International Bedding names board member Jeff Maillet CEO

Has background as private equity manager

David Perry -- Furniture Today, August 30, 2010

Jeff Maillet

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Private equity manager Jeff Maillet has been named CEO of International Bedding Corp. He succeeds Tony Smith, formerly CEO and president, who has left the company to take a senior leadership position at Simmons.

Maillet, who runs his own investment firm, Chicago-based Noble Asset Management, has been on the board at IBC for three years.

"I bring a financial acumen that will complement other disciplines we have at the company," Maillet told Furniture/Today.

He said he joins a strong team at IB. Dan Hige, an industry veteran, heads manufacturing, and the company has "one of the lowest return levels in the industry," Maillet said. Eric Johnson, senior vice president of marketing and merchandising, is "one of the best designers in the industry," Maillet said, adding that IB also has "some of the best sales and marketing people in the industry."

"We are poised to take this company to the next level," said Maillet. "With my partners at the company, many of whom have been at the company for the last decade, we are highly confident we will see a good resurgence in the economy and we are absolutely well positioned to take advantage of it."

He said the president's post at IB, which had been held by Smith, will not be filled at this time.