At the end of December 2025, New York state agreed to postpone enforcing the restriction of certain fire-retardant materials in mattresses until mid-July—a win for the mattress industry that provided much-needed time to find alternative solutions.
That postponement represented advocacy in action—one of four strategic goals, along with critical business intelligence, community, and promotion—led by the International Sleep Products Association’s Board of Trustees.
Made up of 24 men and women from across the sleep industry, ISPA’s board is deliberately populated to reflect the association’s membership, with a strong cross-section of suppliers and manufacturers, says Chair Allen Platek, vice president of new product development at Tempur Sealy International. That combination enables the board to work purposefully and effectively on behalf of ISPA’s members.
The biggest question any member asks of their association and its board is this: “What’s in it for me?” BedTimes spoke to Platek; Vice Chair Michael Faus, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Carpenter Co.; and Immediate Past Chair Laurie Tokarz, president of Restonic Mattress Corp., to dive deep into the answers.
What do our members value?
ISPA sends out regular member surveys to maintain ongoing conversations on what members value. “Understanding member value starts with consistent engagement,” says Faus.
The members’ job is to respond, while the board and staff at ISPA listen. “That sounds simple, but it’s really true,” says Tokarz. Along with surveys, “we hear from members at EXPO, committee meetings, board meetings, industry events, and countless one-on-one conversations throughout the year.”
As the association for mattress manufacturers, suppliers, and now retailers, ISPA and its board help members navigate the complex times we’re living in, from economic uncertainty, cost pressures, and workforce challenges to changing consumer behavior, regulatory issues, and increasing competition.
One specific area where members continue to ask for support and where ISPA plays an active role is advocacy. “ISPA advocates for the entire bedding industry,” says Platek. “Without ISPA keeping its finger on the pulse on the legislative activities of individual states, legislation would be passed that would create pain points for producers, suppliers, and retailers.”
The New York postponement is one case in point. Another is managing regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Most companies don’t have the resources to monitor every legislative or regulatory issue that could affect their business. “ISPA plays a critical role by providing centralized resources, guidance, and advocacy that help simplify compliance and reduce the burden on individual companies,” says Faus. “This allows members to remain focused on operating and growing their businesses.”
What do dues support, and how does ISPA maximize that value?
Dues support the four strategic goals outlined by ISPA. “We outlined four specific areas in ISPA’s strategic plan to focus on to deliver value to the membership: advocacy on the state and federal level; intelligence, where ISPA transforms research and data into critical business intelligence; community, where the sleep industry is connected through events such as the ISPA EXPO, the Sustainability Conference, and the Industry Conference; and promotion, which entails elevating the awareness of ISPA, the Mattress Recycling Council, and the entire sleep industry,” says Platek. “Promoting the sleep industry is critical at this time where sales have been significantly lagging for any number of reasons since 2022.”
More specifically, dues go toward a wide range of programs that help move the strategic goals forward, including government relations, industry research, safety and compliance resources, educational programming, workforce initiatives, networking opportunities, and events that foster collaboration, such as ISPA EXPO.
The focus is on aligning investments with the highest-impact opportunities—those that deliver measurable value and strengthen the entire industry, says Faus: “Our responsibility is to ensure that member dues are directed toward initiatives that create tangible impact.”
“We spend a lot of time discussing where ISPA can make the biggest difference and how we can ensure members receive a strong return on their investment,” adds Tokarz. “At the end of the day, we want members to feel that their association is helping them solve problems, identify opportunities, and stay connected to what’s happening across the industry.”
How else are we delighting our members?
Another strategic goal—critical business intelligence—provides the key information that allows members to better navigate an uncertain future. “ISPA is committed to increasing the accuracy and timeliness of the numbers they publish,” says Platek. “For many of our members, ISPA’s statistics and forecasts are the best and only research they have access to for this purpose.”
Faus agrees. “In the age of [artificial intelligence], good information is invaluable,” he says. “The industry data collected by ISPA and available to its members allows companies to make smarter decisions and reduce risk at a time when missteps are costlier than ever.”
Platek points to more resources going toward quarterly and annual industry reporting. “Hiring a full-time analyst, Mary Thorpe, was a huge win for us,” he says. “Mary is working hard to increase the accuracy and timeliness of the reporting and forecasting.”
“The better we can help members understand trends and anticipate what’s ahead, the more value we provide,” adds Tokarz. “Our members consistently tell us they want access to industry statistics, trend data, and market insights that help them plan more effectively.”
In addition, ISPA’s board recently expanded membership requirements to allow bedding retailers to join ISPA. “As the industry has evolved, the line between supplier, manufacturer, and retailer has blurred, even to the point where many organizations represent all three areas,” says Platek. “It made all the sense in the world to include organizations from product concept to the consumer.”
Tokarz finds that members appreciate increased engagement across all segments of the industry. “We want to create more opportunities for members to connect, learn from one another, and share best practices,” she says.
What project are you most excited about?
The conversations around strengthening member engagement and ensuring every segment of the industry feels represented and connected are what Tokarz is most excited about. “Our industry is built on relationships,” she says. “Some of the best ideas I’ve encountered over the years have come from conversations between people who may compete in one area but share common challenges. ISPA is uniquely positioned to bring those people together, and I think there’s tremendous opportunity in continuing to build those connections.”
Meanwhile, Platek and Faus point to ISPA’s sustainability work, both in advocating for mattress recycling legislation and in putting legislation into practice through its Mattress Recycling Council. “ISPA and the MRC are working hard to convince states to follow a legislative model that is working with great success in California, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Oregon,” says Platek.
Then there’s the research that MRC sponsors to discover new and interesting opportunities for recycled materials. Faus mentions end-of-life foam and mattresses being converted into affordable insulation for housing units. “The research is fascinating,” adds Platek. “Who knew we could take soft polyurethane foam and make hard goods like phone cases out of it?”
How are ISPA and its board helping members’ bottom lines?
Membership in ISPA gives members a voice and has a direct positive impact on their bottom lines, says Platek. “Without ISPA’s advocacy efforts, a lot of legislation that would have a negative cost impact on the industry would pass into law,” he says. “These laws directly or indirectly impact everyone associated with the bedding industry. By joining ISPA, organizations can have a say in how these issues are addressed by the association.”
Faus agrees. “ISPA supports members’ financial performance by reducing friction in the business environment,” he says. “This includes helping companies navigate regulatory challenges more efficiently, providing access to best practices, and advocating on behalf of the industry to create a more stable and predictable operating landscape.”
Board matters
As immediate past chair, Tokarz has the benefit of hindsight. Looking back, she says that while the board is helping to provide the strategic direction, “ISPA’s strength has always been its members.”
“ISPA is at its best when members are engaged and helping shape the future of the industry,” she says. “I’ve always believed that the association should deliver practical value—whether that’s advocacy, education, industry statistics, networking, or simply creating opportunities for good people to learn from one another.”
It’s at the board level that this practical value coalesces and sharpens into action. “I love the energy the board has when discussing potential solutions to issues that affect the industry,” says Platek. “Everyone on the board addresses issues from the ‘what is best for the industry’ point of view, not from the ‘what is best for my organization’ perspective. It’s refreshing.”
“Collaboration at the board level is highly productive and focused,” adds Faus. “There is a shared commitment to prioritizing what is best for the industry, which creates an environment of trust and constructive dialogue. That alignment allows us to move forward on key initiatives with clarity and purpose. It’s one of the most rewarding aspects of serving on the board. You have experienced leaders coming together with different backgrounds and perspectives, but with a shared goal of strengthening the industry.”
Stay tuned: This is the first article in a series introducing ISPA’s board and its work on behalf of members.
