Serta Simmons Names New CEO and Marketing Chief

Serta Simmons Bedding (SSB) has named Charlie Eitel as its new CEO and Tim Oakhill as Chief Marketing Officer, effective immediately. Both Eitel and Oakhill held the same positions at Simmons Bedding, where Eitel also was Chairman. The retailer emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this month and has been seeking to stabilize its leadership team.

Eitel replaces Shelley Huff and Oakhill succeeds Guy Longworth, who was appointed CMO just a few months ago in April 2023. Both Huff and Longworth are leaving the company.

“SSB has a strong foundation built on the company’s deep heritage in innovation and portfolio of leading brands,” said Mark Genender, the incoming Executive Chairman of the Board at SSB in a statement. “To regain market leadership, our new board believes we must build on that legacy by continuing to innovate and invest in our brands, enhancing retail partner relationships and providing industry leading quality and service.

“Charlie is an experienced industry leader with deep retailer and supplier relationships and an appreciation for the competitive environment, while Tim is a seasoned marketer with extensive experience building brands and driving product development in the bedding industry,” Genender added. “We thank Shelley for leading SSB through its restructuring and positioning the company for its next phase of growth. We wish her well in her future endeavors.”