Judy Ellis is the founder and chair of the nation’s first baccalaureate program in Toy Design, which she launched at the Fashion Institute of Technology in 1989.  In this position, she provides students with an environment emphasizing an ethical design approach and commitment to community.

The FIT program boasts close to 350 alumni who are working in leading toy design, manufacturing and inventor group throughout the United States and across the globe.  An estimated 3,500 products – including Hasbro’s Transformers Mega Powerbots, Littlest Pet Shop Round & Round Pet Town Playset and the licensed idea that was developed by Spin Master®, LTD into the 2009 Toy of the Year Bakugan – have been designed by FIT toy design alumni.

Ms. Ellis has received two SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Excellence in Faculty Service and an award from the national Women In Toys organization for outstanding contribution to the industry. She has been invited to speak about children and design at events including The Yale University Inter-Disciplinary Bio-ethics program, the International Toy Research Association World Toy Congress, and The Smithsonian Institute Museum of American History Invention and Play exhibition, among others.

A graduate of Parsons School of Design with a BFA in Communication Design, Ms. Ellis’ career has been rich with educational and professional experience. During her tenure at New York-based design firm Chermayeff and Geismar, Ms. Ellis designed an award-winning permanent bicentennial exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution and large-scale murals for IBM.

Russ Berrie was chief executive and chairman of Russ Berrie & Company, an Oakland, New Jersey business he started in a rented garage in 1963. Mr. Berrie, who died in 2002 of a stroke at 69, built a small financial empire on stuffed animals and other toys – from his initial launch of Fuzzy-Wuzzies, “hairy sorts of nondescript things” found in novelty shops and card stores, to its immediate follow-up with the Bupkis family and the SilliSculpt lines.   In the 1980s, the Snuggle bear line prospered, followed by Troll-mania in the early 1990’s.  More recently, and since Mr. Berrie’s passing, the company acquired plush licenses for DreamWorks Animation and the Madagascar brand, Marvel Inc., and Raggedy Ann and Andy.

Under Mr. Berrie’s leadership, Russ Berrie & Company (RUSS) became one of the world’s largest gift companies with more than 1,500 employees in the U.S. and overseas at the start of the 21st century and some $300 million in annual sales revenues. Over four decades, he built his business into an international corporation recognized as a leader in the gift industry. He formed a sales organization that set the industry standard for customer service, and assembled a creative team known for innovative materials, attention to detail, and the ability to capture and express human sentiment. He often said, "we do not sell products, we sell love, friendship and emotion.” Berrie served on the TIA board of directors under Chairman David Miller in the 1990’s.

Passionate about the business of selling, Russ Berrie recognized the enormous sales potential of the impulse gift market, creating products meant to catch the eye of shoppers on their way to the cash register in products which captured catch phrases and hot trends. 

Inc. magazine recognized the company as one of the 500 fastest growing, privately held firms in the U.S. in 1982, and on March 29, 1984, the company went public, trading shares on the New York Stock Exchange.

In addition to his business accomplishments, Mr. Berrie devoted endless time, energy and resources to numerous charitable causes. As a private individual, through The Russell Berrie Foundation and through corporate donations, he supported organizations and fostered initiatives that expressed his values, passions and vision in the areas of diabetes, humanism in medicine, Jewish continuity, salesmanship as a profession, arts and culture, honoring New Jersey’s unsung heroes, and strengthening the Bergen County community. His support of philanthropic organizations earned him numerous awards and public recognition. Fortune magazine, in its February 6, 1998 issue, honored Mr. Berrie as one of the forty most generous Americans.

Angelica, Mr. Berrie’s widow, now runs the foundation from its office in Teaneck, New Jersey. 

Arnie Rubin has been in the toy industry for over forty-five years, starting as a bubble mixer at Chemical Sundries.  In 1969, he co-founded Imperial Toy Company and in 1987 he formed Funrise Toy Corporation.  Funrise is best known for its Tonka "light and sound" emergency vehicles with working sirens and lights, which it has manufactured under license from Hasbro since 1999.  Funrise produces the popular Gazillion® Bubbles line, which has grown to become the #1 Bubble Brand in the Nation (NPD Group) and has many popular licenses.

Rubin is the past Chairman of the Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) and Toy Industry Association (TIA).  In 2009, he was named to the Toy Safety Certification Program’s Oversight Council and elected as president of the International Council of Toy Industries and is a member if the ICTI Care Board of Governance.

In addition to his support of the Toy Industry Foundation, Rubin has served on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Braille Institute, and was Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Institute for Families of Blind Children.  He organized the Toy Run for Kids benefiting Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles which has brought donations of more than $100,000 annually.

