Toy & Game International Excellence Awards - the TAGIEs
Welcome to...
2020 TOY & GAME INTERNATIONAL INNOVATION SUMMIT
. . . part of People of Play (POP) WEEK!
Global Connections - Comprehensive Content - Entertainment!
VIRTUALLY YOURS NOVEMBER 16TH - 20TH
These companies are looking for inventor ideas and even more are speaking on crucial ALL INDUSTRY topics! All sessions will be recorded, so not too late to register!
This is the last chance we have to be together until at least May 2021 and going virtual allowed us to share awesomely rich programming like you've never experienced:
You'll hear from 35 panels with expert content from Leaders & Legends -
Almost 200 speakers from 17 countries!
More Presidents than the US has had since 1776!
You can network and connect with just one click to join a room and visit other rooms with just a click!
Inventors - you can pitch ideas (more info at end of page).
Your registration includes a ticket to the Toy & Game International Excellence Awards and POP's Got Talent!
And, if that wasn't enough, you receive a profile page on our new POP Platform!
THIS IS THE EVENT & PLATFORM FOR YOU!
Thank you to our Sponsors
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"CHITAG’s Inventor Conferences are timed optimally. There is no better time of year for inventors to pitch ideas to us!"
– Ben Dermer, SVP Creative Development and Innovation. Deputy Creative Officer, Spin Master Ltd.
"I’m looking forward to virtual CHITAG's People of Play Week this year! We won’t be seeing each other in February, or for the foreseeable future, so I’m thinking this is the main event that will not be missed."
– Troy Fischer, Managing Director, Fishco Innovation
"I love the CHITAG events! They're extremely well run with a great amount of thought put into them."
– Carly McGinnis, Chief Operating Officer at Exploding Kittens
Your Registration includes ALL of the below and below PLUS a profile page on our new People of Play Platform, which is takes the best of Linkedin + IMDb.com + Match.com. Special virtual show pricing: $350 per person or $1,000 gets EVERYONE in your company an ALL-ACCESS PASS!
All sessions are recorded and you can watch when you want or watch again!
DO NOT MISS OUT AND DO NOT WAIT TO REGISTER!
2020 Virtual Keynotes: Leaders & Legends! More TBA!
Speakers from 16 Countries!
President and COO, Mattel, Inc.
Jill Barad
Consultant, Prior: CEO & Chairman of Mattel
Tom Kalinske
Executive Chairman at Mixed Dimensions
Prior: CEO of Sega America, Leapfrog and Mattel
Neil Friedman
Advisor, Prior: President of
Alex Brands, ToysRUs, Mattel,
Fisher-Price, Tyco Preschool
Alan Hassenfeld
Chairman Executive Committee, Hasbro
John Frascotti
President and COO, Hasbro
Leslie Scott
Founder, Oxford Games
Inventor of Jenga and more
Eric Nyman
Chief Consumer Officer,
Hasbro
Managing Partner, Volta Capital
Prior: CEO or President of
Leapfrog, ToysRUs, OddzOn, Real Networks-Games Div.
Founder & President of Toylab
Inventor of Game of Life, 1-2-3 Roller Skates and much more!
Founder of Eddy & Martin Goldfarb & Assoc., Inventor of Yakity Yak Teeth, Kerplunk and more!
President, PlayMonster
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Brian Chapman
President Design & Development, Hasbro
Reyn Guyer
President, Winsor Entertainment, Inventor NERF, Twister
Richard Levy
President, RC Levy Associates
Co-creator of the Furby
Wai Or
CEO
Longshore Limited
Maura Regan
President
Licensing International
Richard Barry
President & CEO
Tru Kids Brands
Ben Dermer
SVP Creative Development, Deputy Creative Officer
Spin Master
Summit Speakers
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Owner at Nextoy LLC and KenKen Puzzle
Vice President Int'l, PlayMonster
Co-Owner and Creative Director, Design Edge
Senior Licensing Manager, Disney Parks Experiences & Products
General Manager, Educational Insights
David Norman
President of Goliath North America
Lee Allentuck
Clark Nesselrodt
Senior Vice President
Brilliant PR & Marketing
President, Brilliant PR & Marketing
Director Global Product Acquisition & Inventor Relations for Gaming, Hasbro
Owner, The Game Aisle and Brainy Chick
President, Peggy Brown Creative
Co-Founder, Roo Games; Founder, The Playmakers
Inventor of Phase 10 and more!
