Bill McLaughlin joined Select Comfort in March 2000. The Minneapolis-based company is best known as the manufacturer, marketer and retailer of the Sleep Number® bed, a revolutionary new mattress which uniquely allows owners to adjust the mattress’ firmness at the touch of a button to fit each individual’s personal preference of comfort and support. The Sleep Number® bed is the bed clinically proven to improve sleep and relieve back pain.
Select Comfort’s goal is to become a leader in the mattress industry by improving the way the world sleeps and, in the process, improving peoples’ lives. Under the leadership of McLaughlin and the management team that he assembled, Select Comfort turned around a difficult situation and achieved profitability in the second half of 2001, by aggressively reducing costs while investing to increase sales volume with bold new advertising and distribution expansion. Profitable growth has continued since 2002. McLaughlin and his team continue to develop the organization and business as they close in on their first milestone of $1 billion revenue, and then beyond to industry leadership.
Prior to joining Select Comfort, McLaughlin enjoyed a successful career leading large-scale consumer products businesses. As president of Frito Lay Europe, Middle East and Africa, McLaughlin was responsible for integrating and accelerating growth of a portfolio of over $2 billion in sales in 17 countries. McLaughlin also led Frito Lay businesses in Mexico and the Caribbean, and marketing operations in Brazil.
McLaughlin, 49, began his career in marketing in 1981 with the Pillsbury Company. He received his MBA from Dartmouth’s Amos Tuck School and his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College.
McLaughlin currently serves on the boards of directors of Orion Safety Products, Minnesota Public Radio, The Tuck School Advisory Board, The Blake School and Select Comfort. He and his wife live in Minneapolis. They have three daughters.
