Art Van PureSleep Promotes Neil Zimmer to Senior VP

October 26, 2017  by Larry Thomas in Executive Changes, Industry   

Zimmer had been vice president of merchandising for PureSleep for the past 15 months, where he oversaw the launch of Detroit Mattress Company, drove growth in the sleep essentials sector and strengthened vendor partnerships.

The company said Zimmer’s new position will also absorb the responsibilities of David Van Elslander, who recently left the company to pursue outside interests.

“We are looking forward to having Neil dive into the senior vice president role as his leadership and strategic skill sets have significantly helped the brand reach impressive milestones,” said Kim Yost, president and CEO of Art Van Furniture. “We are confident that Neil’s expertise will continue to direct and lead the path for Art Van PureSleep’s growth.”

Prior to joining the Art Van Furniture team, Zimmer played an instrumental role with East Coast bedding retailer Sleepy’s in product and business development, as well as the growth of the retailer to more than 1,000 stores.

He began his career in 1993, launching his own futon and mattress business with five locations. He successfully operated his business for 10 years before taking on a merchandise and operations analyst role with Fortunoff, an upscale department store on the East Coast.

To date, there are 120 free standing and in-store Art Van PureSleep locations, with 20 more planned in the next 12 months. Key sleep industry brands include Sealy, Beautyrest, Stearns & Foster, Tempur-Pedic, Serta, iComfort, Kingsdown, King Koil, Reverie and Bedgear.