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Lesley Whitehouse joins Plum Play

Plum Play has appointed Lesley Whitehouse as product manager. She will be responsible for facilitating the introduction of new items into the Plum portfolio, making sure that brand guidelines and ethics are maintained.

Lesley brings more than 20 years of experience to Plum Play, having spent more than 16 years working for Toys R Us as lead buyer for Europe, and most recently working for Mothercare and The Entertainer as a senior buyer.

She said: “I’m looking forward to working with the Plum family and team, whom I have known for many years.’’

U.S. Toy Association promotes Kimberly Carcone

The U.S. Toy Association has promoted Kimberly Carcone from vice president of market events to senior vice president of global market events.

She will be responsible for the management of Toy Fair New York, Toy Fair Dallas, Toy Fair Everywhere and Private Previews. Kimberly, who joined the association in 2007, has 30 years of experience in nonprofi t and corporate event management, marketing, and publishing. She was named one of EXPO Magazine’s Expo Elites and was a nominee for Event Marketer Magazine’s B2B Dream Team in 2017.

Craft Buddy names head of marketing

Andrew Welch has taken up the newly created position of head of marketing at Craft Buddy.

He brings a wealth of experience to the role, with more than 16 years spent in a variety of posts across the toy industry including fi ve years at Bandai as senior product manager, six years with Creative Toys Company, and experience in R&D gained at Vivid, Flair and most recently John Adams.

Andrew has been instrumental in developing TV, digital campaigns and retail launches for high-profi le brands and working on a host of arts & crafts products.

Casdon Toys’ Roger Howard retires

Toy industry veteran Roger Howard is retiring from Casdon Toys after 45 years of service. He joined the company in 1976, at the age of 16. Starting as an offi ce junior, he was put in charge of the warehouse and sales offi ce after Roger Howard (middle) with Peter Cassidy (left) just a few years. Heading up UK sales since and Phil Cassidy (right), MDs of Casdon Toys 2000, Roger has seen the business grow from a UK operation to the international business it is today.

Roger said: “I’ve had 45 amazing years at Casdon experiencing some fantastic times, from my very fi rst Toy Fair as sales manager, to travelling the world with the job. I have worked with some great people and watched the company change and grow over the years. I’ve built up some great relationships with customers and fellow workers and would like to wish all at Casdon the very best for future success.”

Casdon managing director Phil Cassidy commented: “I would like to thank Roger for his unrelenting commitment and loyalty. His hard work over four decades has been instrumental to Casdon’s continued success.”

Anyone that would like to wish Roger well in his retirement can contact him at rogerhoward20@yahoo.com.

Spielwarenmesse says Auf Wiedersehen to two board members

Ernst Kick and Dr Hans-Juergen Richter stepped down from the executive board of German toy show organiser Spielwarenmesse when their terms came to an end on 30 June.

Ernst Kick was appointed CEO in 2002. His reorganised the fair’s structure to provide a more focused market overview. The ToyAward and the annual trends are also a direct result of his drive.

Dr Hans-Juergen Richter joined in 2005. For six months in 2002, the lawyer acted as interim CEO of Spielwarenmesse until Ernst took over.

In 2013, the pair set a milestone in the company’s history by registering Spielwarenmesse as a word mark with the German Patent and Trade Mark Offi ce.

New executive board at Spielwarenmesse eG

Following the departure of executive board members Ernst Kick (CEO) and Dr Hans-Juergen Richter on 30 June, the new three-strong board comprising Florian Hess, Jens Pfl üger and Christian Ulrich (spokesperson) took over the helm of Spielwarenmesse eG on July 1. The trio have many years of experience at the company. They intend to continue building and expanding the events organised by Spielwarenmesse eG – especially the world-leading Spielwarenmesse. They also plan to venture down new avenues as they rise to current challenges and equip the company for the future demands placed on organisers and service providers in the exhibition business.

Jazwares appoints Sara Rosales

Jazwares has named Sara Rosales as senior vice president of communications. Her focus will be on corporate communications, brand public relations, and the company’s philanthropic efforts, collaborating closely with digital marketing on earned media, and the strategic management of the corporate website.

With 20 years of industry experience, Sara brings global brands expertise from her roles at toy manufacturers Mattel and Jakks Pacifi c. Her most recent post was senior vice president of communications for medical apparel manufacturer Careismatic Brands.

Sara’s appointment further refl ects Jazwares’ evolution as the company concentrates on developing and expanding its portfolio, most recently with its announced expansions into the costumes and pet toys categories.

Laura Zebersky, president and chief commercial offi cer of Jazwares, said: “Sara is a seasoned leader who has successfully driven corporate communication strategies, developed high-performing teams and executed on major initiatives. We are thrilled to have Sara along on the journey as Jazwares continues to grow and expand as a whole.”