Toy Industry to Induct Five Outstanding Individuals into Esteemed Hall of Fame

NEW YORK, Nov. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toy Industry Association (TIA) announced today that it will induct Jill Barad, former chairman and CEO of Mattel; Horst Brandstatter, president of PLAYMOBIL/Brandstatter; the late Jack Friedman, former chairman, CEO & co-founder of JAKKS Pacific; and the late co-founders of Wham-O, Arthur "Spud" Melin and Richard Knerr, into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. 

The five individuals were selected for induction by members of the Association in recognition of their significant contributions to the industry and the impact they have made on the lives of children through a lifelong commitment to toys and play. They will join an impressive roster of 62 toy industry luminaries who have been previously inducted into the Hall since it was established in 1984.  Their induction ceremony will be held on February 15, 2014 in conjunction with the annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards celebration.

"TIA is pleased to welcome these outstanding icons of the industry into the prestigious Hall of Fame," said Carter Keithley, TIA President.  "Their vision, creativity and perseverance has revolutionized the industry and helped to bring the magic of play to children around the globe."

Jill Barad joined Mattel in 1981 as an employee in the company's novelty section; shortly thereafter she began her rise through the ranks and was promoted to director of the Barbie brand.  She used her marketing abilities and eye for consumer trends to reestablish the Barbie doll as an American icon, growing the business to nearly $2 billion worldwide at that time. Barad rapidly climbed the Mattel corporate ladder, holding the positions of executive vice president of marketing and product development, then president and chief operating officer, and finally chairman and chief executive officer … becoming one of four women to hold the helm of a Fortune 500 company in the late 1990s.  Barad is also known for her philanthropic leadership; during her tenure, Mattel committed $25 million to name one of the country's pre-eminent children's hospitals, today known as Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA.

Horst Brandstatter has dedicated 61 years to the toy industry to date and is the sole owner and president of geobra Brandstatter GmbH & Co. KG and head of Brandstatter Holding, based in Bavaria, Germany. Brandstatter is better known as the manufacturer of PLAYMOBIL toys. In 1958, the company experienced a huge sales success by first introducing the U.S. "hula hoop" trend into the European market. Brandstatter also hired Hans Beck as his first model maker to think of a new play system, believing that a completely new play idea with vehicles and figures would offer more play value for children and also make it more difficult for competitors to copy his products. The innovative manager presented Beck's creations, featuring the 2¾ inch PLAYMOBIL figurine, to the trade during Nuremberg Toy Fair in 1974. Incomparable to anything else on the market, this new concept of creative role play won over kids and parents and led to outstanding economic growth. Today, the company employs more than 3,700 people and 2.6 billion PLAYMOBIL figures have been manufactured since 1974.

Jack Friedman was a pioneer in the toy, licensing and video game industries who made his mark over his 50-year career with some of the most iconic playthings of our time.  Friedman co-founded JAKKS Pacific in January 1995 and served as its chairman and chief executive officer through March 31, 2010. He was a visionary leader who guided JAKKS with wisdom and keen judgment, grew its portfolio to more than 80% licensed products, and thanks in large part to his leadership, helped JAKKS grow into a top 5 U.S. publicly-traded, diversified toy company. Before JAKKS, he led LJN Toys, guiding the company into licensed products based on TV shows – a new frontier for toy companies in the 1970s. After the sale of LJN to MCA in 1985, Jack went on to form video game company THQ, Inc. in 1989 and served as its CEO until 1995.  Friedman was also a generous philanthropist and supporter of the JAKKS Cares program. JAKKS Cares has donated more than $50 million worth of toys and school supplies to children around the world, with a goal of helping under-privileged children "Smile, Play and Succeed."

Arthur "Spud" Melin and Richard Knerr were two lifelong friends that started Wham-O in 1948 in South Pasadena, California, and ran the company together for more than 30 years. Their first products were novelty items made in the garage of Knerr's parents and sold via mail order in the Wall Street Journal; their company was named after the sound produced by their first product – a slingshot. Over the course of three decades, they introduced some of the most iconic toys of the 20^th century, including the Frisbee, Limbo Stick, Silly String, Super Ball, Slip n' Slide and the Hacky Sack, among others.  Melin and Knerr were "fun first, business second" and their toys have stood the test of time – the Hula Hoop and Frisbee continue to not only delight children but also appeal to new audiences nearly 60 years later. In addition to their contributions to the world of toys and play, Melin and Knerr were great role models, both within their local communities and in the toy industry as a whole.                                                                                    

For complete biographies and more information about the Toy Industry Hall of Fame, please visit ToyAssociation.org/HOF

The 2014 ceremony honoring the latest inductees will take place at the 14th Annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards on Saturday evening, February 15, 2014 at The Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. The ceremony will kick off the 111^th American International Toy Fair.  Ms. Barad and Mr. Brandstatter are expected to be present to accept their awards in person.

About the Toy Industry Association (TIA)
TIA is the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and bringing toys and youth entertainment products to kids of all ages, representing more than 600 companies who account for approximately 85% of domestic toy sales. Toy safety is the number one priority for the toy industry. TIA has a long history of leadership in toy safety including the development of the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 30 years ago, and working with government, consumers and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play. For more information, please visit www.toyassociation.org or www.toyinfo.org.

SOURCE Toy Industry Association