E.S. Kluft & Co., with headquarters in Rancho Cucamonga, California, has created two new positions to meet sales and training needs. Valerie Stranix is sales and distribution lead for the Kluft, Vispring and Aireloom brands in Canada. Pamela Sievers, who has been with Kluft for nearly a decade, now is director key account development and field education.
Valerie Stranix
Stranix, hired by the Flex Group of Spain, which owns E.S. Kluft and Vispring, reports to David Binke, Kluft chief executive officer. She coordinates Vispring efforts with Hugh Landes, vice president of North American operations.
Stranix, a 20-year bedding industry veteran, acted as principal and was an active shareholder in the 1990s for Spring Air Sommex Corp., after acquiring the Canadian division from its U.S. parent company, Consolidated Bedding Inc. In 2012, Stranix and her peers acquired the assets of Natura World and integrated the brand into its portfolio. Prior to that, she was the sales and marketing leader for Spring Air Canada.
“Stranix has been a leader in the mattress industry for years and will be a great asset to our team,” Binke said. “Her vast knowledge and relationships within the Canadian market will play a vital role in our continued success.”
As director of key account development and field education, Sievers is responsible for supporting the company’s national accounts sales team and spearheading all training and education opportunities for the company’s internal team and retail partners. She reports to Dominick Azevedo, Kluft vice president of sales/national accounts.
Sievers joined the company in 2006 as a key account representative responsible for the Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and RC Willey Home Furnishings in the western United States. Previously, Sievers worked for Spring Air California, supporting the marketing efforts for the company’s Back Supporter and Chattam & Wells brands.
“As our company has been gaining new accounts and floor space with our current retail partners, we wanted to create a more comprehensive training program for our sales reps,” Binke said. “Pam has been a valuable asset to our sales organization—and company—for almost 10 years. She has a great track record with these key accounts and her ability to develop and implement sales training programs has been a key component to the company’s growth.”
Please report errors and corrections to BedTimes.
