NEW
YORK, May 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toy
Association Inc., the business trade association representing a
wide array of manufacturers, retailers, licensors, and others
involved in the youth entertainment industry, announced today
Greg Ahearn will join as President & CEO on June 1. Ahearn will be responsible for leading
the next chapter of the Association as it continues to evolve and
best serve its close to 900 members, as well as the needs of the
entire industry. He will have oversight of the key objectives,
which include industry trade shows and events, regulatory affairs
and representation, toy safety and ethics initiatives, member
education, as well as consumer outreach to champion the importance
of play. The role also extends to partnership with The Toy
Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the organization.
"As a part of the strategic evolution of The Toy Association,
our goal is to better serve the wide and changing needs of our
industry. I am delighted to announce that Greg Ahearn is joining this passionate team as
its President & CEO," said Sharon Price
John, President & CEO of Build-a-Bear Workshop and newly
appointed Chairperson of The Toy Association Board of Directors.
"For over 100 years, The Toy Association has played the role of
protectors and evangelizers of our industry, promoting the pivotal
role of play. We believe Greg's diverse and multi-decade toy
background in senior roles across top manufacturers and retailers
has built a valuable, trusted, and far-reaching network of
relationships that will further the Association's objectives both
now and as they continue to evolve."
This announcement comes at an important moment for The Toy
Association with the reestablishment of the flagship industry
event, Toy Fair New York, as well as the recent creation of an
Association-run Los Angeles market
preview, amid industry evolution and convergence in the
post-pandemic economic environment. Ahearn's illustrious career
includes experience in a variety of executive roles inside the toy
industry at small and large manufacturers including Mattel, OddzOn,
Hasbro, LeapFrog, and Toys "R" Us on the retail side. These
experiences make him particularly well-suited to understanding and
addressing industry challenges. Additionally, his exposure to
leadership roles outside the toy space at Uber Technologies and as
Co-President at Davis Elen Advertising help broaden his
perspectives to include manufacturing, retail, e-commerce, digital
media, branding, marketing, and licensing.
"This is an amazing moment to continue elevating and uniting the
toy industry to optimize our greatest opportunities and meet our
biggest challenges together," said Greg Ahearn, incoming
President & CEO of The Toy Association. "Having first-hand
experience at both emerging toy companies and large global
corporations involving almost every aspect of the toy business, I
am looking forward to bringing a fresh, well-informed perspective
as we build on and develop new ways for The Toy Association to
bring value to its members. I am incredibly excited about the
future of our industry and look forward to collaborating with our
broad membership to help them be successful as individual companies
and as part of the industry as a whole."
Ahearn received a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and a Master of Business
Administration from the University of Southern
California. He will be based out of The Toy Association's
New York City headquarters.
About The Toy Association™
toyassociation.org / toyfoundation.org /
thegeniusofplay.org / playsafe.org
Founded in 1916, The Toy Association™, Inc. is the
business trade association representing all businesses involved in
creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for
kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth
of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact
of $102.8 billion, and its roughly
900 members drive the annual $41
billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves
as the industry's voice on the developmental benefits of play and
promotes play's positive impact on childhood development. The
organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having
helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more
than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical
experts, government, consumers, and industry on ongoing programs to
ensure safe and fun play.
As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the
world-renowned Toy Fair™ in New York City; hosts marketplace activities in
Los Angeles; engages in state,
federal, and international advocacy on behalf of its members;
sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the
International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy
Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and
revises America's widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety
standard. The Toy Association's philanthropic arm is The Toy
Foundation™, a 501 (c)(3) children's charity that acts
as the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy
industry. To date, The Toy Foundation has delivered the joy of play
to 32 million children in need worldwide.
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SOURCE The Toy Association