Nomination Period Open for 2017 Toy Industry Hall of Fame

May 13, 2016 | The Toy Industry Association (TIA) is now accepting nominations of deserving candidates for induction into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. North American toy industry stakeholders may submit completed nomination forms through July 1, 2016.  

Consideration for the Toy Industry Hall of Fame is open to nominees, living or deceased, who have made outstanding contributions and/or provided impactful service to the toy industry and to TIA. Honorees may include toy company leaders, as well as notable retailers, inventors/designers and marketers. Candidates should have a long track record of success in the toy industry and should have played a prominent role in promoting public awareness of the importance of toys in the lives of children and/or the toy industry as a significant and responsible member of the business community.

The full nomination criteria and downloadable nomination forms can be found on the TIA website.

Past inductees have included Edward Parker, Chairman of Parker Brothers and Toy Manufacturers of America President (1990), George Lucas of Lucasfilm (2007), Jill Barad, Chairman and CEO of Mattel (2014), and Frederick August Otto Schwarz, Founder of FAO Schwarz (2012). View the full list of past inductees here.

“Over the past 100 years, the toy community has been shaped by inspiring leaders who have brought joy, magic and learning through play to generations of children around the globe,” said Steve Pasierb, TIA President and CEO. “The Toy Industry Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed upon individuals and we look forward to honoring a new class of deserving inductees at the Toy of the Year Awards in 2017.”

The Toy Industry Hall of Fame Committee will meet in July to review the nominations received and to propose a slate of candidates for consideration via a ballot of: current TIA members including the Board of Directors; TIA Board members who have served in the previous five years if they are not current members; and former Hall of Fame inductees. In this defined pool of respondents, no single organization will have more than one vote.
The 2017 inductees will be honored at the annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards to be held on Friday, February 17, 2017 in New York City.

Completed nomination forms must be sent via email to TIA by July 1^st. Questions about the Toy Industry Hall of Fame may be directed to TIA’s Jackie Retzer (646.454.5587).