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New York — Mattress industry leaders gathered at Yankee Stadium here the other day to watch some baseball — and to strengthen their bonds in their fight against pancreatic cancer.
Hosted by Tempur Sealy International executive Rick Anderson, the evening brought Tempur Sealy execs and leaders of Houston-based Mattress Firm to Brian Cashman’s suite high above the third base line in Yankee Stadium.
Cashman, senior vice president and general manager of the Yankees, donated his suite for a fundraising auction at the Seena Magowitz Golf Classic earlier this year. Anderson made the winning five-figure bid for the use of the suite, and he invited leaders in the fight against pancreatic cancer to join him at the game, which pitted the Yankees against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The group included a delegation of Mattress Firm executives that featured CEO Steve Stagner, Chief Operating Officer Ken Murphy and Chief Financial Officer Alex Weiss. Also in attendance was Roger Magowitz, executive director of the Mattress Firm Foundation, which is a major supporter of pancreatic cancer research, and Michael Bassoff, president of the TGen Foundation. That foundation supports the work of TGen, a research facility in Phoenix that is a leader in pancreatic cancer research.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to come together in the name of pancreatic cancer research,” Anderson said. “We are committed to do everything we can to improve the survival rates for this terrible disease.”
He noted that Mattress Firm and Tempur Sealy have collectively raised millions of dollars for pancreatic cancer research. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, but suffers from a lack of funding for research, officials say.
The Yankees’ Cashman has joined the fight against pancreatic cancer, a disease that claimed the life of his father, John. Cashman is a member of TGen’s national advisory committee on pancreatic cancer, serving with industry leaders like Roger Magowitz, Steve Stagner and Leggett & Platt executive Karl Glassman.
“Brian’s generous offer of his suite at Yankee Stadium gave us the opportunity to engage business leaders like Rick Anderson and Steve Stagner,” said TGen’s Bassoff. “Bringing advocates for more pancreatic research funding together helps us hit the ball out of the park and makes them an important part of the team.”
The group enjoyed the amenities of Cashman’s spacious suite, which included a smorgasbord of dining options, including cheesesteak subs, sliders, wraps, barbecue, mac and cheese, salad, cold cuts and cheeses, pretzels, popcorn and chips. Televisions in the suite let the group keep up with the action on the field below
The Yankees lost the game, 4-3, and Yankee star Derek Jeter, in the final days of his baseball career, went hitless, but the cause of pancreatic cancer research was a winner that night.
“It was great to see industry leaders like Steve Stagner, Rick Anderson and Steve Rusing sharing the special fellowship that Brian Cashman made possible,” said Magowitz. “The mattress industry has been a leader in the fight to cure pancreatic cancer, and events like this keep a spotlight on the need to press ahead in that fight.”
