Innovative toy company featuring the Brick Mates line of puzzles and activity toys.

Industry & Category ExperienceProduct Management & Marketing / Product Development & Licensing / Research Analysis Management / Training / Strategic & Financial Planning / Policy Formulation / Process Development, Implementation & Management/ Information Systems Development/ Productivity & Efficiency ImprovementProduct management expertise and experience in the marketing and product development of Puzzles, Dolls, Mini Dolls, Action Figures, Plush, Feature Plush, Games, Music, Licensed Toys, Girls Electronics, Smart Toys, Beach Toys, Figurines, Vehicles and Crafts for Mass and Specialty markets. Operations proficiency in developing, building, revitalizing and/or improving a company’s organizational infrastructure, products, technologies, processes, measurement systems and sales/marketing strategies to optimize results.

Marketing and Product Development of die cast and plastic vehicles, track sets & play sets, crafts, seasonal & private label toys.

Implemented product development and management initiatives for this Hong Kong toy company that resulted in category expansion, increased sales, improved product design and packaging. This led to a stronger competitive position and sales potential for Ever Sparkle.• Researched and tracked U.S. market trends for products and packaging based on field research. • Facilitated Hong Kong team brainstorms to develop innovative and marketable products.• Reduced product development costs by providing and implementing profitability analysis tools.• Provided pricing and costing direction to Hong Kong development team.• Created and designed innovative mini doll product range with strong competitive features.• Developed packaging from concept to shelf. Provided marketing direction, design concepts and design feedback to U.S. packaging designers.• Managed U.S.-based packaging teams and coordinated implementation with Hong Kong. • Wrote copy for packaging and edited copy for instruction manuals. Scheduled and art directed photo sessions, hired talent, and supervised data transfer of packaging designs.• Recommended and secured potential licenses for new categories and existing products. Managed the licensing approval process.• Provided sales presentation assistance to company reps and represented Ever Sparkle at customer appointments.

Promoted rapidly through a series of product management positions with increasing responsibilities. Personally managed the development of product while supervising Research & Analysis and Customer Service departments. Delivered significant and sustainable results in a relatively short time.• Created the Bratz web site and fan club which gathers marketing information, customer communication and other market data for the development of the Bratz line of fashion dolls. As a result, Bratz is highly relevant to its target market and is the most successful girls’ toy line since Barbie.• Personally developed toys in a broad range of categories such as Smart Toys, Girl’s Electronics, Licensed Toys, Activity Toys, Handheld Games, Tabletop Games and Music.• Improved product designs and decreased manufacturing defects. Designed into the customer service system a method by which Quality Assurance Managers and Engineers can access, in real time, incident reports to identify and correct manufacturing defects and design flaws.• Provided marketing direction to Creative Department for product design, product graphics, and packaging.• Pioneered the development and implementation of a strategic line plan to reveal product viability early in the development process and set profitability standards. Resulted in an estimated increase in profits by nearly 20%. • Provided marketing direction for the development of commercials. Supervised filming and post-production.• Identified excessive exposure to returns due to a customer service deficiency. Implemented corrective measures to reduce exposure by $2,943,900. • Transformed Customer Service into a profit center by creating a back-end database that captures valuable marketing data for marketing/product development managers; implemented procedures that reduced call center fees by nearly 50%.• Introduced and managed survey software to capture consumer data for product development and marketing purposes.

Instrumental in growing Play Along from a $10 million to $30 million in gross sales in less than one year.• Managed & Developed licensed product lines including action figures, figurines, dolls and plush from concept to delivery; managed product development cycles as short as 4 months.• Provided marketing direction of products and packaging to design teams including line lists, brand identities, promotional plans and rollout; tested product potential through focus groups for market analysis.• Coordinated licensing functions including managing product approvals; pioneered promotional relationships and partnerships with licensors.• Managed licensor relationships with companies such as American Greetings, IMG, Landmark Entertainment, Paramount/Viacom, Sony, Sony Signatures, Universal Studios, and Warner Bros.

Founder of a toy company that developed and marketed a variety of toys to mass and specialty customers. Achieved sales of $3 million dollars within first full year of operations. • Designed and developed vinyl dolls, porcelain dolls and plush.• Managed entire lifecycle of product development from concept to shelf.• Created private label programs for customers using existing products and creating custom designs.• Exhibited at trade shows, personally presenting the line to buyers and securing sales representation• Analyzed market for competitive product comparison and created products to capture opportunities.• Secured financing and negotiated lender terms. Managed product on both letter of credit/direct import and domestic sales terms.