President, LITZKY PUBLIC RELATIONS
Christine Blumberg
Owner/Principal, RBG Sales
Rachel Griffin
Co-Founder, PlayWise Partners, LLC
Leila Nosrati
Principal, Master Toy Advisors
Derek Gable
President of West Coast Innovations (Invention and Product Development)
Inspirational Speaker
EVP Design & Development Spin Master
Gregory Murphy
Principal, Landmark IP
Amy Friedland
Executive Vice President, Freeman Public Relations
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David Barkoe
CEO, Carve Communications
Phil Sage
Senior Director: Product Development, Design & Inventor Relations, Hasbro
Erin Griffin
Specialty Sales Rep Partner
Erin Griffin Group
David Kleeman
SVP, Global Trends Dubit
Tom Rushton
President, Revenew Sales
Brent Bushnel
President, Two Bit Circus
Brad Ketz
President, Ketz & Associates
Azhelle Wade
President, The Toy Coach
Dave Harris
Senior Director, Inventor Relations and Strategic Partnerships, Mattel
Rich Mazel
Senior Director, Global Product Acquisition, Hasbro
David Winter
Head of New Product Acquisition & Inventor Relations, Jazwares
Gregory Benassar
Licensing & New Business Director
Asmodee
Simon Skelton
Director, Big Ideas
Carl Buchbinder
President, Toyology Inc
Imogen Bailey
Editor – Toy & Hobby Retailer (Australia)
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John Baulch
Publisher, Toy World Magazine (UK)
Gerrick Johnson
Director, BMO Capital Markets
Steph Wissink
Managing Director,
Consumer Research, Jefferies
Astrid Specht
Editor TOYS 1st Steps magazine (Germany)
Mindy Schanzle
Marketing Communications Lead - Radio Flyer
Reyne Rice
CEO/ Global Trend Hunter, ToyTrends and Co-President ITMA (Int'l Toy Trade Magazine Asso.)
Senior Editor, The Toy Book, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider
Co-Owner, BGN Sales Group, LLC
Manager of Corporate & Influencer Partnerships, Best Friends Animal Society
President, TAP Marketing
Actor
Daryl Andrews
Co-Founder Evergreen Board Game Studio
Actor
Actor
Michael Edelstein
VP, Director Brand Partnerships
The Marketing Store
Author
Ross Thompson
Marketing Manager, The Op Games
Gillian Ruan
Enterprise Innovation and Inventor Relations Manager Mattel
Tony Serebriany
Director of Inventor Relations
& International Sales
Danielle Parde
Digital Marketing Manager
Fat Brain Toys
Mary Jo Reutter
President, You-Betcha Interactive
Pat Marino
Game Design Manager, USAopoly
Emile Kalis
Co-founder and Product Development Adviser, Identity Games
Mandi Hutchinson
Content Creator, The Dice Tower, To Die for Games, Salt and Sass Games
Jim McCafferty
President and CEO, JMP Creative
Armando Carreteros
Editor, Nación Juguetes
Founder & CEO, Ludilo
Manager, Broadway Toys
UK Managing Director, Asmodee
Willie Wilkov
CEO, North America, HABA
Dawn Patmon
Designer Director, Hasbro Playmakers
Amy Saldanha
Owner, kiddywampus
Ian Bernstein
Co-Founder, Misty Robotics
Betty Skoke Burns
Owner, Angelina's Toy Boutique
Rick Derr
President, Learning Express Lake Zurich
Gina Melone
Chief Creative, Studio Big Rock
Emanuele Briano
representing the SAZ Game Designer Association (Italy)
Sarah Jordan
CEO, Mastermind Toys
Ashley Mady
Head of Brand Development.