In 2012, FAO Schwarz celebrates its 150th anniversary.  Since its founding in 1862, the brand has been guided by the principles of its founder, Frederick August Otto Schwarz. His vision to establish a magical toy emporium has made his namesake store beloved in the toy industry, creating memories for generations of kids worldwide.

Mr. Schwarz’s career, which spanned nearly 50 years, was filled with innovation. He believed in offering unique, high quality items, making FAO Schwarz the first toy store in the U.S. to import toys from European cities and led to the introduction of new specialty items, such as the Steiff teddy bear and the perambulator (now, the baby carriage) as part of the store’s assortment. His legacy continues today, as innovative items including Colorforms, Furby and the original Nintendo system are among the iconic products introduced to American consumers at FAO Schwarz.

Beyond offering best-in-class merchandise, Mr. Schwarz found unique ways to engage shoppers. Desiring to bring the wonder of his store to customers around the country, in 1876 Mr. Schwarz began mailing catalogs, creating among the first mail order businesses in the U.S. In creating magical experiences for customers, Mr. Schwarz was one of the first retailers to bring Santa Claus into his store.

Al Verrecchia assumed the position of Chairman of Hasbro, Inc. on May 22, 2008.  Previously he served as Hasbro’s President and Chief Executive Officer (May 2003 - May 2008) and held several senior executive positions over the years including President and Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer; President, Hasbro Manufacturing Services; and Executive Vice President, Global Operations, among other key roles.

Verrecchia has also undertaken many leadership roles in the industry. He has served on the TIA Board of Directors a number of times and was Chair of both the finance committee and the budget committee; he also served on the investment committee and the audit committee. During his tenure, he helped manage the overwhelming changes taking place with the Consumer Product Safety Commission as well as the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.  He worked closely with TIA staff and board members to ensure the Industry’s safety record and self-assessments were brought to the government’s attention.

The yo-yo, which many believe can be traced back to 500 B.C., got new life in the U.S. in 1928 when Donald Duncan Sr. saw Filipino native Pedro Flores’s yo-yo store and factory in Santa Barbara, California.  In 1930, Duncan purchased Flores’ production facilities and hired him to run yo-yo promotions.  The Duncan Yo-Yo Company became the number one producer of yo-yos for the next thirty-five years, claiming 85% of the entire United States yo-yo market during this period of time.  In 1932, he filed for and was assigned a trademark for the word "yo-yo."

Duncan’s early success in promoting yo-yos was due, in large part, to his mastery of publicity. Duncan convinced William Randolph Hearst, the biggest newspaper magnate of the early 20th century, to use yo-yo contests to stimulate his circulation.  A single promotion in Philadelphia sold 3 million yo-yos in 30 days, and in 1932 the first ever World Yo-Yo Competition was held in London, England. In honor of Donald Duncan’s birthday, June 6 has been deemed National Yo-Yo Day. 

John Lasseter is a two-time Academy Award®-winning director and oversees all films and associated projects from Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.  He directed the groundbreaking and critically acclaimed films Toy Story, A Bug’s Life and Toy Story 2 and executive produced Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles. Mr. Lasseter returned to the director’s chair in 2006 with the release of Disney-Pixar film, Cars.

Under his supervision, Pixar’s animated feature and short films have received a multitude of critical accolades and film industry honors.  He received a Special Achievement Oscar® in 1995 for his inspired leadership of the Toy Story team.  His work on Toy Story also resulted in an Academy Award®-nomination for “Best Original Screenplay,” the first time an animated feature had been recognized in that category.

Finding Nemo, released spring 2003, became the highest grossing animated feature of all time, and won the Oscar® for “Best Animated Feature Film.” As creative director of Pixar, Lasseter enjoyed the critical acclaim and box office success of The Incredibles in 2004.  The film was recognized with a record-breaking 16 Annie Award nominations for its groundbreaking animation and several “Best Of” awards by The Wall Street Journal, American Film Institute, National Board of Review and many others.

In 2004, Mr. Lasseter was honored by the Art Directors Guild with its prestigious “Outstanding Contribution to Cinematic Imagery” award, and an honorary degree from the American Film Institute. He received the 2008 Winsor McCay Award from ASIFA-Hollywood for career achievement and contribution to the art of animation.

Mr. Lasseter is a graduate of the California Institute of the Arts and holds an honorary doctorate degree from Pepperdine University.

Sam Walton founded Walmart in 1962; by the end of the 20th century, Walmart had become the world's largest retailer. Walmart also operate Sam’s Club warehouse stores.

