Remembering Alan Hassenfeld, Former CEO & Chairman of Hasbro, Inc.

July 9, 2025 | The Toy Association™ and its members mourn the passing of Alan Hassenfeld, former CEO and chairman of Hasbro, Inc. He passed away on Wednesday, July 9 at the age of 76.

“Alan was an extraordinary toy industry leader, whose vision, generosity, moral compass, and passion for the well-being of children around the globe set a high standard for us all,” said Greg Ahearn, president & CEO of The Toy Association. “Alan’s impact went far beyond the incredible success of Hasbro. He dedicated his life to bringing joy to children and families while championing ethical practices and global humanitarian causes. This is a profound loss for our toy community and for everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. His leadership will be missed, and we will continue to be inspired by his legacy.”

As past chair of The Toy Association (1985), chair of the Toy Industry Hall of Fame committee, and distinguished Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductee (1996), Hassenfeld embodied the values of leadership, innovation, and compassion that define the best of the toy industry.

Hassenfeld was among a group of industry leaders who shared their personal stories for The Toy Association’s “Generations of Play, An Oral History” project at Toy Fair® in 2020, which preserved the voices and memories of the toy and children’s entertainment community. Hassenfeld’s interview — now archived in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress — captures his reflections on joining the Hasbro family business, the influence of his father and brother to give back, and his enduring mission to bring joy to children everywhere.

In 1970, Hassenfeld joined Hasbro, the company founded in 1923 by his immigrant grandfather and great-uncle, and ultimately became its chairman and CEO from 1989 to 2003. Under his leadership, Hasbro grew into one of the largest toy and entertainment companies in the world, creating beloved toys and games like Mr. Potato Head, G.I. Joe, and Monopoly.

Beyond his business success, Hassenfeld was a tireless champion of children’s rights, ethical sourcing, and philanthropy, having co-founded the International Council of Toy Industries CARE Process, now known as the Ethical Supply Chain Program. After retiring from Hasbro in 2005, he focused on improving the lives of children through the Hassenfeld Family Foundation and Hassenfeld Family Initiatives. His family’s generosity helped establish the Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Rhode Island; the Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone in Manhattan, New York; and the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute at Brown University.

Hassenfeld once summed up his life’s work by saying, “I am most proud of where we have brought sunshine when there has been darkness, where we have brought a smile when there were tears.”