Basic Fun!
Jan-Maurits Duparc
Chief Creation at Identity Games
Keisha Howard
Founder of Sugar Gamers
Stephan Van Hacht
Managing Director, MegaBleu
Brian Yu
Senior Manager of Games Design, Mattel
Delanie West
Founding Creative Director, Product Development & Design Advisor, Be Super Creative
Elisa Teague
Senior Producer Advisor
Renegade Game Studios
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Steve Starobinsky
Founder
Kid@Heart
Brian Jarvis
Senior Director of Design, Nerf & Sports Action, Hasbro
Tom Warner
Senior VP and General Manager, Nerf & Sports Action, Hasbro
Aimee Carroll
Community Development & Outreach, Edison Nation
Andres Garza
Senior Design Manager
Spin Master
Freddie Jordan
Sr Director of N.A. Design and Development , Magformers
Sujin Lee
CEO, Gem Toys, Spielwarenmesse Trend
Committee, South Korea
Karen Klein
Kid market matchmaker: Sales & Distribution Agency Worldwide
Wolf Steingraeber
Senior Licensing Manager LEGO and video games, Disney EMEA
Dan Rowan
Senior Director
Ultra Pro Entertainment
Daniel Warren
Toy Buyer
JC Penney
Steve Reece
Managing Director
Kids Brand Insight
Eric Lang
Game Designer
Jeff Anderson
Senior VP and General Manager, Games, Hasbro
Brian Filko
Owner
Gear Fusion
Jesse Falcon
Director of Merchandising
Marvel Entertainment
Elizabeth Moody
Senior VP Business Development
7 Towns
Bob Moog
President and Co-Founder
University Games
Viren Mohan
Pick n Pay
South Africa
Rob Johnson
Senior Category Manager - Toys NBCUniversal Media
Joe Scott
Chief Business Officer
Blok Party
Mark Menichini
Toy Buyer
Meijer
Craig Hendrickson
Product Marketing/Product Innovator, University Games
Amy Holden
Founder and Director
World Alive S.L
Richard Gottlieb
President, Global Toy Experts
Kimberly Boyd
SVP & General Manager, Fashion Brands & Preschool Brands
Hasbro
Gene Murtha
Mattel, Gund
SCORE Association
Chris Down
Chief Design Officer
Mattel
Pat Duncan
Founder Great American Puzzle
SCORE Association
Karri Bean
Senior Licensing Manager, Lego
Disney Consumer Products
Ali Moosajee
Business Strategist & Managing Director, HI 5 General Trading
United Arab Emirates
Josh West
Head of Product Design and Sourcing, ThinkFun
Don Whitehead
CEO
Nomad Games Ltd
Tomas Rawlings
CEO, Game Designer
Auroch Digital
Pete Ridgewell
Director/Owner, Spectrum Product Development limited
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Lisa Orman
President
KidStuff PR
Jason Moss
Owner, House of Atlas
Gabe Carlson
VP of Design, Global
Dev & Operations, Mattel
Michael Sala
Senior Director Design
Spin Master
Jean Butler
Business Dev. Consultant
Prior: The Toy Association
Chelsea Condon
Brand Manager, US Marketing
LEGO Systems, Inc.
Mason Fiske
Toy and Game Jedi Master
Lucasfilm
Claudio Borella
CEO
Borella s.r.l.
Jeff Tidball
Chief Operating Officer
Atlas Games
Matt Stahlin
President
Flat River Group
Tim Jones
Media Director
Blue Plate Media Services
Lea Culliton
President
President of HABA USA
Phil Albritton
Podcaster, Product & Packaging Innovator, Power Kid Design
Your Registration includes ALL of the above and below PLUS a profile page on our new People of Play Platform, which is takes the best of Linkedin + IMDb.com + Match.com. This is special introductory pricing - DO NOT MISS OUT AND DO NOT WAIT TO REGISTER!
