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About POP and CHITAG Group


 

We are the Chicago Toy & Game Group dba People of Play or POP!. Founded by Mary Couzin in 2003, we produce POP Week, a series of events promoting and celebrating play and innovation that welcomes industry, consumers and traditional and social media kicking off the fourth quarter holidays. Our main events include:

 

  • Chicago Toy & Game Fair (CHITAG) (since 2003). The first and largest public toy and game fair in North America targeting families with immersive and interactive activities for all ages. Toy companies can interact with consumers directly, gain product insights and create shareable experiences all while promoting toys, games, entertainment with media, trade and the public at the start of the holidays! 

  • Inventor Pitch and Innovation Conferences (since 2006) The largest gathering of professional inventors, new inventors, student inventors and product acquisition executives in the world. Attendees come from approximately 25 countries to pitch ideas, network, learn and celebrate the toy and game inventor community. 

  • POP Roast (since 2022). A savagely hilarious Roast of a Toy Industry Celeb (and Good Sport) by a bevy of their peers.

  • Play in Education (PIE) Conference - (Since 2006) Studies show a focus on play means better performance in academics and social competence. This conference discusses strategies for bringing play into the classroom and provides CE credits.

  • Toy & Game International Excellence Awards (TAGIEs) (since 2008). The TAGIEs are an elegant and playful evening gala that brings together industry leaders from inventors to manufacturers to retailers as well as the public for a celebratory evening of the people behind excellence in innovation worldwide.

  • Young Inventor Challenge (YIC) (since 2006). The YIC provides an opportunity for children ages 6 to 18 to showcase their original toy and game inventions to industry professionals, members of media and the general public. All entrants receive feedback from industry executives and pro inventors as well as the opportunity to win prizes and even licensing agreements! 

  • Girl Scout and Boy Scout Events during the Chicago Toy & Game Fair 

  • Media Influencer Event (since 2009) Traditional media and social media influencers bring their families for lunch, entertainment and a day of fun at the Fair. 

  • PlayCHIC Fashion Show (since 2012) Fashion sells. The PlayCHIC Fashion Show celebrates dress-up by inspiring play through a new avenue - fashion.

 

In 2020 we launched People of Play, POP! People of Play is the toy industry’s most comprehensive networking and resource hub; a social platform and industry portal where toy industry veterans, newbies, inventors, buyers, job seekers, recruiters, consumers, and others come connect. Get up-to-the-minute toy industry, event, and product news; participate in live online educational and networking events; browse a vast library of expert resources; and peruse and post to the industry’s only dedicated social feed.

 

Year round we send monthly newsletters to over 225,000 industry, consumers, social media influencers and educators covering many aspects of play for different audiences. What differentiates us, is our focus on the people. We tell the compelling stories behind the playthings we love creating a deeper and more authentic bond between consumers and toys and games. We also host industry get-togethers around the world to connect in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
 

Mission, Vision and Values

Mission:

To Connect the POP Community: toy and game inventors, designers, factories, suppliers, developers, marketers, salespeople, retailers, shoppers, members of the media – all play stakeholders.

To Support the POP Community: POP events, pub events, and internet platform.

 To Inform the POP Community: newsletters, seminars, on-line resources, and 24/7 news feed.

 

Vision:

To be the most comprehensive network in the industry, connecting, supporting and informing the worldwide community of play.

Values:

  • We believe in the power of play as a necessary component of child development.

  • We believe that the people in the Toy & Game Industry are dedicated to bringing joy and happiness to children of all ages throughout the world.

  • We believe that Innovation and Creativity are the driving forces for industry growth and relevance.

  • We believe in ethics and fair-mindedness in dealing with all industry stakeholders.

  • We believe in the untapped potential of children throughout the world to do good and make the world better.

  • We believe in providing the industry critical and creditable support services with information, training and consumer feedback.

  • We believe in an organization grounded in Trust and Accountability.

  • We believe in being the premiere creative organization and connection portal for the Global Toy and Game Industry and that innovation and creativity are the driving forces for growth and relevance.

