Distinguished Lecture Series - Leon Ellman
Thursday, September 11, 2025
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
Status:
Space Available
Location:
Main Campus - Davie
Description:
As part of the Distinguished Lecture Series, Leon Ellman purchased his first U.S. mattress company when he moved to Florida from South Africa in 1974. To give his mattresses a competitive edge, he designed a "pocket coil" machine and the rest, as they say, is history. In 1997, Leon sold the pocket coil technology and saw another untapped market: wholesale clubs. He was the first to put Wal-Mart and Sam's Clubs into the mattress business. Selling this much quantity, Leon developed a machine that shrink-wrapped bedding onto pallets that could easily be handled in the clubs. Soon major retailers like IKEA were added to his family of customers. Today Leon remains Chairman of his most recent bedding company, founded with his two sons. Their family businesses also include a vineyard and winery. Leon is a Chartered Accountant and graduate of the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. He was inducted into NSU's Entrepreneur and Business Hall of Fame in 2023.
Registration period closes Thursday, September 11, 2025