Following the recently announced transition to a new manufacturing and sales strategy, Willowbrook, Illinois-based King Koil has made three executive appointments to strengthen its management team.
Howard Galant, a former E.S. Kluft & Co. executive, has joined King Koil as executive vice president of sales for its Western division. Gary Wells, a former consultant to Serta Simmons Bedding LLC, has joined King Koil as chief financial officer and chief information officer. And Jayapal “J.P.” Seshadri, an international attorney for King Koil based in Asia, is relocating to the company’s Chicago-area headquarters, where he will serve as executive vice president of licensing and compliance, overseeing all licensing and legal affairs.
“As we transition from a licensing to direct manufacturing model, we needed to enhance our senior leadership team with top-flight professionals,” said David Binke, chief executive officer. “In assembling the team to take our business to new levels of success, I’ve turned toward people with whom I have worked. These are the first of many new appointments we expect to announce.”
As executive vice president of sales for the Western division for King Koil, Galant manages the company’s sales throughout the region. A well-known industry executive, Galant most recently was senior vice president of sales for E.S. Kluft, where he managed sales for the Western United States and the company’s international business. He had been with the company since 2010 in a variety of sales positions.
As CFO and CIO, Wells oversees the implementation of new technology and financial systems for the newly restructured King Koil. Most recently a business and financial systems consultant with SSB, Wells also served as chief financial officer of E.S. Kluft for nearly four years. In addition to other controller and CFO positions outside of the industry, Wells has worked with a number of bedding brands, including Chittenden & Eastman as COO and CFO and Sealy as regional controller.
Prior to joining King Koil in the United States, Seshadri was general counsel for the King Koil group in Singapore. Prior to that, he held globally focused senior legal roles in a variety of industries. In his new role, Seshadri works with King Koil’s licensees, vendors and retailers to develop and execute business agreements.
In addition, as part of the new appointments, Owen Shoemaker, King Koil’s chief operating officer, is taking a more focused role with the company’s international licensing network. He is working to assemble a team of executives around the globe to provide a strong network of services and resources to better serve the company’s international business partners.
A leading global mattress manufacturer, King Koil supports more than 30 licensees in more than 90 countries where King Koil mattresses are manufactured and sold.
