ATLANTA-Jeff Willard has been named executive vice president of sales and marketing for Simmons.
Willard has thus assumed charge over the company’s consumer marketing functions in the United States and Canada, and reports to Tony Smith, the company’s president. Before Willard’s appointment, Smith and Mark Owen, senior vice president of brand management, had jointly overseen the marketing functions on an interim basis. The last Simmons executive to hold Willard’s title was Tim Oakhill, who left the company in 2011.
Before joining Simmons, Willard was chief marketing officer of Harman International, the consumer electronics company. Prior to that, he held senior marketing positions with Coleman, Helen of Troy, Lexmark and Spectrum Brands.