The ISPA Board of Trustees announced today that current ISPA Chairman Rick Anderson, President of Tempur-Pedic North America, has informed the Board that he is resigning as Chairman, effective immediately.
“Tempur-Pedic has participated in ISPA for nearly 10 years, and we plan to remain an active member of our industry’s association. I will continue to support our association as an ISPA Trustee,” Anderson said. “I am disappointed by the decisions of a few companies, who are competitors of Tempur, to withdraw from ISPA in reaction to Tempur’s assertion of its intellectual property rights. However, I do not want my position within ISPA to create an ongoing distraction for the association, and I believe the greater good to be served here is for the association to continue with its important work on behalf of the full industry,” Anderson concluded.
“After careful consideration, members of the Board agree that it will be in the best interest of ISPA to transition the role to another member,” Dick Doyle, ISPA president and CEO said. “Rick has served with distinction on the Board for three years and as the Chairman, and I appreciate the leadership he has provided.”
ISPA Vice Chair Don Wright, of Wright of Thomasville, will succeed Rick Anderson as ISPA Chair. “I will work hard to lead ISPA in its continuing efforts to support our industry’s interests,” Wright stated. “The first priority of our Board during this transition will be to reach out across the entire industry – to ISPA members and non-members – to take stock of what we are doing and where we are going, and to serve the collective interests of all. Over the next several months, I encourage all industry leaders to take
part in this important discussion, and to speak frankly about the issues so that we together can guide ISPA in addressing the industry’s needs.”
Established in 1915, the International Sleep Products Association, is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the growth, profitability and stature of the mattress manufacturing industry. ISPA represents nearly 700 mattress manufacturers and their suppliers throughout the world.