Nation New Vice Chairman at ISPA

October 2, 2006  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on October 2006 Jim Nation has been elected vice chairman of the International Sleep Products Association. Nation, president and chief executive officer of major bedding vendor Spring Air Co., also will chair ISPA’s finance committee.

“Jim brings more than thirty years experience in the mattress industry to our ISPA leadership team,” notes ISPA Chair Kerry Tramel of Lady Americana Associates. “His insight will help to further advance the effectiveness of ISPA in representing the needs of mattress manufacturers and their suppliers throughout the world.”

Nation has been president and chief executive officer of the Spring Air licensing group since 1995. Prior to joining the company to head up its national account efforts in 1990, his career included a variety of retail and sales assignments. Nation joined E.B. Malone Co., a Spring Air licensee in Florida, as a sales representative in 1975. That company later became Bassett Bedding, a national company where Nation worked in a number of sales management and development positions through 1988. He later worked for the Ohio Sealy Mattress Co. in Chicago. Nation said he’s honored to serve as an officer of the Association.

“ISPA is an outstanding institution that has done a very good job in representing the interests of the mattress industry for nearly a century,” he said. “I am looking forward to continuing the fine work of the many industry leaders who have preceded me in expanding the market for mattress sales, advocating on behalf of bedding manufacturers, and charting a course that will benefit the interests of ISPA’s 650 member companies.”

ISPA President Dick Doyle said Nation, who’ll succee Tramel as chairman, would continue in the tradition of strong ISPA member leadership.

“Each has brought a commitment to making the mattress industry among the best in the manufacturing community,” he said. “Jim Nation has that same level of commitment to excellence, and I am truly looking forward to working with him in advancing the interests of our members.”