Anatomic Global, a leading U.S. manufacturer of memory foam mattresses, said that Rick Vander Woude, with nearly 30 years experience running sales organizations in the specialty bedding category, has been named national sales director.
During his three decades of experience, Vander Woude ran national and regional sales efforts for Simmons, Tempur-Pedic and Innomax. He joined Anatomic Global as a regional sales representative in July of 2009.
In his new role, Vander Woude will oversee the company’s six regional sales managers and network of independent representatives. He will also lead the company’s efforts in its burgeoning retail networks channel.
The national sales director position is a new spot, fashioned after the recently announced leave of absence by Anatomic Global’s President Jeff Scorziell, who several weeks ago said that he and his wife were relocating to Zimbabwe for six months to focus on missionary work they began in the country many years ago. Scorziell will remain in a consulting role with the company during this time, but has given up all day-to-day management activities.
“Rick has been one of our strongest producers for the past several years and has been serving as a mentor to other sales representatives for some time, so I believe this is a very natural evolution of roles for him in our organization,” said Anatomic Global CEO David Farley
“His experience in specialty bedding, in particular, and having run larger sales forces for some of the largest players in the mattress business are also important skills he brings to our senior management team as we continue our steep growth.”
Farley said that the leave of absence by Scorziell was “bittersweet” for the organization and for him personally.
“Jeff and I have become good friends and close colleagues these past few years. When I wear my CEO hat I would say I had wished he had picked another time to make this journey. But as his friend, I understand his commitment to the children of Africa and their need for his good work. We needed to find a balance between the needs of Jeff and those if the organization,” he added. “I believe the transition and structure we have created serve all needs well.”
Before joining Anatomic Global, Vander Woude was the director of specialty product sales from 2005 to 2008 for ComforPedic Products, which was acquired by Simmons. From 2000 to 2005 he was the Rocky Mountain regional sales manager for Tempur-Pedic, and was national sales manager for Innomax for 17 years prior to that post.
Before entering the sleep products industry, Vander Woude studied sales and marketing at Davenport Business College in Grand Rapids, MI. He and his family reside in Evergreen, CO.
Founded in 1989, Corona, California-based Anatomic Global is a fully integrated, EDI capable, globally positioned distribution, logistics and fulfillment-company that today incorporates the brand development and marketing insight of bedding industry leaders to meet the needs of its customers. Deeply rooted in the medical mattress industry, in 2008 the company applied its medical manufacturing expertise and launched the Comfort By Design Mattress brand featuring its signature, exclusive EcoMemoryFoam™ extreme open-cell plant-based memory foam. For more information, visit www.anatomicglobal.com.