David Long
King Koil has named industry veteran David Long to the new post executive vice president of innovation and marketing. The mattress manufacturer and international licensing group with U.S. headquarters in Willowbrook, Illinois, also has promoted company veteran Ken Swinarski to the newly created position senior vice president of creative and strategic planning.
Long has responsibility for developing new products and shepherding the King Koil brand. He brings an extensive history of designing and marketing highly successful luxury brands to his post, a news release said. He reports to David Binke, King Koil chief executive officer.
Before joining King Koil, Long spent more than two decades as a product development guru at E.S. Kluft & Co. and prior to that at Earl Kluft’s successful Spring Air California manufacturing plant. Long remained with E.S. Kluft after founder Kluft sold the company to The Flex Group, and Long’s most recent title was director of marketing and product development. He began his bedding career at the former Simmons Bedding Co., now a part of Serta Simmons Bedding LLC. Over 16 years at Simmons, he rose from territory sales representative to vice president of national accounts.
“Retailers throughout the United States have an enormous respect for David’s ability in product innovation, style and brand building,” Binke said. “No question, he is the most talented brand builder and product designer in our industry today and will be a great asset for us as we redefine, enhance and expand our product lineup. His choosing to come to our company to help us grow our company to a new level is very exciting.”
Now based in the Phoenix area near King Koil’s new manufacturing plant, Long said: “When I look at King Koil today, it feels like 2005 when I joined Kluft and started to build that company. King Koil is a clean table where I can take product to where it has never been before. I have always been taken aback by how beautiful King Koil product has been. David shares my passion that mattress making is not only about efficiency and cost, but, more importantly, we design products that the end consumers and our retail customers will love.”
Ken Swinarski
Swinarksi, who reports to Long, joined King Koil 10 years ago and most recently served as vice president of marketing. He is credited with leading a global rebrand of the company, as well as the successful introduction and marketing of individual King Koil collections. In his newest marketing role, he is responsible for creating and executing marketing strategies to help drive the brand domestically and internationally.
“Ken is a terrific brand champion who has had an important seat at the table for the past decade helping us reposition our company for future growth,” Binke said. “This well-deserved promotion recognizes the many significant contributions he has made to our customers, employees and ownership.”
The King Koil brand launched in 1898 when Samuel Bronstein founded United States Bedding in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 2015, the privately held company was acquired by one of its licensees, Malaysia-based Kaiserkorp Corp.
