8th Annual Wonder Women of Toys, Licensing and Entertainment Awards Honor Achievements of Women

February 21, 2012 | Female executives and entrepreneurs who made an impact in the toy, media/entertainment and licensing industries in 2011  were honored at the 8th Annual Wonder Women of Toys, Licensing and Entertainment Awards Dinner held February 12th, 2012 at The Light House at Pier 60 in New York City.

Joan Packard Luks, president of Women in Toys (WIT), welcomed more than 300 industry executives at the event, which was held on the opening night of the 109th American International Toy Fair and hosted by WIT in celebration of the most influential and impactful women business leaders in toys, licensing and children’s entertainment. 

The Wonder Women Award Winners include female leaders from Walmart, Disney Consumer Products, Mattel, Hasbro, Imperial Toy, Green Toys, SpinMaster and more. Winners were selected in 15 categories from among more than 50 nominees:

• Designer or Inventor: Lori Rotter, Blip Toys
• Entrepreneur: Laurie Zoob Hyman, Green Toys
• Journalism and Social Media: Jackie Breyer, Adventure Publishing
• Marketing, Advertising and Branding: Sasha Junk, Kidz Bop
• Publishing: Laurie Schacht, Adventure Publishing
• Licensing Agent: Jennifer Richmond, Richmond Management Group
• Licensee: Lauren Whitehead, JAKKS Pacific
• Licensor: JoAnn McLaughlin, Disney Consumer Products
• Public Relations and Communications: Janis Van Tine, Imperial Toy
• Rising Star: Elizabeth Miller, Hasbro
• Manufacturer:  Jennifer Caveza, JAKKS Pacific
• Social Responsibility: Deidre Lind, Mattel
• Sales: Renee Lochhead, Spin Master
• Lifetime Achievement: Joanne Oppenheim, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio
• Retailer of the Year: Lori Costley, Walmart

All of the nominees can be found on the Women in Toys Facebook page.

At the ceremony, the Women in Toys Foundation granted scholarships to students with a focus and major in toy design programs at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York; Avni Institute of Art & Design in Jerusalem, Israel; Otis College of Art & Design in Los Angeles; and the Ontario College of Art & Design in Toronto, Canada.  

Founded in 1991 by Susan Matsumoto and Anne Pitrone, WIT is a member organization and a networking tool for both men and women with chapters around the world, including in the U.S., Canada, Scandinavia and Israel. WIT provides social and informative events that give individuals at all levels a place to learn about new trends and to network with potential new business partners and seeks out ways to celebrate the accomplishments of those who are making their mark on toys, licensing or the entertainment industry.