From a beginning in 1968 working in a warehouse in Los Angeles for Toy World stores, packing orders for the toy stores while working my way through college, to owning my own franchise toy store in my 20’s, buying for some amazing retailers, opening 3 big box toy stores for a Saudi Prince in Saudi Arabia, to now, owning my own consulting business and in an industry that has afforded me and my family such a wonderful life and career.
Working for Duane Hedke, Jack Guenthard, and Ron Qualls in my first buying job gave me so much valuable education as they guided me through their decision making after basically every sales presentation: why they were buying something, why they weren’t, the presentation of the salesman, what to watch for, retailing the product, negotiation skills, merchandising the product, pricing the product, the deal from the vendor, etc.. And then following them through my first New York Toy Fair in 1975 was just exhilarating. Every new buyer should have such great training. This was an excellent group of mentors that have given me such a phenomenal base of knowledge of the industry, knowledge that I have used throughout my career and that I still use today.
Exciting things happened along the way such as all the buyers at Rasco Stores voting 100% no on my very first presentation for an advertised item in the company circular (welcome to buying! It was a joke, and I got the item in after all), a visit to my office from the FBI to ask why I was trying to export explosives (Estes Rocket Engines-Who knew they were gunpowder?) to Saudi Arabia for a Saudi Prince, creating a $100,000 Monopoly game for FAO Schwarz, buying and selling 2 REAL customized Pokemon Volkswagons for FAO Schwarz, meeting tons of celebrities in many of my industry positions, playing golf with the Undertaker, doing TV interviews, producing a TV commercial, traveling all over the world, and many, many more unbelievable experiences that I will carry with me forever.
There were some bad things along the way as well. Too many funerals. Watching the twin towers go down from a showroom at 1107 Broadway in New York on 9/11, and a heart attack in 2004. Many thanks to all my friends who also sent along their prayers and good wishes and a roomful of flowers during my hospitalization.
The hardest part was moving 23 times back and forth across the country in my career (welcome to retail!). My 3 wonderful daughters, Kim, Keri, and Kristi, stayed with me through all the moves, and now all have wonderful lives and children, and we have 5 grandchildren to be proud of as well. And to my wife, Judy, who has been along and supporting me during the last ten years of this wild ride.
Please allow me to thank a lot of wonderful and special people by name, and if I forgot you, I’m sorry, it was not intentional. Take a walk through my career in the toy industry with me and also to remember fondly those in this list that have passed on. Many of these people have gone on to bigger and better things in the toy industry and were all well appreciated in how they helped me along the way!
South Bay Wholesale
Los Angeles, Calif
Warehouse Clerk
Tim Galvin- Warehouse Manager-who hired me into the toy industry first in 1968!
Best memory- Promoted from packing toys to delivery, then to eventually Receiving Clerk.
Toy World/Rasco Stores
Burbank, Calif.
Buyer
Best memory- My education in learning the toy business
Duane Hedke-Senior Buyer
Jack Guenthard-Buyer
Ron Qualls-Buyer, District Manager
Henry Eudey- VP Stores
Pasadena Community College
Pasadena, Calif
Adjunct Professor- Marketing 1A
Best Memory- Teaching students about marketing in the toy industry
Toy World Franchise Store #751- Laguna Hills Mall
Laguna Hills, Calif
Franchise Toy Store Owner
Best memory- Learning how to run a successful operation/making 6 figure income in my 20’s (#4 volume store in a chain of 50 toy stores) & won company sales contest and a cruise!
Federal Wholesale
Houston, Tx & Sacramento, Calif
Key Account Sales
Best memory- Great income/learning the sales side. Tremendous support from management and key account (Gemco)
Bill Bernstein- Co-Owner
Uncle Miltie-Milt Miller- Co-Owner
Les Mendelsohn-Buyer
Richie Miller-Buyer
Ed Bernstein-Buyer
Bob Pennes- VP of Sales
Blatt Distributing/Bercor
La Mirada, Calif
Buyer
Best memory- Opening 3 big box toy stores in Saudi Arabia for a Prince
Jerry Blatt- Owner
Margie Blatt- VP
Henry Zanville- VP Buying
Bill Berman- VP Buying
Bernie Herman-Buyer
Sol Kaufman-Buyer
Linda Breese- Sales Manager
Rick Berman- VP Sales
Child World
Avon, Mass
Buyer
Best memory- Being the 2ndhighest volume boy’s toy buyer in the industry
Paul Demty- Merchandise Manager
Paul Warner- Merchandise Manager
Stan Walsh- VP Merchandising
Leo Crowley- VP Merchandising
Christy Serra-Buyer
Deborah Terrell-Buyer
Chuck Millington-Buyer
Norm Kesselman-Buyer
Deran Muckjian-Buyer
Sandy Alemian-Goldberg- Buyer
Ames Department Stores
Rocky Hill, Conn
Buyer
Best memory- Great people/great divisional manager
Bob Goldstein-DMM
Greg Thuotte-Buyer
Dick Dibble-Buyer
Jeff Burdelski-Buyer
Hills Department Stores
Canton, Mass
Buyer
Best memory- Getting acknowledged in front of the entire company for highest increase over plan EVER and largest bonus for a buyer EVER!
