Sleep Train Founder & CEO Dale Carlsen Named Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012 Award Winner By Ernst & Young

Furniture World News Desk on 6/9/2012

Ernst & Young LLP announced that Dale Carlsen, Founder & CEO of West Coast retailer Sleep Train, received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2012 Award in the Retail and Consumer Products category in Northern California. The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Dale Carlsen was selected by an independent panel of judges, and the award was presented at a special gala on June 2nd at The Fairmont San Francisco.

“It’s an honor to receive this prestigious award on behalf of all of our Employee Owners, and be recognized among the nation’s top leaders for building a company that demonstrates continued growth and innovation and fosters strong relationships with our business partners and the greater community,” said Dale Carlsen, founder and CEO of Sleep Train. “During the past 27 years, Sleep Train has grown from one store and few employees to a multi branded company with more than 255 stores and 1,250 employee owners. We’ve created the Sleep Train Foster Kids program to have a significant impact on an important social cause, and became the only employee-owned sleep shop in the nation. I am proud to share this tremendous recognition with my entire team whose support has been both vital and inspiring.”

Now in its 26th year, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Program has honored the inspirational leadership of such entrepreneurs as Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com, Michael Dell of Dell Inc., Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines, Fred Smith of FedEx, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google, Richard Schulze of Best Buy, Andrew Mason of Groupon, Mindy Grossman of HSN, Inc., Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn, and many more.

As a Northern California award winner, Dale Carlsen is now eligible for consideration for the National Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012 Award. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the National Entrepreneur Of The Year Overall Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 17, 2012. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

Sponsors: Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored in the United States by SAP America and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

In Northern California, sponsors include ManpowerGroup, The Big Picture, Smart Business Network, Inc., ADP, RoseRyan, Scherzer International, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, and Barney & Barney.

About Sleep Train: Sleep Train Mattress Centers, an award winning, employee-owned company, is ranked the #1 bedding specialist on the West Coast. Sleep Train offers customers superior service by professional and knowledgeable sleep consultants and the best selection of famous brands, such as Beautyrest®, Sealy®, Posturepedic®, Tempur-Pedic®, Stearns & Foster®, and Serta iComfort®, as well as premium adjustable beds, futons, and wood and metal accent beds at the guaranteed lowest prices. Sleep Train’s award-winning Foster Kids Program actively contributes to its community through ongoing donation drives that benefit the area’s over 60,000 foster children. Sleep Train is part of the Sleep Train Enterprise that boasts more than 250 locations in the West. Sleep Train is Your Ticket to a Better Night’s Sleep®. For more information, visit www.sleeptrain.com or call 1-800-378-BEDS

About Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year^®: Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential, and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 140 cities in more than 50 countries.

About Ernst & Young: Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 152,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.

Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit www.ey.com.