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From Home Furnishing Business
Jeff Hutchings Joins Purple as Chief Innovation Officer
March 23,
2022 by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry 
Online mattress producer Purple Innovation, Inc (NASDAQ: PRPL) has announced the appointment of Jeff Hutchings as its first ever chief innovation officer at its Lehi, Utah headquarters, effective May 1, 2022.
Hutchings will oversee strategy and operations of the company's product solutions, playing a leading role in supporting Purple's future growth plans and innovation acceleration.
"I am thrilled to announce that Jeff Hutchings will be joining Purple as our Chief Innovation Officer, bringing his deep experience in leading product strategy and development across different channels to spearhead Purple's innovation journey," said Rob DeMartini, CEO. "I am confident that Jeff will strengthen our team at Purple and help lead us with innovative new products to help drive growth."
Hutchings brings more than a decade of experience in strategic business leadership in innovation, R&D, new product introduction (NPI), and quality assurance. Previously the Chief Product Officer at Skullcandy Inc., which markets headphones, hands-free devices, and other products, Jeff transformed the nature of the brand into a leading accessible technology company.
Hutchings will report directly to Rob DeMartini, who was officially appointed Chief Executive Officer in March 2022. Purple continues to grow its executive team of creative, solutions-driven strategists to help create positive change within the industry and will lean on Hutchings' guidance to push the company's innovation solutions forward.
"Joining Purple presents a unique opportunity to create meaningful impact within the health and wellness industry, helping improve lives and reinventing comfort for consumers," said Hutchings. "I look forward to continuing to transform the category and drive the company's growth through innovative comfort solutions and technology for many years to come."
Prior to his role at Skullcandy Inc., where he served as both chief product officer and vice president of product, Hutchings held various roles at Harman International, a global leader in connected car technology and lifestyle audio innovations. He plans to bring his 20+ years of experience leading corporate technology, engineering management, strategy, and innovative operations to Purple in the coming months. Hutchings holds a BS in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, ASIC/FPGA design, Computer Science, and Software Development from University of Utah.