Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Serta Simmons Bedding Announces New Leadership Appointments
July 25,
2023 by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry 
Serta Simmons Bedding, Inc. (SSB), a global sleep company, announced that Charlie Eitel, current Board member and former Chairman and CEO of Simmons Bedding, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and Tim Oakhill, former Chief Marketing Officer of Simmons Bedding, has been appointed CMO, both effective immediately.
Eitel succeeds Shelley Huff and Oakhill succeeds Guy Longworth, who are both departing the company. In addition, SSB announced today that the Board intends to name Mark Genender as Executive Chairman of the Board, and that James M. Loree, the former President and CEO of Stanley Black & Decker, has been appointed to the Board.
“SSB has a strong foundation built on the company’s deep heritage in innovation and portfolio of leading brands,” said Genender. “To regain market leadership, our new Board believes we must build on that legacy by continuing to innovate and invest in our brands, enhancing retail partner relationships and providing industry leading quality and service.
Charlie is an experienced industry leader with deep retailer and supplier relationships and an appreciation for the competitive environment, while Tim is a seasoned marketer with extensive experience building brands and driving product development in the bedding industry. The Board is confident that Charlie and Tim, in addition to the existing senior team, are the right leaders to position SSB for the future.”
“We thank Shelley for leading SSB through its restructuring and positioning the company for its next phase of growth. We wish her well in her future endeavors,” Genender added.
“It is a privilege to join Serta Simmons Bedding during this important moment at the company,” said Eitel. “We have a clear vision of how to strengthen our market position. I look forward to working with the rest of the Board and leadership team at SSB to execute our strategy and deliver the innovative sleep products for which retailers and consumers have always trusted us.”