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MONUMENT BEACH, Mass. – Under the tutelage of Norman Rosenblatt, Therapedic International was able to grow from just another mattress company in the sea of many to a branded, well-known name in the sleep arena.
Rosenblatt, the super-majority shareholder and longtime chairman of Therapedic, died Wednesday, Aug. 16. He was 86.
Prior to becoming chairman, Rosenblatt was a licensee for the company in New England, and in 2008, he began to acquire an equity stake in Therapedic.
Gerry Borreggine, president and CEO of Therapedic, worked with Rosenblatt for 20 years and said Rosenblatt was like a second father.
“First and foremost, he was a devoted family man,” Borreggine said, adding that his wife Barbara was the love of his life and that he adored her. In addition to her, Rosenblatt is survived by his three children – Andrew, Mitchell and Susan – and a number of grandchildren.
In the mid-2000s, Borreggine said he and Rosenblatt became a formidable team. He credited Rosenblatt for the company’s growth both globally and domestically and said he built the company into a strong, positioned mattress brand.
“He gave me great flexibility to do things that he didn’t necessarily agree with,” Borreggine said. “We did some unique things when we were growing the business, like when we were beginning to work with Bed Bath & Beyond. We had the opportunity to do something exclusive with them. As bad as it ended for them, under Norman’s leadership, we grew a parallel business to our mattress business.
“Today, Therapedic is a vibrant brand,” Borreggine said. “He allowed us to become the No. 1 brand alternative to the top tier brand and the no-name brands. We have defended that since that time.”
Rosenblatt entered the mattress industry when he went to work for a Serta factory in New England. After that, he became an independent factory owner and then joined the Therapedic network of licensees.
Prior to jumping into the mattress industry, he was an executive with Bristol Myers, now Bristol Myers Squibb, worked for a candy company and worked for Lever Brothers. He was a special operation’s veteran and lettered in football at Colby College.
Borreggine said he had learned a lot from Rosenblatt during the years.
“When I went to see him last, we were talking and I wanted him to teach me one last lesson,” he said. “I told him ‘I want you to teach me how to die.’ Then, he said ‘live. You asked me to teach you how to die, I’m telling you to live. Live until the moment you die,’ That was the final lesson to his student.”
A funeral service will be held Tuesday, Aug. 29, at 11 a.m. at the Chapman Funeral Home located at 584 W. Falmouth Highway (Route 28), West Falmouth, Mass.
