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Bob Eilenfeldt Takes on a New Calling: Church Work

David Perry -- Furniture Today, September 24, 2011

David Perry Executive EditorAfter almost 40 years in the mattress business, Serta's Bob Eilenfeldt has retired. He's got an important new calling: Mission work for his church.
     Like many of you, I've known Eilenfeldt for many years and have always enjoyed working with him. He was a thoroughly professional, hardworking, focused mattress executive, passionate about his work.
     Eilenfeldt started on the retail side of the industry, joining JCPenney in Gary, Ind., in 1968 as a management trainee. In 1975 he transferred to the JCPenney corporate offices in New York in the furniture buying department. (There, by the way, he met his future wife, Linda, who was an assistant buyer in the home furnishings department.) He worked in the mattress program at Penney in several capacities.
     After a stint as regional sales manager at manufacturer Douglas Furniture, Eilenfeldt joined Englander in 1980 to manage its JCPenney business. He spent the rest of his career in the mattress business, working for Serta (twice), Sealy and Spring Air. Bob Sherman, Serta's president, wisely brought him back to the company in 2007, and his work with national accounts there was his final posting in a long and distinguished career.
     He leaves the industry, he says, counting his blessings.
     "During these many years, I have had the opportunity to work with many fine executives," he said. "Those no Eilenfeldtlonger with us include Ernie Wuliger, Roy Unger and Bob Dunn. Those still active in the industry (to a greater or lesser degree) include Jerry Rotblatt, Cleve Murphy, Ed Lilly, Kevin Toman, Jim Nation, David Binke, Gary Fazio and Bob Sherman."
     On the retail side, he singled out Steve Dinkins, Mike King, Gary Cornblath, Jerry Strother, James Dubois, Arthur Goldman, Fred Bates and John Ferguson, among others. And he thanked his wife and their two children, Kyle and Mary, for their support over the years.
     Two years ago Eilenfeldt joined a church group on a mission trip to Honduras. It was a "life-changing experience" and it gives him his next assignment: "I intend to return to Honduras often and help them educate and feed their children." That's a noble calling worthy of a fine man like Bob Eilenfeldt.
     To pass on your good wishes for Bob, you can reach him at bobeilenfeldt@yahoo.com.

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