MATTRESS INDUSTRY NEWS RELEASE
News release written by Spring Air International and published, unedited, by BedTimes
Spring Air to Coordinate Condolences for Robinson
BOSTON, Dec. 26, 2016—Rick Robinson, who passed away on Monday, Dec. 19 of natural causes, will be remembered in a private family ceremony in Jacksonville, Fla. this week.
The family has requested that condolences take the form of cards and include a description or memory of Robinson. The cards should be sent to Spring Air International (70 Everett Avenue, Suite 507, Chelsea, Mass. 02150). The company will forward all mail to the Robinson family.
Rick Robinson
Shortly after his unexpected death just prior to the Christmas holiday, scores of Spring Air licensees from around the globe expressed shock and sadness for his loss not only as company president but also as a positive, enthusiastic and compassionate human being.
Commenting on working with Robinson at Spring Air as well as competing against him years earlier when Robinson was with Serta, company COO Eric Spitzer said “I’ve known Rick for more than 20 years and over that time we always had tremendous respect for one another. We laughed and cried together and shared in each other’s business successes and defeats.
“Rick was very smart, had a keen sense of marketing and merchandising, and was ahead of the curve on perceiving consumer preferences and trends.
“He was a great leader and a great person to work with,” Spitzer said.
Nick Bates, who will retain his title as Spring Air vice president but has assumed Robinson’s responsibilities for the interim, noted that “Rick saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.
“He was a leader, mentor and friend. His presence will forever be missed.”
J.P. LeDoux, currently a sales vice president at Classic Brands, also worked alongside Robinson at Spring Air and years earlier at Nature’s Rest.
“I’ve worked both for and with Rick over the past 18 years and I’ve been extremely fortunate to be able to call him my friend, my mentor and my boss,” LeDoux noted.
“Rick came from humble beginnings, was raised by a single mother in blue-collar Youngstown, Ohio, and put himself through college. He worked his way up in the bedding industry starting as a sales trainer at Serta and ultimately becoming president of Spring Air.
“Rick left us far too soon,” LeDoux said, “but I know that my life and the lives of many others have been enriched through our association with him.”
Anita Chapman, who has served as a marketing consultant to Spring Air since 2009, spoke of Robinson as a very close friend and mentor, and a “big loss to the company and the industry.
“Because he worked in a number of sales, marketing and merchandising roles for bedding producers like Serta, Restonic, A.H. Beard, Nature’s Rest and Spring Air International, among others, he was responsible for the success of many industry producers and programs over the course of his career,” she said.
“Rick was highly intuitive and innovative. As a result, he was often ahead of his time.”
Robinson is survived by his son Christopher Robinson; son Matthew Robinson, daughter-in-law Brittany and granddaughter Lily; MaryAnn Robinson and his brother, Rodney.
Contact:
Susan Ebaugh
Lilly Management Group
630-377-2424
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