Lynch Succeeds Fux at Sleep Innovations

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 4/9/2007 12:00:00 AM

West Long Branch, N.J. —

Michael Fux has stepped down as interim president and ceo of Sleep Innovations, the bedding company he founded, and handed over the reins to Joseph Lynch, a global branding executive and former president and coo of Schick-Wilkinson Sword, the world's second-largest producer of wet shave products.

Lynch took over as president and ceo of Sleep Innovations April 1, succeeding Fux, who has been interim ceo since December 2006. Fux will remain a member of the board and continue to play an active role in product innovation and customer relations.

Fux founded the producer of memory foam mattresses, pillows and mattress toppers and propelled it to its position as the fifth largest U.S. home fashions supplier with 2006 sales of about $306 million.

Lynch comes to Sleep Innovations with more than two decades of global branding, manufacturing and marketing experience. On his watch at Schick-Wilkinson Sword, he oversaw the development of Xtreme 3, the first triple-blade disposable razor; Quattro and Quattro for Women, the first four-bladed razors; and Intuition, the first all-in-one razor for women. During his tenure, Schick-Wilkinson Sword achieved compound annual growth of 10% in sales and 25% in operating profit, Sleep Innovations reported in a press release.

Fux commented, "Joe is a talented executive with a proven track record of developing and marketing innovative, high-impact brands. I am proud of what Sleep Innovations has accomplished and am confident that with Joe's leadership, creativity and vision, our company is entering an exciting period of growth and product innovation."