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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! 

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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! 
Richard Dickson, President & COO at Matt

Richard Dickson

President and COO, Mattel, Inc.

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Jill Barad

Consultant, Prior: CEO & Chairman of Mattel

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Tom Kalinske

Executive Chairman at Mixed Dimensions

Prior: CEO of Sega America, Leapfrog and Mattel

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Neil Friedman

Advisor, Prior: President of

Alex Brands, ToysRUs, Mattel,

Fisher-Price, Tyco Preschool

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Alan Hassenfeld 

Chairman Executive Committee, Hasbro

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John Frascotti

President and COO, Hasbro

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Leslie Scott

Founder, Oxford Games

Inventor of Jenga and more

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Eric Nyman

Chief Consumer Officer,

 Hasbro

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John Barbour

Managing Partner, Volta Capital

Prior: CEO or President of

Leapfrog, ToysRUs, OddzOn, Real Networks-Games Div.

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Reuben Klamer

Founder & President of Toylab

Inventor of Game of Life, 1-2-3 Roller Skates and much more!  

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Eddy Goldfarb

Founder of Eddy & Martin Goldfarb & Assoc., Inventor of Yakity Yak Teeth, Kerplunk and more! 

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Adi Golad

Founder, Managing Director

Goliath Group

Ronnen Harray, Anton Rabie, and Ben Vera
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Gerry Crown

Founder, Crown & Andrews Australia

3 Time winner Peking to Paris

Endurance Rally

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Tim Kilpin

President, PlayMonster

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Stephen M. Youngwood 

President and COO

Sesame Workshop

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Brian Chapman

President Design & Development, Hasbro

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Reyn Guyer

President, Winsor Entertainment, Inventor NERF, Twister

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Richard Levy

President, RC Levy Associates

Co-creator of the Furby

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Wai Or

CEO

Longshore Limited

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Maura Regan

President

Licensing International

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Richard Barry

President & CEO

Tru Kids Brands

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Ben Dermer

SVP Creative Development, Deputy Creative Officer

Spin Master

Summit Speakers
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Robert Fuhrer

Owner at Nextoy LLC and KenKen Puzzle

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Catherine McMillen-Gill

Co-Founder & President 

McGill Assoc’s

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Richard Gill

Vice President Int'l, PlayMonster

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Matt Nuccio

Co-Owner and Creative Director, Design Edge

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Karri Bean

Senior Licensing Manager, Disney Parks Experiences & Products

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Lisa Guili

General Manager, Educational Insights

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David Norman

President of Goliath North America

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Clark Nesselrodt

Senior Vice President

Brilliant PR & Marketing

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Kathleen Tomes

President, Brilliant PR & Marketing

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Adam B. Hocherman

Vice President of New Business, 

PlayMonster

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Tanya Thompson

Director Global Product Acquisition & Inventor Relations for Gaming, Hasbro

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Kim Vandenbroucke

Owner, The Game Aisle and Brainy Chick

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Peggy Brown

President, Peggy Brown Creative

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Tim Walsh

Co-Founder, Roo Games; Founder, The Playmakers

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Ken Johnson

Inventor of Phase 10 and more! 

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Josslynne Lingard Welch

President,  LITZKY PUBLIC RELATIONS

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Christine Blumberg

Owner/Principal, RBG Sales

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Rachel Griffin

Co-Founder, PlayWise Partners, LLC

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Leila Nosrati

Principal, Master Toy Advisors

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Derek Gable

President of West Coast Innovations (Invention and Product Development)

Inspirational Speaker

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Gary Swisher

EVP Design & Development Spin Master

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Gregory Murphy

Principal, Landmark IP

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Amy Friedland

Executive Vice President, Freeman Public Relations

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Dougal Grimes

Senior Director, Global Games Inventor Relations and Partnerships,

Spin Master

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Hayley Woodward

Head Of Global Marketing

 Rubik's Brand Ltd

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David Barkoe 

CEO, Carve Communications

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Phil Sage

Senior Director: Product Development, Design & Inventor Relations, Hasbro

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Erin Griffin

Specialty Sales Rep Partner

Erin Griffin Group

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David Kleeman

SVP, Global Trends Dubit

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Tom Rushton

President, Revenew Sales

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Brent Bushnel

President, Two Bit Circus

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Brad Ketz

President, Ketz & Associates 

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Azhelle Wade

President, The Toy Coach

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Dave Harris

Senior Director, Inventor Relations and Strategic Partnerships, Mattel

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Rich Mazel

Senior Director, Global Product Acquisition, Hasbro

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David Winter

Head of New Product Acquisition & Inventor Relations, Jazwares

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Gregory Benassar

Licensing & New Business Director

Asmodee

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Simon Skelton

Director, Big Ideas

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Carl Buchbinder​

President, Toyology Inc

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Imogen Bailey

Editor – Toy & Hobby Retailer (Australia)

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John Baulch

Publisher, Toy World Magazine (UK)

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Gerrick Johnson

Director, BMO Capital Markets

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Steph Wissink

Managing Director,

Consumer Research, Jefferies

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Astrid Specht

Editor TOYS 1st Steps magazine (Germany)

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Mindy Schanzle 

Marketing Communications Lead - Radio Flyer

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Reyne Rice

CEO/ Global Trend Hunter, ToyTrends and Co-President ITMA (Int'l Toy Trade Magazine Asso.)

