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Toy Association Board Election and Annual General Meeting Set for March 7

kids in boardroomJanuary 23, 2024 | The Toy Association™ is inviting all members to attend its 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will include the election of members to serve on the Board of Directors. The meeting will be conducted virtually via Zoom on Thursday, March 7 at 2 p.m. (Eastern).

Open to representatives of all Toy Association member companies, the meeting will include comments on the state of the Association from members of the Association’s Executive Committee, including Board Chairperson Aaron Muderick of Crazy Aaron’s.

Board Chairperson Emeritus Skip Kodak of LEGO Systems, Inc., who currently serves as chairperson of the Nominating Committee, will lead members in attendance through an electronic vote to approve new board members and existing board member term renewals. Kodak will also share the results of a board member vote held in February to elect their 2024-2026 Executive Committee. The incoming board chairperson will then review their selections to serve on the Chairperson’s Advisory Board for the coming year.

Three existing eligible board members have been advanced by the Nominating Committee for election by membership during the AGM to serve an additional two-year term. The term renewal nominees are:

  • Anne Carrihill, Category Leader of Toys & Games, Amazon (third term)
  • Geoffrey Greenberg, Co-CEO, Just Play (second term)
  • Sharon Price John, President & CEO, Build-A-Bear Workshop (2024 Chairperson designee)

Association board members are elected for two-year terms and may be nominated for re-election twice before being required to depart the board.

From the larger list of nominees submitted by the announced 5 p.m. deadline on January 12, 2024, the Nominating Committee has advanced seven individuals to stand for election by the Association’s membership during the 2024 Annual General Meeting to join the board and start their term beginning on March 7, 2024. They are:

  • Vish Chandran, CEO, Wild Republic
  • Tim Kilpin, President of Toys, Licensing & Entertainment, Hasbro
  • Bryan Scott, Vice President of Merchandising - Toys, Target
  • Wes Hardin, CEO, Diverse Marketing
  • Max Rangel, Director, Global President & CEO, Spin Master
  • Rob Michaelis, Vice President of Commercialization - Parks, Experiences & Consumer Products, The Walt Disney Company
  • Duncan Billing, Chair of the Board of Advisors, Moose Toys

"As we developed the final 2024 board nominee list from an excellent roster of submissions, I am grateful for the interest of so many of our member executives, as well as the dedication and leadership of the Nominating Committee,” Kodak said. “Our focus is to build on the strengths of the existing Board diversity by increasing senior executive representation of industry expertise combined with balance across company size and type. From the remaining outstanding individuals advanced for the committee’s consideration, we will be actively working in the coming weeks to secure their participation on key committees or advisor roles serving the industry through The Toy Association.”

Six individuals will be departing the board in 2024:

  • Chris Harrs, EVP General Counsel & Secretary, Spin Master
  • Bridgette Miller, Chief Marketing and Sustainability Officer, Melissa & Doug
  • Melissa Millo, VP Strategy & Operations, Target
  • Michael Keaton, CEO, ToySmith
  • Andrew Quartin, CEO, Thames & Kosmos, LLC
  • Andy Weiner, Chief Advisor, Toy `N Around

Kodak continued, “On behalf of the current Board of Directors and the toy industry overall, we extend our deepest thanks to a group of exceptional departing members: Chris Harrs of Spin Master, Bridgette Miller of Melissa & Doug, Melissa Millo of Target, Michael Keaton of ToySmith, Andrew Quartin of Thames & Kosmos, and Andy Weiner of Toy 'N Around. They have each contributed greatly to the advancement of the Association’s role in protecting and promoting the toy and play community.”

The AGM is open to all Toy Association member companies and their representatives, who are strongly encouraged to attend. A link via email will be sent to member contacts. Members may also email The Toy Association to receive a link to access the meeting.

With the final slate of board nominees now official, any additional at-large nominations for directors may be submitted (in writing only), signed by no less than 10 percent of the regular membership of the Association, and must be submitted to the president & CEO at least 30 days before the AGM. Notice thereof shall promptly be sent by the president to all members. Should the Nominating Committee choose to name additional or different nominees from the group already submitted by the original deadline, an announcement will be made forthwith and prior to the AGM.