Sealy Corporation Appoints Two New Independent Directors

TRINITY, N.C., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sealy Corporation (NYSE: ZZ), the largest bedding manufacturer in the world, today announced that Ms. Deborah G. Ellinger and Mr. John B. Replogle have been appointed as independent directors to the Company's Board.  In addition, the Company appointed Larry Rogers, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sealy Corporation to the Board of Directors.  Also, the Company announced that Matthew W. King has agreed to step down as a member of the Board of Directors.

"The Board is pleased to recognize Larry Rogers' leadership and significant contributions to Sealy with his election to the board," stated Paul Norris, Sealy's Non-Executive Chairman.

As a result of these decisions, the Board now consists of a majority of independent directors.  These changes follow the Company's previously announced plan to have a majority-independent Board of Directors to comply with the NYSE's transition rules for a company which is no longer a "controlled company".

"We are pleased to welcome Deborah and John to our Board," stated Rogers. "Their vast wealth of knowledge and expertise with marketing related experiences in the retail environment will be of immense benefit as we continue to grow and introduce new products. As a new Director myself, I look forward to working together with Deborah, John and the other talented members of our Board to develop fresh and exciting strategies that will help us achieve our goals in the coming years."

Ms. Ellinger is currently an advisor to Catterton Partners, with whom she has worked since 2004. As part of her responsibilities she served as the President of Restoration Hardware as well as the Chief Executive Officer of Old Mother Hubbard/Wellness Pet Food. Prior to her work with Catterton, Ms. Ellinger was the Executive Vice President, Strategy and Business Development for CVS Caremark Corporation, the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States.  She has also held senior level positions at Staples, Inc. and The Boston Consulting Group Inc., and began her career with Mellon Financial Corporation.  Ms. Ellinger serves on the Board of Directors of National Life Group, a financial services holding company with subsidiaries in life insurance and asset management. Ms Ellinger qualified as a Barrister-at-Law in London, where she is affiliated with the Inner Temple, and has an MA and BA in Law and Mathematics from the University of Cambridge in England.

Mr. Replogle is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Burt's Bees, Inc, a position he has held since January 2006. Previously, he was with Unilever where he served as the General Manager of Unilever's Skin Care division from 2003 until 2006. Prior to Unilever, Mr. Replogle worked for Diageo, Plc for seven years in a number of different capacities including President of Guinness Bass Import Company, Managing Director of Guinness Great Britain as well as multiple roles in Marketing, Sales and Strategy.  He started his career with the Boston Consulting Group. Mr. Replogle has a Master of Business Administration degree in General and Entrepreneurial Management from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Dartmouth College.

About Sealy

Sealy is the largest bedding manufacturer in the world with sales of $1.3 billion in fiscal 2009. The Company manufactures and markets a broad range of mattresses and foundations under the Sealy(R), Sealy Posturepedic(R), Sealy Embody (TM), Stearns & Foster(R), and Bassett(R) brands. Sealy operates 25 plants in North America, and has the largest market share and highest consumer awareness of any bedding brand on the continent. In the United States, Sealy sells its products to approximately 3,000 customers with more than 7,000 retail outlets. Sealy is also a leading supplier to the hospitality industry. For more information, please visit www.sealy.com.

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Terms such as "expect," "believe," "continue," and "grow," as well as similar comments, are forward-looking in nature. Although the Company believes its growth plans are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurances that such expectations can be attained. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include: general business and economic conditions, competitive factors, raw materials purchasing, and fluctuations in demand. Please refer to the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings for further information.

SOURCE Sealy Corporation