Today marks the end of an incredible chapter as I step aside as President and CEO of Mattress Firm. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity and immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished together. When I joined the company six years ago, Mattress Firm was emerging from the brink of bankruptcy. My mission was clear: work alongside our leadership team and board of directors to transform the business and position it for long-term success. Last week, that journey reached a remarkable milestone with the acquisition of Mattress Firm by Tempur Sealy, Inc. for ~$5 billion. This achievement was made possible by the dedication of every associate, whose hard work strengthened Mattress Firm’s market position and fueled 16 consecutive quarters of market share growth—despite economic challenges and a global pandemic. It has been an honor to serve alongside the Mattress Firm Board and investor group, the leadership team, and, most importantly, our incredible Sleep Experts—who are the true heroes of this story. I leave deeply impressed by the resilience, passion, and culture that define this company. The future is bright for Mattress Firm as part of Somnigroup International. This new, vertically integrated company will span approximately 3,000 stores, 30 e-commerce platforms, 71 manufacturing facilities, and four state-of-the-art R&D centers worldwide. I have no doubt that under Scott Thompson’s leadership, the team will achieve even greater success. I’ll be cheering you on every step of the way! As for me, I’m treasuring extra time with my grandsons, Walter and Harry, and taking this seventh-inning stretch to reflect on what’s next.
Hi John, I have to say I think you were a tremendous leader for Mattress Firm. Your vision for the company is the reason I stayed so long. I retired in December, and felt great pride having worked for the company 13 years. I was a Sleep Train employee first, and loved how they had a strong team spirit. You took us on after the merger and bankruptcy, and guided us through the pandemic with great compassion. You then boldly reinvented our mission by educating us on sleep science. I proudly shared this story to reinforce our brand pride. Thank You for being a leader of integrity and great vision. Best of Luck in your next chapter. Warm Regards, Connie
Love you bud, congrats!
Although I’m about 3 months in with Mattress Firm, I was able to taste a glimpse of the authenticity and how genuinely you’ve lead our company through the integrity and the moral compass every team member I’ve worked with has presented with me! People loving their jobs! Employees wanting to pay it forward! Opportunities of growth! The culture and company’s noble mission with “The customer” being in the North Pole heir is apparent in every store and with every team member, in my opinion! Thank you for all you’ve done and may good health, new journeys and lots of wealth come your way, Mr: Eck!
John, thats great take the time you can never get that back. Congratulations on all of your success and the turnaround well done.
Get some rest.
John Eck it was a pleasure to work with you as you led the team which transformed Mattress Firm. By placing the Sleep Experts at the heart of the business, your leadership inspired them to be great. We were delighted to support that every step of the way. Now it is time for you to get some sleep....
John, THANK YOU for your leadership, dedication and your support. You definitely accomplished what you set out to do, and I was so lucky to be part of the journey. Excited to see your next chapter unfold (we will always have the Californians)… So long for now 🤗
Congratulations John Eck on your next chapter. Thank you for the good that you’ve done and for your leadership.
John, I have been on the journey with you for the past 5 years and have enjoyed growing with the company. You’re vision of the company has been amazing and working in the organization you lead has been amazing. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Enjoy the time with your grandsons. Maybe our paths will cross again someday.
District Sales Manager at Mattress Firm
2wJohn Eck we met at a Texans Tailgate roughly 4-5yrs ago and unexpectedly had a great 45min conversation which led to me becoming even more on fire for Mattress Firm and now being a local leader in this incredible organization. You inspired me to continue being my authentic self and not being intimidated to be present in rooms sharing ideas. You gave us great vision and inspiration along your journey here. You have always treated me fair and with respect and always gave me sound advise. I’ll miss our chats in passing, thanks for being soo real and authentically YOU. It’s a blessing to have a relationship with your CEO. Thank you for giving me more to strive for here. All the best on what’s next for you.