ISPA Announces Major Bedding Industry Conference This Fall

Furniture World Magazine

Bedding manufacturers, suppliers and other industry professionals will gather in Nashville, TN, this fall for the 2003 ISPA Industry Conference, hosted by the International Sleep Products Association September 10-12, 2003. Participants at this year’s unique event, to be held at Nashville’s Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, will be treated to first-rate educational sessions with notable speakers, who will discuss important topics within both the bedding industry and the business world. Hal Stratton, chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and a formerattorney general, will speak about the industry’s most significant current topic: new California flammability standards for mattresses. Gordon Damant and other technical experts from theSleep Products Safety Council (SPSC) will host a combustibility panel to discuss the new flammability regulations, related mechanical specifications, and their impact on business. The SPSC will also host supplier exhibits to showcase products and services that comply with the new regulations. Other distinguished speakers include Ronald P. Elving, National Public Radio’s senior Washington editor; Howard Putnam, former CEO of Southwest Airlines; Linda McKinney,president of Achievers International; Stephen Gold, vice president of the National Associationof Manufacturers; and Delos Smith, senior business analyst of The Conference Board. We’re raising the bar in all areas with this year’s conference,” said ISPA President Dick Doyle. “I anticipate that the combination of industry professionals and other top-notch speakers will provide participants with essential knowledge and enhanced perspectives on all aspects of our business.” New to this year’s Industry Conference are continuing education sessions with Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management that will focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. ISPA members can also take advantage of networking social events that are scheduled into the two-day conference. "We are taking an exciting approach with our new industry conference," notes Richard Diamonstein, ISPA Chairman and executive vice president of King Koil Mid-Atlantic. "We have developed a program that is designed to improve the effectiveness of our overall businesses and enhance the professionalism of employees throughout the bedding industry. This conference offers a great deal for all levels of management, and I hope that all ISPA members take advantage of this outstanding educational session." For more information on the 2003 ISPA Industry Conference, visit the ISPA Web site at www.sleepproducts.org. Established in 1915, the International Sleep Products Association, www.sleepproducts.org is the trade organization for mattress manufacturers and their component suppliers around the world. ISPA hosts the biennial ISPA EXPO trade shows and publishes BEDtimes and Sleep Savvy magazines. The Sleep Products Safety Council, www.safesleep.org is a non-profit organization established in 1986 by the mattress industry. SPSC’s mission is to provide consumer safety information, support research, and promote activities aimed at reducing hazards associated with mattresses and other sleep products.