The Toy Affiliation names new president & CEO  – Toy World Journal | The enterprise journal with a ardour for toysToy World Journal

Trade veteran Greg Ahearn will take the helm as the brand new president & CEO of US trade physique, The Toy Affiliation, subsequent month.  

The Toy Affiliation, which represents a wide selection of producers, retailers, licensors and others concerned within the youth leisure trade, has introduced that Greg Ahearn will be part of as president & CEO on June 1st. He shall be chargeable for main the following chapter of the Affiliation because it continues to evolve and finest serve its near 900 members, in addition to the wants of the complete trade. Greg could have oversight of the important thing goals, which embrace trade commerce reveals and occasions, regulatory affairs and illustration, toy security and ethics initiatives, member schooling, in addition to client outreach to champion the significance of play. The position additionally extends to partnership with The Toy Basis, the philanthropic arm of the group.

“As part of the strategic evolution of The Toy Affiliation, our purpose is to higher serve the large and altering wants of our trade. I’m delighted to announce that Greg Ahearn is becoming a member of this passionate workforce as its president & CEO,” stated Sharon Worth John, president & CEO of Construct-a-Bear Workshop and newly appointed chairperson of The Toy Affiliation Board of Administrators. “We imagine Greg’s numerous and multi-decade toy background in senior roles throughout prime producers and retailers has constructed a worthwhile, trusted and far-reaching community of relationships that may additional the Affiliation’s goals, each now and as they proceed to evolve.”

This announcement comes at an essential second for The Toy Affiliation, with the reestablishment of the flagship trade occasion, Toy Honest New York, in addition to the latest creation of an Affiliation-run Los Angeles market preview, amid trade evolution and convergence within the post-pandemic financial surroundings. Greg’s profession consists of expertise in a wide range of govt roles contained in the toy trade at small and enormous producers together with Mattel, OddzOn, Hasbro, LeapFrog and Toys R Us on the retail aspect. The Affiliation says these experiences make him significantly well-suited to understanding and addressing trade challenges. Moreover, his publicity to management roles exterior the toy house assist broaden his views to incorporate manufacturing, retail, eCommerce, digital media, branding, advertising and marketing and licensing.

“That is an incredible second to proceed elevating and uniting the toy trade to optimise our biggest alternatives and meet our greatest challenges collectively,” commented the incoming president & CEO. “Having first-hand expertise at each rising toy firms and enormous international firms involving nearly each side of the toy enterprise, I’m wanting ahead to bringing a recent, well-informed perspective as we construct on and develop new methods for The Toy Affiliation to convey worth to its members.”

Greg shall be based mostly out of The Toy Affiliation’s New York Metropolis headquarters. He added: “I’m extremely enthusiastic about the way forward for our trade and sit up for collaborating with our broad membership to assist them achieve success as particular person firms and as a part of the trade as an entire.”