Walton had a special affinity for toys and expanded toy departments in his Walmart Supercenters at light speed. According to the NPD Group, Walmart officially became the nation's No. 1 toy retailer in 1998.
Born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, Walton was raised in Missouri where he worked in his father's store while attending school. After graduating from the University of Missouri in 1940, he trained with the J.C. Penney Co. and, in 1945, opened the first of several franchises of the Ben Franklin five-and-dime franchises in Arkansas.   He opened his first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962, offering a wide selection of discount merchandise.  Whereas other discount-store chains were usually situated in or near large cities, Walton based his stores in small towns where there was little competition from established chains. Using this strategy, his company expanded to 800 stores by 1985. In 1983 he opened the first Sam's Wholesale Club.

Walton's management style was popular with employees and he founded some of the basic concepts of management that are still in use today. After taking the company public in 1970, Walton introduced his "profit sharing plan" for Wal-Mart employees to improve their income dependent on the profitability of the store. Sam Walton believed that "individuals don't win, teams do". Employees at Walmart stores were offered stock options and store discounts. These benefits are commonplace today, but Walton was among the first to implement them.

By the 1980s, Walmart had sales of over one billion dollars and over three hundred stores across North America. Walmart's unique decentralized distribution system, also Walton's idea, created the edge needed to further spur growth in the 1980s amidst growing complaints that the "superstore" was squelching smaller, traditional mom and pop stores.

Mr. Walton stepped down as chief executive officer of Walmart Stores in 1988 but remained chairman until his death, by which time there were over 1,700 stores. 

Forbes ranked Mr. Walton as the richest man in the USA from 1985 to 1988 and the Walton family as the wealthiest in the United States. In 1992, shortly after his death, Mr. Walton received a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom for his pioneering efforts. In 1998, he was named by Time magazine as one of the top 100 most influential people of the 20th Century. 

Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?  This question was first posed almost 40 years ago when a group of visionary educators, researchers, psychologists, child development experts, artists, writers and musicians pioneered the concept that entertaining, enriching television could measurably enhance the lives of millions of educationally disadvantaged youngsters.  From this collaboration came Sesame Street — now one of the single greatest informal educators of young children in the world.

“Research was and continues to be our compass,” said Joan Ganz Cooney, co-founder in 1968 of Children's Television Workshop (renamed, Sesame Workshop June 2000) and originator of the preschool educational series, Sesame Street.  She is currently Chairman of the Executive Committee of Sesame Workshop's Board.  ”Every segment is tested and evaluated by the toughest critics of all—the children.  I think it’s fair to say that Sesame Street is the most thoroughly researched show in the history of the medium.”

The Workshop’s offerings reflect both a deep understanding of children’s developmental needs and the best ways to address those needs. As a result, Sesame Workshop’s programs and products are richer, more thoroughly researched and tested to ensure they engage children in a way that maximizes learning.

Sesame Street, which began as an experiment, is the first preschool program to integrate education and entertainment as well as feature a multicultural cast.  It has been broadcast daily since 1969 in the U.S. on the more than 300 stations of the Public Broadcasting Service and has been seen by millions of children in more than 140 foreign countries.  Indigenous co-productions reflecting local languages, customs and educational needs have been produced for audiences in the Arab world, Israel, Portugal, Turkey, Germany, France, Poland, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Russia, China, South Africa, Egypt, the Philippines, Canada, and Latin America.

Following the successful launch of Sesame Street, Mrs. Cooney and her colleagues created other award-winning children’s series on network and public TV such as, The Electric Company, 3-2-1 Contact, Square One TV, Ghostwriter, CRO, Big Bag, and Dragon Tales, all bringing science, mathematics, reading and new experiences to life. 

“It’s not whether children learn from television, it’s what they learn from television,” Mrs. Cooney said.  “I always wanted to leave something that said this life meant something in trying to make a difference.”

Mrs. Cooney is married to New York businessman Peter G. Peterson, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce.  She has five stepchildren, and enjoys spending time with her personal research group—her nine grandchildren.

Jack Pressman was born from parents who arrived in America before the turn of the century from the PALE, an area of undefined and constantly shifting borders between Russia and Poland.  As a child he grew up in Harlem and eventually served in WWI.

Jack’s father, Abraham, owned a variety store in Harlem that sold school supplies, candy, sporting good and toys and this is where Jack worked upon his return from overseas.  Jacks dealings there with toy jobbers sparked his interest in the industry.  Eventually he went out on his own founding J. Pressman & Co. in 1922 with partner, Max Eibitz.  This company was dissolved in 1947, at which time Jack started what is still today, Pressman Toy Corporation.

