Industry veteran Toman returns to bedding arena
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, April 18, 2004
INDIANAPOLIS — Kevin Toman, the new president and CEO of Top 10 bedding producer Restonic, enjoyed his homecoming at Expo 2004 here.
The biennial trade show marked Toman's official return to the bedding industry after a couple of years of teaching, and church and volunteer work in Massachusetts.
Toman, 57, learned the finer points of the mattress industry during stints with the industry's three largest producers, Sealy, Simmons and Serta. He spent 14 years at Sealy, eventually becoming vice president of sales, and nine years at Serta.
Then he switched gears and left the industry, staying busy with a variety of assignments that ranged from learning how to dig clams — "I fed my whole neighborhood" — to teaching school and counseling senior-level executives who found themselves unemployed.
"I kept them from getting despondent," Toman said of his work with an unemployment support group, a program assisted by his church. "I sat with them one on one."
About 40 people went through that program and eventually found jobs.
Toman said of his work: "Sometime we get so wrapped up in our careers that we don't give back." His church, volunteer and education work gave him a great chance to give back to his community and to young people in Massachusetts, he said.
Although he's got a new job now, Toman is not forsaking the unemployed. He is planning to meet monthly with that support group.
But his job at Restonic will bring some changes to his life. He plans to keep his home in Duxbury, Mass., a small town with a long wooden bridge that leads to the beach, but he will be spending weekdays in the Chicago area. Restonic is headquartered in Rosemont, a Chicago suburb just a few minutes from O'Hare Airport.
Toman's return to bedding started with a call he received after Ed Scott said in January he would be leaving as Restonic's president.
"I got a call and I was asked if I would be interested in the job," Toman recalled. "My wife and I talked about it. 'You do miss bedding, don't you?' my wife said. 'Yes, I do,' I replied. We talked it over and she said, 'Go for it. It's a good challenge.' So that's what I did."
Restonic's search committee, headed by key licensee John Quinn, was able to get the process wrapped up in time for Toman to attend last month's Expo 2004. He was in Restonic's booth, greeting his many friends and colleagues in the industry.
-
Bedding suppliers' outlook remains optimistic
Mar 9, 2008 -
Bedding suppliers' outlook remains optimistic
Mar 9, 2008 -
Specialty sleep products likely to stay hot
Dec 22, 2004 -
Eilenfeldt receives YMCA honor
Sep 24, 2006 -
Restonic appoints Toman president
Mar 21, 2004
Featured Company
-
Brandwise Inc.
Brandwise serves a model - not just an industry - by integrating, automating, and optimizing the entire sales channel, from wholesale Suppliers to their Reps and the Retailers they service. In short, our software helps Reps and Suppliers sell more and create... more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