Virtual Conference Sessions (timezone: CT - will be recorded so can watch when you want)
Monday, November 16th – Basics - Sponsored by PlayMonster
9:00am Keynote: Mattel 75 Years and Fisher-Price 90 Years – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow with current and past Mattel Leaders: Richard Dickson moderates with panelists Jill Barad, Tom Kalinske and Neil Friedman
10:00am: Who, What, Where, Terms, Acronyms and More
11:00am: Licensing Your Ideas: Perspectives for Individuals and Companies
12:00pm: Pitch like a Pro to Manufacturers and Retailers
1:00pm: Inventing for an Invention House vs as an Independent
2:00pm: Being an Inventor within a Corporate Design Department
3:00pm: Innovation for Profit.- SCORE - Sponsored by Edison Nation
6:00pm: Networking
Tuesday, November 17th – Retail - Sponsored by Goliath
9:00am Keynote: Hasbro’s Inventor Innovation Panel
10:00am: What are Mass Retailers Looking For?
12:00pm: Leading Innovation at Specialty Retail - Sponsored by Haba
1:00pm: Connecting with Retailers Worldwide
2:00pm: Working with Reps in the US
3:00pm: Getting into Worldwide Markets: Licensing vs. Distribution
6:00pm: Networking
Wednesday, November 18th – Entertainment Tie-ins - Sponsored by Disney
9:00am Keynote: Spin Master Founders Anton Rabie and Ben Varadi
10:00am: Importance of Films on the Toy Industry & How Innovation is So Important
11:00am: Digital-Play in a Post Pandemic World - Sponsored by PlayTable
12:00pm: Partnerships with Fast Food and More!
1:00pm: Celebrities and Twitch Streaming for Tabletop Games
2:00pm: The Growth of Hobby Games and Fandom
3:00pm: Phygital Games: Enhancing The Game Board Experience - Sponsored by The Last Game Board
6:00pm: Networking
Thursday, November 19th – Marketing, PR and Social Media - Sponsored by Blue Plate Media
9:00am Keynote: Adi Golad (Goliath, Netherlands) and Gerry Crown (Crown & Andrews, Australia)
10:00am: Public Relations Has Changed! - Sponsored by Litzky PR
11:00am: Social Media Tips and Tricks for Brands, Companies and Inventors
12:00pm: Working with Influencers
1:00pm: Industry Awards: Important or Not?
2:00pm: Global Perspective: Future of Toy Fairs and International Markets
3:00pm: Activism and Inclusion in our Industry
4 - 6:00pm SPEED PITCH
6:00pm:Networking
Friday, November 20th – Trends, Future of Play - Sponsored by Big G Creative
9:00 Keynote: Industry Trends and the Future of Play with John Barbour (Volta Capital) moderates with Tim Kilpin (President, PlayMonster), Richard Barry (President & CEO at Tru Kids Brands), Steve Youngwood (COO Sesame Workshop), Wai Or (CEO, Longshore), Maura Regan (President, Licensing International)
10:00am: State of the Industry Worldwide
11:00am: Logistics, Supply Chains and Manufacturing – Where is it Going (literally)
12:00pm: Design Trends – Products and Packaging
1:00pm: New Digital Media: Who Is the Audience and How to Reach Them
2:00pm: Post U.S. Election - What's Next?
3:00pm: Reuben Klamer and Eddy Goldfarb – Two TAGIE Lifetime Achievement Honorees, 150+ combined years of inventing and friendship.
Friday, November 20th– Toy & Game International Excellence Awards – The TAGIEs!
5:00pm: Move over Oscars, Emmy's, CMA... the Toy and Game International Excellence Awards are taking the VIRTUAL center stage! This is a must attend event to celebrate your fellow toy industry colleagues at the 13th annual TAGIE Awards! Experience it from the comfort of your home and share the excitement with friends and family! It’s a must “tune in” event where Everyone is invited! Awards, funny stunts, and more!! Hosted by Karri Bean, Sr. Licensing Manager for LEGO at Disney Parks Experiences & Products. Honoring Norm and Arlene Fabricant, Alan Roach, Erno Rubik as well as our innovative nominees!