Meet the Team

Mary Couzin - CEO & Founder

Mary Couzin

After inventing, self-producing and licensing her own toys and games, Mary turned her passion for invention to help other inventors through DiscoverToysandGames.com, the world's largest co-op of toy and game inventors.  In 2003, Mary launched the Chicago Toy & Game Fair (CHITAG) with a plan to create the largest American celebration of play. In 2006 she introduced the Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference to help new inventors connect with industry experts. Tracks for professional inventors, students, social media and play in education have been added to the Conferences through the years. 2008 brought the Toy & Game Innovation Excellence Awards celebrating innovation worldwide in the toy industry.  Thinking to celebrate play in an edgier way, she launched PlayCHIC, a toy and game inspired fashion event in 2011. 2006 saw the debut of the Young Inventor Challenge with hundreds of kids competing virtually and in-person from around the world both at regional events in toy stores, schools and camps and the Nationals at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair. It’s all about encouraging inventiveness and creativity in kids! Mary's latest initiative is the POP website! It is linkedin, imdb and wikipedia all rolled into one powerful platform for anyone interested in toys and games! 

 

Mary is a Selection Committee Member at National Toy Hall of Fame, International Toy Research Association (ITRA) Organizing Committee member, a past CES KAPI Awards Judge and a TOTY Award Selection Committee member. She has served on TIA's Associate Membership and PlayCon/ToyCon Committees. On occasion, she writes for ToyBook, Time to Play Magazine and other publications as well as actively posts in traditional and social media promoting the importance of play and innovation. She has spoken at ComicCon, ASTRA, NY Toy Fair, GenCon, World Congress of Play, Chicago Auto Show, University classes and POP/CHITAG hosted events.

 

She’s humbled by many honors through the years: 2023 Toy Association Hall of Fame Inductee, 2019 Prestigious UK Toy Fair Inventors' Dinner I.D.I.O.T. Award (International Designer and Inventor of Toys), 2017 Women in Toys Elise Lachowyn Mentorship Award, Women in Toys Wonder Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2009, 2011 TAGIE Founder's Award, 2011 Global Toy News Person of the Year and the 2014 Woman Driving Excellence, Chicago Auto Show. She is active in local politics having served on City Council, Parks Board, Sculpture Committee, Zoning Board and Plan Commission. She is a past United Way Board Member and mentors students at Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management in their Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative. Mary received a BBA from the University of Notre Dame and a MBA from Loyola University.

Nadine Sehnert - Director of Event Operations

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Nadine Sehnert uses board games to build community.  She has been the administrator for the Twin Cities Board Games Meetup Group since 2006.  She enjoys going to gaming events and especially meeting game designers and inventors. Together with her husband Mike Tangedal, they have a collection of over 3,000 board games dating from the late 1800's through today.  She hopes to one day open a gaming center and create a permanent game library.

Nadine started attending our Chicago Toy & Game Fair way back in 2003 coming all the way from Minneapolis each year! 

Supriya Perera - Director of Special Projects

Supriya Perera

Supriya Perera has grown up around the world. She is passionate about designing a great user experience and service design and has worked in this area for over 10 years. A recent 'transplant' from Australia to Chicago, she enjoys the energy and opportunity that this city has to offer. The Chicago Toy and Game and POP web site (re)design keeps her busy with challenges in the unique position and the multitude of people the CHITAG/POP Group impacts.

Brent Rolland - Director of Auditory & Visual Delights

Brent Rolland

Chicago native Brent Rolland was possibly born in a Toys "R" Us somewhere in the city - being raised on LegoTM, robots, board games and more, his truth is that play is an art that is forever young. Brent is a DJ and event producer with Fig Media, plays drums/percussion in various local groups, and hosts, designs, and produces game shows for anime, fandom and corporate conventions nationwide. Brent celebrates his sixth year with the Inventor Conferences and ChiTAG Group, and is honored to be with an amazing team of individuals that selflessly deliver joy annually to Chicago's families and fun-lovers.

Ahren Hoffman - Director of the Young Inventor Challenge

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Ahren Hoffman has been involved with many of our events over the years! This year she is taking charge of our fan favorite Young Inventor Challenge. For those of you wondering, yes, she is still Marketing Team Lead at Crazy Aaron's, one of our Young Inventor Challenge sponsors. We are appreciative she has a bit of extra time to head this very special event. 

Kim Vandenbroucke - Content Director

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Kim Vandenbroucke is formerly the writer of the award-winning industry and game review website The Game Aisle. For 13 years she highlighted industry trends, inventor stories, as well as her experience as a game inventor in the best industry in the world.  After taking a couple years off, Kim was missing writing about all things toy and game related and will now be contributing stories to the People of Play website. She hopes that you follow along!  

