Industry celebrates ISPA president as he winds down career.
Ryan Trainer, president of the International Sleep Products Association and the Mattress Recycling Council, is capping off his career with the Lifetime Bedding Achievement Award.
communications; and his wife, Laurie Trainer.
On May 14-16, Furniture Today hosted its 19th annual Bedding Conference at the Hilton Beachfront Resort & Spa in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The conference, which brought together retailers for speaker sessions, networking and socializing, also presented its annual Lifetime Bedding Achievement Award. According to Furniture Today, the award recognizes “notable service to the bedding industry.”
Past recipients include Karl Glassman, Roger Magowitz, Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, Kevin Toman, Harry Cornell, Ed Lilly, Gary Fazio and Rick Anderson. This year, Trainer joined the circle of winners as the 2024 honoree. Trainer, who joined ISPA in 2002, has been an ardent supporter of the sleep products industry for 22 years, first serving as general counsel for the trade organization before becoming president in 2010. In January, he announced that he planned to retire from ISPA in 2024.
“Leading ISPA and MRC has been the highlight of my career,” Trainer said upon receiving the award, which was co-presented by Mark Genender, interim CEO of Serta Simmons Bedding LLC, and Sheila Long O’Mara, executive editor of Furniture Today.
“I am proud of the contributions these organizations have made to the industry, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the work and the relationships I have developed,” he said. “I have learned so much from industry mentors who patiently taught me about the mattress business, how we make and sell our products, and the challenges we face. I also thank the ISPA and MRC boards for their valuable guidance and support over the years, as well as the teams who run our organizations for their dedication, professionalism and friendship.”
He concluded by thanking Furniture Today and his “industry family” for their support and belief in the value of ISPA. •