Keynote - JoAnn McLaughlin, SVP-Hardlines Product Development, Disney Parks Experiences & Products
Introduction - Jesse Falcon, Director of Merchandising at Marvel Entertainment
Friday, November 20th--After Party – POP’s Got Talent
6:30pm: Hosts: Robert Fuhrer, President of Nextoy, and David Fuhrer, Managing Director of BlueSquare Innovations will emcee random acts of skill and silliness by many infamous members of our industry
Saturday and Sunday November 21st-22nd, 2020 – Chicago Toy & Game Fair
Spanning eight virtual stages/channels, there’s something for everyone!
Your Registration includes ALL of the above PLUS a profile page on our new People of Play Platform, which is takes the best of Linkedin + IMDb.com + Match.com. This is special introductory pricing - DO NOT MISS OUT AND DO NOT WAIT TO REGISTER!
New Inventors and Design Students:
In addition to the above, you will receive one 30 minute mentoring session with a product acquisition executive, a how-to-pitch package, speed pitches with companies part of the inventor track.
What Past Attendees had to Say...
“It’s an annual rite of passage for our industry. Keep doing a great job bringing the community together and promoting the spirit of play.”
– John Bell, Director of Product Design & Development,
Buffalo Games
"I attended CHITAG for the first time, and thought it was a fantastic event. It was great to connect with peers and learn from the quality talks. Look forward to attending next time!"
– Gabby Toniolo, Bella Products, Australia
The Innovation Conferences are a must for anyone - inventors or company people - in the toy and game industry. The information you'll learn, the pitching and the networking is incredible. Mary and her team are to be congratulated; there is nothing else like it in the world!"
– Tanya Thompson, Hasbro
We are not mere creators of trinkets and insignificant baubles and playthings. we are the toymakers, the shamans, the wizards, the blacksmiths, the court jesters and sometimes even the town fool, and what we do – the toys that we create, contribute to the ever-evolving ever-advancing forward motion of the civilized world.”
– Bruce Lund
"This event makes me fall in love with the Toy & Game Industry each year!"
– Megan Hinterman Kanous, PSI, Inc.
"I don't think I have learned more about the Toy Biz since?... ever. I didn't want it to end."
– Carle Wunderlich, Best of Best Toys, Inc.
Thank you for putting on such an informative and comprehensive conference and show. ChiTAG is an excellent way to meet fellow inventors. Our company, 1015 Creative, grew out of it. Michael Adams and I met each other three years ago and within a year we were working together. In October of last year we formed 1015 Creative, LLC with Damon Brown, bringing together a combined history of over 25 licensed games and 80 years of experience in game design, illustration and product development. Our new company of successful inventors collaborating together debuted at the 2016 ChiTAG show. We owe our success to the event and environment you have created."
– Eric Foster, Principal at 1015 Creative, LLC.
Chicago Toy & Game Week’s Professional Inventors Track is not just fertile ground for making the connections necessary to do business, it’s the annual gathering of the inventor tribe. In the whole wide world, there’s not a better place for independent toy and game inventors to go to catch up with each other, build friendships and strategic alliances, and spend quality time engaged with others who truly understand the nuances of the toy and game invention industry and share the common goal of expanding and improving our business opportunities. No other convention compares in personal warmth, richness of content, generosity of information sharing, and glorious un-rushed bubbles of quiet time to meet in depth and set a well-considered course right before the show season swings into hyper-warp mode and calm clarity morphs into frazzle."
– Peggy Brown of Peggy Brown Creative
"Mary, you and your team throw one heck of an innovation conference! It was a fantastic experience with a great group of people in the inventor community worldwide who are so clearly passionate about what they do and collaborative in spirit. Great keynotes/speakers, too!"