Mason, Ohio —Responding to rapid business expansion, luxury feather and down bedding manufacturer Downlite has named James Lape the first-ever chief executive officer in the company's history.

The family owned Downlite has been run for 24 years by brothers Larry Werthaiser, Marvin Werthaiser and longtime family friend Bob Altbaier.

The three owners will continue their active roles in the company.

“Leadership is not about following the rules of the past; it's about looking toward the future and what you believe will be the best for the organization as a whole,” said Larry Werthaiser. “The challenges ahead are to show both top line and bottom line growth, to enable us, as a domestic manufacturer, to compete in a global economy.”

Prior to recent consulting work, Lape worked 23 years in senior executive roles, domestic and international, with the world's largest brand-name apparel manufacturer, Levi-Strauss. He served as the sales vp, then senior sales vp in the United States and as the commercial director and general manager in Europe.