efforts.
Smalling joined Simmons in 2007 as president of specialty sleep after Simmons acquired Comfor Products Inc., where Smalling served as CEO. At Comfor Products, he created a line of foam bedding products that evolved into Simmons’ ComforPedic brand.
“Scott’s knowledge of the foam category and his passion for the product is legendary in the industry,” Fazio said. “Scott really has his finger on the pulse of foam technology and what consumers want, and we look forward to him having the ability and resources to focus on innovations that will lead Simmons to become a formidable player in the specialty category.”
