Ron Passaglia, chief executive officer of Restonic, retired in December after more than four decades in the sleep products industry.
He joined the Buffalo, New York-based licensing group in 2008 and focused his tenure on creating a united vision for licensees and building the Restonic brand across emerging channels in North America and internationally, according to a Restonic news release.
“(Ron) has brought years of knowledge and experience in the mattress industry, and the other licensees and I are very pleased that Ron has agreed to consult during 2021,” said Bob Sherman, president of Restonic’s largest licensee Visionary Sleep.
Passaglia began his career working in retail for two years before joining Simmons in 1973. For 27 years, he worked his way up through the company ranks, ending his time there as executive vice president. In 2000, he became president of Verlo Mattress Factory Stores. Prior to joining Restonic, he was CEO of Selther USA, the U.S. marketing arm of Grupo Selther, a producer based in Mexico.
In 2015, during his tenure as chair of the International Sleep Products Association, Passaglia told BedTimes: “I debuted in the furniture industry as a part-time sales associate at Levitz in California. I always found myself in the mattress aisle and gravitated toward selling mattresses. It was pretty easy. All I had to do was tell people how to get a good night’s sleep — with a great mattress from Levitz — and at the end of the day, they paid me to do it.
“In all seriousness, I honestly believe that offering a product that improves someone’s health, expands their day-to-day performance and helps them wake up on the sunny side of life is worth investing in for a lifetime career.”
In addition to the ISPA chairmanship, Passaglia also served as an ISPA and Better Sleep Council board member. In 2000, he earned the Robert MacMorran Memorial Award from ISPA for his dedication and service to the bedding industry.
Prior to retiring, Passaglia said he looked forward to pursuing new outdoor adventures and spending more time with his wife, Victoria. He added: “I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with dynamic teams within a vibrant industry to help provide better stewardship and competitive, sustainable growth throughout my years of service. Plus, we’ve had a heck of a lot of fun along the way.”
