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18th TOY & GAME INNOVATION EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Information about Nominating Lifetime Achievement Candidates

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2024 TAGIEs themed Toys Thru Time was hostd by Disney's Karri Bean, Barry and Jason Entertainment co-produced, James Zahn, Grant Lyon and Mary took a selfie with the TAGIE attendees. Missing is the Time Machine - see it and many More photos HERE!

2025 POP Lifetime Achievement Nomination Process

An important element of People at Play and the TAGIEs is recognizing individuals who have made exceptional contributions and provided outstanding service to the Play industries.

 

Candidates for Lifetime Achievement
 

Consideration for the Lifetime Achievement Award shall be limited to individuals (living or deceased) who have made exceptional contributions and provided outstanding service to the Play industries. The candidate(s) should have accomplishments such as:

  • Long experience and record of accomplishment in the play industry.

  • Innovative product or marketing introductions.

  • Charitable efforts benefiting children and/or children’s causes.

  • An unimpeachable record of integrity and respect in the industry.

 

Exceptional people who have been honored for Lifetime Achievement

2008 - Jeffrey Breslow

2009 - Reuben Klamer

2010 - Eddy Goldfarb

2011 - Burt Meyer

2012 - Theo and Ora Coster

2013 - Howard Morrison

2014 - Michael Kohner and The Kohner Family

2015 - Richard Maddocks

2016 - Reyn Guyer

2017 - Adi Golad

2017 - Judy Blau

2018 - Paul Rago and David Small

2019 - Ivan Moscovich

2020 - Erno Rubik

2021 - Tom Kalinske, Michelle Litzky and the Pressman Family

2022 - Leslie Scott, Kantaro Tomiyama, and Alan Hassenfeld

2023 - Jill Barad and Rouben Terzian

2024 - Mary Danby and Dan Romanelli

Dates and Deadlines


May 16th - Nominations Open for Lifetime Achievement

June 30th - Lifetime Achievement Nominations Submissions Close

August  - Lifetime Achievement Honorees Announced 

Eligibility - Nominators


All stakeholders within the Play industries are eligible to submit candidates for consideration. Candidates will be submitted as part of the TAGIE nominations ballot to the Lifetime Achievement Award Committee by June 30, 2025.

No current voting member of Lifetime Achievement Award Committee may be nominated for Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Lifetime Achievement Award Committee will meet in July 2025 to review the nominations received and a maximum of three nominees will be selected by the Committee.

The CHITAG/POP Advisory Board Reviews Submissions/Nominations:

  • John Barbour - Managing Partner Volta Capital

  • Karri Bean - Board Chair and Senior Manager, Licensing at Disney Park, Experiences and Consumer Products

  • Peggy Brown - Inventor, Playwright, Designer, Author, Filmmaker, Funmaker

  • Mary Couzin - President, Founder, Chicago Toy & Game Group

  • Robert Fuhrer - Owner at Nextoy LLC and KenKen Puzzle

  • Richard Gill - Chief Explorer Monster, PlayMonster International

  • Adi Golad Founder and Managing Director of Goliath

  • Rachel Griffin - Co-Founder, Playwise Partners

  • Dougal Grimes - Vice President of Innovation and Inventor Relations at Spin Master

  • Alan Hassenfeld - Chairman, Exec. Committee, Hasbro; Chairman, Hassenfeld Family Initiatives

  • Dave Harris - Director, Inventor Relations and Strategic Partnerships, Mattel

  • Dan Klitsner - Founder, KID Group

  • Matt Nuccio - President of DesignEdge

  • Phil Sage - Senior Director : Design & Innovation HUB, North America, PepsiCo

  • Gary Swisher - Inventor, formerly EVP of D&D for Spin Master and VP and GM of Inventor Relations and Games at Mattel

  • Angus Walker - Head of Inventor Relations & External Innovation at Hasbro

  • Tim Walsh - Co-Founder, Roo Games; Filmmaker, Author, Designer, Creative Consultant, The Playmakers

  • David Yakos - Creativity Director, Co-Owner, Salient Technologies

Thank You to our 2023 Sponsors!

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Thank You to our TAGIE Awards Committee

Chair: Karri Bean - Senior Manager, Licensing at Disney Consumer Products,  Experiences and Consumer Products

Peggy Brown - Inventor, Playwright, Designer, Author, Filmmaker, Funmaker

Robert Fuhrer - Owner at Nextoy LLC and KenKen Puzzle

Jason Lautenschleger - Barry & Jason Games and Entertainment-Barry & Jason Barry McLaughlin - Games and Entertainment

Danielle Reinhardt - Senior Brand Manager, Ultra PRO International 

Brent Rolland - Event Producer/DJ at Fig Media, Musician, Host/Producer: FANPOWER Game Shows

Sari Wiaz - President of Baby Paper

Mary Couzin - President, Chicago Toy & Game Group

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2023 TAGIEs Disney's JoAnn McLaughlin with children's choir singing I'd Like to Teach the World to Play in Perfect Harmony, Jeffrey Breslow, Robert Fuhrer, Matt Nuccio, Carlos Lee, Brendan Boyle, Angus Walker, Mary Couzin, Bea Pardo, Tim Kilpin, James Zahn, Rick Derr.  More photos HERE!

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2019 TAGIEs Richard Dickson with Ivan Moskovitch, Lifetime Achievement Honoree

2023 TAGIEs Disney's JoAnn McLaughlin, Hasbro's Brian Chapman and Alan Hassenfeld, Tomy's Kantaro Tomiyama, Disney's Karri Bean, Mattel's Ray Adler, BIHOF Films' James Howard, Mattel's Dave Harris, The Playmaker's Tim Walsh, Oxford Game's Leslie Scott, Product Counsel's Rob Yusim, KID Design's Alicia and Dan Klitsner, Spin Master's Ben Varadi, POP & ASTRA's Gene Murtha, The Michael Kohner Corp's Michael Kohner, Longshore's Wai Or

2022 TAGIEs Disney's JoAnn McLaughlin, Hasbro's Brian Chapman and Alan Hassenfeld, Tomy's Kantaro Tomiyama, Disney's Karri Bean, Mattel's Ray Adler, BIHOF Films' James Howard, Mattel's Dave Harris, The Playmaker's Tim Walsh, Oxford Game's Leslie Scott, Product Counsel's Rob Yusim, KID Design's Alicia and Dan Klitsner, Spin Master's Ben Varadi, POP & ASTRA's Gene Murtha, The Michael Kohner Corp's Michael Kohner, Longshore's Wai Or

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2018 TAGIE David Small and Paul Rago_edi
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2015 TAGIEs Lifetime Achievement presenter Lief Askelind for Richard Maddocks photo by Nad
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