As an individual, Jack was known to be a man of impeccable taste.  His astuteness in worldly knowledge was another singular trait that made him without peer at auctions that ranged from antique furniture to fine art and jewelry and maybe most importantly, factory machinery. 
 
Jack was astute and clear minded when it came to business.  He knew what he liked and who he liked.  He was loyal, honest, caring and sharp.  He was also a great teacher and innovator, being among the first toy people to use injection molded plastic parts in his toys (bingo balls) and to sign entertainment licenses as far back as the 1930’s (Disney – Snow White).  Many legendary toy people learned their trade under Jack, among them the late Fred Kroll, the inventor of Hungry Hippos.

Then, as now, Pressman was and is a family run business and Jack offered an opportunity to many family members to get their start at the company.  A brother, several cousins and of course, his wife Lynn, who survived his death in 1959 and ran the company for 20 years after his passing, before turning over the reins to Jack’s youngest son, Jim, who runs the company today.

Born in 1947 in a small town in Denmark’s Jutland peninsula, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen was destined to change the way children play.

The third generation of the family behind the LEGO brick, and today is principal shareholder of the family owned LEGO Group, Kjeld will be inducted to the Toy Industry Hall of Fame February 15, 2008 in New York.

His passion for the LEGO play experience and brand started from a young age.  Grandson of the founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen – a Danish carpenter and wooden toy maker – Kjeld grew up in the company.  After school, he sometimes stopped into the model shop to sit alongside Master Builders as they created new models.  He was a skilled, imaginative builder, often inspiring and testing new model concepts and their building instructions.  Kjeld even appeared on many of the company’s packages and marketing materials when the LEGO System of Play was introduced in 1955. 

Kjeld’s pioneering ways have transformed the LEGO brand over the years and changed the way children build and play.  He introduced the idea of creating a system within the LEGO System his father established, grouping models into themes to sharpen the identity of the brand.  He led the introduction of the first LEGO figures to add role play to LEGO building in 1974, giving way to “birth” of the contemporary and iconic LEGO minifigure in 1978.  He supported creation of LEGO TECHNIC, advanced models for skilled builders in 1977, and pioneered the first LEGO play theme, LEGO Space, in 1979. 

In 1988, he endorsed partnership with the MIT Media Lab to explore the convergence of LEGO brick play with technology, resulting in 10 years of development that created the LEGO MINDSTORMS consumer robotics platform.  He launched the brand into the virtual world in 1996 with the introduction of LEGO.com, and opened the door to licensing with the company’s first constructible entertainment property – Star Wars – in 1999.  

“We are part of something bigger than ‘just’ a company.  We’re doing something good for children and adults – for families,” said Kjeld.  “Our idea is universal and timeless.  The world is becoming more and more digital, but there will still be a need for physical products, especially those that appeal to innovation, creativity and community.  Today, there’s more life in the LEGO brick than ever – and people are asking for our play materials in ever-growing numbers because they can see the value of children learning through play, and continue to realize that LEGO play provides opportunities to develop at all ages and stages in life.”

Perhaps Kjeld’s favorite thing is to spend time with children and LEGO fans around the world, through annual events and FIRST LEGO League tournaments.

“The experience of seeing fantastic creations made by enthusiastic children, and feeling the importance our product has had for so many people…these are the big moments in my LEGO life and what makes the company something very special to me.  It’s all about inspiring child-like curiosity in everyone,” he said.

George Lucas's films celebrate something he firmly believes - the boundless potential of the individual to overcome any limitations. With his devotion to timeless storytelling and cutting-edge innovation, he has created some of the most successful and beloved motion pictures of all time. Star Wars (1977) was Lucas' third film. A deceptively simple morality tale of good versus evil told across a fantastic landscape of exotic planets and bizarre creatures, it became an international phenomenon. Refusing to accept the limitations of filmmaking at the time, Lucas created his own visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, to deliver the hundreds of shots that were required to make his vision a reality. Star Wars broke all box-office records and set new standards for sophistication in film visuals and sound, garnering eight Academy Awards.

In addition to the Star Wars saga, in 1981, Lucas created the classic adventurer Indiana Jones, and co-wrote and executive-produced the successful series consisting of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Lucasfilm Ltd., the company he founded in 1971, has grown to encompass such creative groups as Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, which provide digital visual effects and audio post-production; LucasArts, a developer and publisher of videogame entertainment; and Lucas Licensing. Together, Skywalker Sound, ILM and Lucasfilm have received 40 Academy Awards and special achievement honors.