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Dr. Brittney J. Fusilier

Instagram - brittfusilier

 Lifestyle #Influencer

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James Zahn

Senior Editor, The Toy Book, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider

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Nicole Bortnick

Co-Owner, BGN Sales Group, LLC

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Nathan Measom

Manager of Corporate & Influencer Partnerships, Best Friends Animal Society

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Tracy Dudkiewicz

President, TAP Marketing

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Deirdre Cross

Director, Product Development

Funko Games, Prospero Hall

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Daryl Andrews

Co-Founder Evergreen Board Game Studio

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Michael Edelstein

VP, Director Brand Partnerships 

The Marketing Store

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Ross Thompson

Marketing Manager, The Op Games 

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Gillian Ruan​

Enterprise Innovation and Inventor Relations Manager Mattel

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Tony Serebriany

Director of Inventor Relations

& International Sales

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Danielle Parde

Digital Marketing Manager

Fat Brain Toys

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Mary Jo Reutter

President, You-Betcha Interactive

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Pat Marino

Game Design Manager, USAopoly

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Emile Kalis

Co-founder and Product Development Adviser, Identity Games

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Mandi Hutchinson

Content Creator, The Dice Tower, To Die for Games, Salt and Sass Games

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Jim McCafferty

President and CEO, JMP Creative

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Armando Carreteros 

Editor, Nación Juguetes 

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Sandra Gomez

Founder & CEO, Ludilo 

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Megan Hinterman Kanous

Business Dev.Manager

 Publisher Services, Inc

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Bond Yuen

Manager, Broadway Toys

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Alex Green

UK Managing Director, Asmodee

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Willie Wilkov

CEO, North America, HABA

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Dawn Patmon

Designer Director, Hasbro Playmakers

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Amy Saldanha

Owner, kiddywampus 

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Ian Bernstein

Co-Founder, Misty Robotics

Betty Stokes Burns Angellina's Toy Bouti

Betty Skoke Burns

Owner, Angelina's Toy Boutique

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Rick Derr

President, Learning Express Lake Zurich

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Gina Melone

Chief Creative, Studio Big Rock

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Emanuele Briano

representing the SAZ Game Designer Association (Italy)

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Sarah Jordan

CEO, Mastermind Toys

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Ashley Mady

Head of Brand Development.

 Basic Fun! 

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Jan-Maurits Duparc

Chief Creation at Identity Games

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Keisha Howard

Founder of Sugar Gamers

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Stephan Van Hacht

Managing Director, MegaBleu

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Brian Yu

Senior Manager of Games Design, Mattel

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Delanie West

Founding Creative Director, Product Development & Design Advisor, Be Super Creative

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Elisa Teague

Senior Producer Advisor

Renegade Game Studios

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Steve Starobinsky

Founder

Kid@Heart 

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Brian Jarvis

Senior Director of Design, Nerf & Sports Action, Hasbro

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Tom Warner

Senior VP and General Manager, Nerf & Sports Action, Hasbro

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Aimee Carroll

Community Development & Outreach, Edison Nation

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Andres Garza

Senior Design Manager

Spin Master

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Freddie Jordan

Sr Director of N.A. Design and Development , Magformers

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Sujin Lee

CEO, Gem Toys, Spielwarenmesse Trend

Committee, South Korea

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Karen Klein

Kid market matchmaker: Sales & Distribution Agency Worldwide

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Wolf Steingraeber

Senior Licensing Manager LEGO and video games, Disney EMEA

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Dan Rowan

Senior Director

Ultra Pro Entertainment

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Daniel Warren

Toy Buyer

JC Penney

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Shail Mehta

CEO & Co-Founder

The Last Gameboard

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Steve Reece

Managing Director

Kids Brand Insight

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Eric Lang

Game Designer

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Jeff Anderson

Senior VP and General Manager, Games, Hasbro

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Brian Filko

Owner

Gear Fusion

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Jesse Falcon

Director of Merchandising 

Marvel Entertainment

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Elizabeth Moody

Senior VP Business Development 

7 Towns

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Bob Moog

President and Co-Founder

University Games

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Viren Mohan 

Pick n Pay

South Africa

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Rob Johnson

Senior Category Manager - Toys NBCUniversal Media

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Joe Scott

Chief Business Officer

Blok Party

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Mark Menichini

Toy Buyer

 Meijer

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Craig Hendrickson

Product Marketing/Product Innovator, University Games

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Amy Holden

Founder and Director

World Alive S.L

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Richard Gottlieb

President, Global Toy Experts

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Kimberly Boyd

SVP & General Manager, Fashion Brands & Preschool Brands 

Hasbro

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Gene Murtha

Mattel, Gund

SCORE Association

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Chris Down

Chief Design Officer

Mattel

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Pat Duncan

Founder Great American Puzzle 

SCORE Association

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Karri Bean

Senior Licensing Manager, Lego

Disney Consumer Products

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Ali Moosajee

Business Strategist &  Managing Director, HI 5 General Trading 

United Arab Emirates

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Josh West

Head of Product Design and Sourcing, ThinkFun

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Don Whitehead

CEO

Nomad Games Ltd

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Tomas Rawlings

CEO, Game Designer

Auroch Digital

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Pete Ridgewell

Director/Owner, Spectrum Product Development limited

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Lisa Orman

President

KidStuff PR

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Jason Moss

Owner, House of Atlas

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Gabe Carlson

VP of Design, Global

Dev & Operations, Mattel

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Michael Sala

Senior Director Design

Spin Master

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Jean Butler

Business Dev. Consultant 

Prior: The Toy Association

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Chelsea Condon

Brand Manager, US Marketing

LEGO Systems, Inc.

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Mason Fiske  

Toy and Game Jedi Master 

Lucasfilm

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Claudio Borella

CEO

Borella s.r.l.

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Jeff Tidball

Chief Operating Officer

Atlas Games

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Matt Stahlin

President

Flat River Group

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Tim Jones

Media Director 

Blue Plate Media Services

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Lea Culliton

President

President of HABA USA

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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!"  

– Patty Sullivan, Highlights

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