Peggy Brown - Editor and Creative Director 

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Peggy Brown is the resident editor and creative director of website imagery and content for Chicago Toy & Game Group, dba People of Play. She directs the meme team, which creates topical and humorous memes for all publications, she writes for and edits the Bloom Report, and creates graphics and imagery for numerous websites, ads, and huge onsite graphics for various events throughout the year. She acts as an ambassador internationally for POP, attending London, Nuremberg, and Barcelona events to bring more members into our organization. She is on a number of committees keeping our events moving along efficiently throughout the year.

Evan Kale - Web Developer and Assistant Editor

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Evan is a jack of all trades kind of guy! He enjoys tackling all sorts of tech related projects. He is our assistant producer and editor of our newsletters as well as a junior developer of our website. Evan recently graduated from DePaul University studying computer science.

Julia DeKorte - POP Review Writer and Content Manager

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Julia DeKorte is a student at the College of William & Mary studying English and Creative Writing. With a love for writing and a passion for reading, she runs her own blog, Dog Eared Books, in which she writes book reviews bi-weekly. Also a staff writer and editor for William & Mary's alumni magazine and a student consultant at W&M's Writing Resources Center, she regularly immerses herself in all things reading, writing, and editing.

POP Advisory Board

Chitag 2019 Board Meeting NYTF Official

Pictured above: Dan Klitsner (KID Group), Tanya Thompson (Hasbro), Adi Golad (Goliath), Dave Harris (Mattel), Peggy Brown (Peggy Brown Creative Consulting), David Yakos (Salient Technologies), Robert Fuhrer (Nextoy), Tim Walsh (The Playmakers), Phil Sage (Hasbro), Gary Swisher (Spin Master), Matt Nuccio (Design Edge), Ben Dermer (Spin Master), Karri Bean (Disney), John Barbour (Volta Capital), Richard Gill (McGill & Associates), Alan Hassenfeld (Hasbro), (missing Rachel Griffin (JAKKS Pacific) and Rich Mazel (Hasbro))

Peggy Brown

Karri Bean, Co-Chairperson of CHITAG/POP Advisory Board, 

Senior Manager, Lego at Disney Consumer Products

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John Barbour

Managing Partner  

Volta Capital

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Mike Bisogno

Senior Director, Design and Inventor Relations

Spin Master

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Peggy Brown

Inventor, Playwright, Designer, Author, Filmmaker, Funmaker

Brian Torney

Mary Couzin

President, Founder

Chicago Toy & Game Group

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Robert Fuhrer

Owner at Nextoy 

and KenKen Puzzle

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Alan Hassenfeld

Richard Gill

Co-Founder

McGill and Associates

Alan Hassenfeld

Chairman, Exec. Committee, Hasbro

Chairman, Hassenfeld Family Initiatives

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Dougal Grimes

Vice President of Innovation And Inventor Relations

 Spin Master

Dan Klitsner

Dan Klitsner

Founder

KID Group

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Adi Golad

Founder and Managing Director

Goliath

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Rachel Griffin

Founder

PlayWise PR

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Tara McGrath

Creative Director, Inventor Relations and Innovation

Mattel

Phil Sage
Phil Sage

Phil Sage

Senior Director : Design & Innovation HUB, N.A.

PepsiCo

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Amy Friedland

Executive Vice President

Freeman Public Relations

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Tim Walsh
Tim Walsh

Tim Walsh

Co-Founder, Roo Games;

Filmmaker, Author, Designer

The Playmakers

Angus Walker

Head Of Inventor Relations & External Innovation

Hasbro

David Yakos

Creativity Director, Co-Owner

Salient Technologies

Executive Committee

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Peggy Brown
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Karri Bean

Co-Chairperson of CHITAG/POP Advisory Board,

Senior Manager, Lego at Disney Consumer Products

Jean Butler

President

Taurus Blooms LLC

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Gene Murtha

Chairmain,  Bucks

Mid-Atlantic

Regional Director SCORE

Jerry Cleary

President,

In-Sync Consulting LLC

Public Relations & Social Media Team

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Emily Potrzuski

Freeman Public Relations

POP/CHITAG Ambassador Extraordinaire

Debbie Labinger

Debbie Labinger

Creative Content

2016 PlayCHIC Fashion team
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