Honor the lifetime achievements of the Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductees at the Toy of the Year® Awards

Toy Industry Hall of FameA new class of luminaries who have made their mark on the toy industry and delivered the joy of play to children will be inducted into the prestigious Toy Industry Hall of Fame at the 2023 Toy of the Year® Awards. 

The candidates for living induction include:

  • Maxine Clark
    Founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop and former Chief Executive Bear

  • Mary Couzin
    Founder & President at Chicago Toy & Game (ChiTAG) and People of Play

  • Ronnen Harary, Anton Rabie, and Ben Varadi 
    Co-Founders of Spin Master

Nominated and voted on by members of The Toy Association™, the selected inductees will join an impressive roster of 85 industry leaders who have profoundly impacted the world of play, including Walt Disney, Jim Henson, Andrea Barthello, Pleasant T.  Rowland, and many others.

Attendees will hear directly from the living inductee(s) about their unique professional experience and lend advice to the next generation of leaders as the industry continues to grow. A curated video recounting the impact of the posthumous inductees will also be shown.

The Toy Association will announce the 2023 inductees in June. Inductees are featured in The Strong National Museum of Play Toy Halls of Fame exhibit alongside iconic toys beloved by generations. 

Learn more about the Toy Industry Hall of Fame and see past inductees here.