Lucas also takes a leadership role in applying his technical and storytelling expertise to the classroom. He is chairman of the board of the George Lucas Educational Foundation, serves on the board of the Film Foundation and is a member of the USC School of Cinema-Television Advisory Board. Lucas is a recipient of some of the entertainment industry's highest honors, including the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute.

But it is his influence on the toy industry for which we honor him tonight. Star Wars was the first entertainment franchise that brought together film, licensing and merchandising. Not only did Star Wars completely reshape the pop-culture landscape, it revolutionized our industry. Star Wars action figures established the 3¾-inch scale, which allowed kids to recreate the dynamic scenes of the movies, and spawned a community of passionate toy collectors - kids and adults alike. Star Wars set the industry "standard" on which most major movie toy lines are based today. So welcome to the Hall of Fame, George-thanks to you, the "Force" is strong in all of us.

Cousins Edwin Binney (1866-1934) and C. Harold Smith (1860-1931) founded Binney & Smith in 1885 when they took over Peekskill Chemical Works from Binney's father. Innovators with a passion for color, they made red oxide pigments that coated many barns in the United States and a revolutionary black pigment, carbon black, which became the main ingredient in automobile tires. In 1900, they bought a gristmill in Easton, Pennsylvania, and produced school supplies including slate pencils and dustless blackboard chalk. It was in schools where Binney & Smith formed a lasting connection with children and educators.

In 1903, Binney & Smith introduced the first box of eight Crayola crayons, responding to teachers' need for safe and affordable wax crayons for their students. Edwin's wife Alice, a former school teacher, coined the name Crayola, which means "oily chalk." The yellow box sold for a nickel and included eight colors. In 1996, Mister Rogers helped Binney & Smith mold its 100 billionth Crayola crayon, and in 2003, the company celebrated the Crayola centennial. From two men's passion for color and innovation came one of the most iconic brands in American history, giving millions of children around the world the best tools for expressing their creativity and unleashing their imaginations.

Reuben Klamer is a toy inventor and designer with more than 200 products to his credit. As a result of his gift for anticipating and capitalizing on trends, his talent for developing consumer "must-haves" across a broad spectrum of categories and his ability to work in a variety of media, Mr. Klamer's products have been marketed by industry leaders in more than 60 countries on six continents. He is perhaps best known as the originator and an inventor of The Game of Life, which became part of the permanent Archives of Family Life at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC in 1981 and is second in popularity only to Monopoly. His other major toy credits are the Fisher-Price 1-2-3 Roller Skates, the classic trainer skates; the Art Linkletter Hoop; Gaylord the Walking Dog (Ideal); Moon Rocks (Hasbro); Dolly Darlings (Hasbro); Erector Constructor Sets (A.C. Gilbert); Busy Blocks and Zoo-It-Yourself (Tupperware) and no-glue "snap-together" hobby kits (Eldon Industries). Mr. Klamer also pioneered the worldwide use in toys of an unbreakable plastic called polyethylene. He founded Reuben Klamer & Associates in Beverly Hills in the 1960s, which he renamed Reuben Klamer Toylab® upon his relocation to La Jolla, California in 1983.

Lionel Weintraub had the ability to find great talent and great products that resulted in some of the industry's most memorable hits. He started his 4 decade career of toy industry leadership in 1941. Lionel became president of Ideal Toy Corporation in 1962. During his early days, he was a pioneer in the introduction of injection molded toys. Early hits included Robert the Robot and Baby Bolts.

Lionel was one of the very first to recognize the genius of professional toy inventors. He was one of the first to buy inventions from Marvin Glass and Eddie Goldfarb. Mr. Machine was one of the industry's very first TV advertised toys. Lionel was instrumental in the introduction of the first 3 dimensional games. His first was "Mousetrap!" followed by none less than "Toss Across" , "Rebound" , "Kerplunk" and the "Magic 8 Ball". Many of these games are still selling well today. The mid 1970's brought the introduction of the "Evel Knievel" line of toys that became the number 1 selling line of toys for 2 years. Ideal also made major hits with dolls like "Baby Crissy", " Rub a Dub Dolly" and "Snuggles".

In 1980, Lionel Weintraub and his Ideal team had the courage to launch a puzzle that they thought no one could do: "Rubik's Cube". The Cube became a world wide craze second to none! The world wide success of "Rubik's Cube" led to the sale of Ideal Toy to CBS Inc. in 1982. Lionel left the toy business with a legacy of great product and the reputation as a teacher of some of the toy industry's best talent.