Abolt and Borreggine honored with ISPA awards
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, March 17, 2002
DENVER — Russ Abolt, the retiring president of the International Sleep Products Assn., received the association's highest award at Expo 2002 here.
Abolt, whose 35-year career with the association will officially end this July, received the ISPA Award for Exceptional Service.
He was praised as a caring, visionary leader who brought various segments of the industry together and helped build a vibrant trade association.
ISPA also honored Gerry Borreggine of 40 Winks Sleep Shops, the retailer who has been a driving force in the Better Sleep Council and has served as BSC president. Borreggine received the Robert MacMorran Award in recognition of his service to the industry.
"We're at the precipice of a breakthrough in bringing the retailer" into the association, Borreggine said.
Tom McLean, senior vice president of Kingsdown, succeeded Borreggine as BSC president; Borreggine now becomes chairman of the BSC.
Those award presentations were among the highlights of ISPA's Industry Breakfast, an event that gives the industry a chance to review its progress, celebrate its achievements, and look to the future.
Abolt will be retiring as ISPA president on July 15 but will serve as a consultant to ISPA as the association brings in a new leader. Abolt, 60, said he is retiring to give his successor the same opportunity he had: To bring new dimensions to a dynamic, evolving association. "It's simply time to turn that over to the next generation," he said.
The search for his successor has begun, said Ron Jones, whose term as ISPA's chairman concluded at the ISPA meeting. Jones now serves as vice president, replacing Norm Veitzer of Omaha Bedding, who leaves the ISPA board after many years of service.
ISPA's new chairman of the board is Pat Flippin, president of Kingsdown. He most recently served as ISPA's vice chairman.
| ISPA's Russ Abolt, right, accepts congratulations from longtime ISPA supporter Roy Unger after Abolt received the group's top honor, the Award for Exceptional Service. |
| Flippin |
| Gerry and Regina Borreggine after Gerry won ISPA's Robert MacMorran Award. |
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