Joe Mullen-VP Merchandising
Manny Francione- VP Merchandising
Fred Hurley-DMM
Ron Rycek-Buyer
Rich Ryan-Buyer
Jon Roman-Buyer
Tom Smith- Buyer
Terry Doyle-Buyer
Rich’s Department Stores
Salem, Mass
Divisional Merchandise Manager-Toys, Sporting Goods, Luggage
Best memory- Having a great buying staff
Greg Figurido- VP Merchandising
Tyco Toys
Mount Laurel, NJ
Senior Director-Marketing and product development-Import division
Best memory- Learning the back-of-the-house business in toys
Jim Alley-Senior VP Marketing
Gene Murtha-VP Marketing
Amy Pruzansky-Product Manager
Jennifer Cleary- Asst Product Manager
Frank Ponton- Engineer
Mark Sullivan-VP Marketing
Jeff Kahan-VP Sales
Bob Grey-VP Sales
Bob Schleicher-VP Sales
Ron Brawer-Senior Director, Marketing
Mike Weisman-VP Sales-import division
Richie Weintraub- VP Product Development
Mattel Toys
El Segundo, Calif
Senior Director- Matchbox
Best memory- Producing my first TV commercial
Jill Barad-CEO
Milt Zablow-VP Sales
Michael Tsiakaros-VP Sales, Arco
Tim Kilpin-Exec VP Marketing
Fred Okun-Senior VP Merchandising
Paul Souza- Sales Director
FAO Schwarz
New York, NY
Vice President, Senior Buyer
Best memory- Creating $100,000 Monopoly game (solid gold pieces, jewel encrusted board & real money)
John Eyler- CEO
David Niggli-Exec VP Merchandising
Bill Miller- Exec VP Advertising
Lauryce Graves-Senior VP, Merchandising
Marnie Lawrence-VP, Senior Buyer
Mary Hennessey-VP, Senior Buyer
Claudia Sandoval- VP, Senior Buyer
Steve Benoff- Asst Buyer
Kelly Winnik- Asst Buyer
Beth Griffin- Asst Buyer
KB Toys
Pittsfield, Mass
Senior Buyer
Best memory- Having a great group of people to work with
Sal Vasta- Exec VP, Merchandising
Tom Alfonsi- Senior VP, Merchandising
CB Alberts-DMM
David Novitsky-DMM
Charlie Wendell-Asst Buyer
Bob Edwards-Asst Buyer
Len Patnode-Senior Buyer
Chris Duquette- Buyer
Ed Supple- Buyer
Vince Iannacito- DMM
EToys
Pittsfield, Mass
Director, Buyer
Best memory- Maximizing sales and beating a major heart attack
Fred Hurley-VP Merchandising
Gerard Prince-Director, Buyer
Mike Moynihan-Director, Buyer
Pete Stathatos- Senior Planner
Kelly McGivern- Planner extroidinaire
JFK Sullivan- Buyer
Heather Wadsworth- Administrator
Duckwall/Alco Stores
Abilene, Kansas
Senior Buyer
Best memory- My Resignation- PRICELESS!!!
Kansas was pretty- That pretty much says it all
Woot
Carrolton, Texas
Category Manager, Toys
Best memory- Starting up Woot/KIDS and responsible for doing 80% of total KIDS business
Matt Rutledge-CEO, Founder
Darold Rydl-Exec VP
John Wesner-VP
Julie Kramer-DMM
Robert Baron- Director, Special Projects
Ben Leibold- Merchandiser
Christine English- Senior Category Manager
Lee Ann Holland- Senior Category Manager
Brandi Aslanian- Category Manager
Jessy Donahue- Category Manager
Angelo Moretto- VP, Wholesale Division
Henry Price- Sales, Wholesale Division
Pat Skelly- Sales, Wholesale Division
JIMM Business Solutions, LLC
Lewisville, Texas
President, Owner
Best memory- Owning my own business again
And last, but not least, in no particular order, I would like to thank the following people that I have worked with, and those that have helped me so much to succeed and be who I am today, and who I have the honor of saying, are all my friends.
Irwin Sherman
Bernie Libou
Fred Kort
Jack Friedman
Gene Kay
Don Zuckerman
Jerry Garfinkle
Allen Berke
Donna Carretta
Dick Emerine
Richard Puntar
Joyce Middlestead
John Schutz
Rod Spongberg
Tom Cleary
Jerry Cleary
Jeff Chernick
Roger Shiffman
Jonathan Samet
Arnie Rubin
Leo Goshgarian
Robbie Kanoff
Nancy Beard
Henry Unger
Arthur Perlis
Bob Leff
Laura McManemin
Harvey Prince
Tim Wills
Cathy Shull
Bill Beebe
Gina Beebe
Steve Springer
Ron Welch
Glen Boucher
Jack Williams
Bruce Lehrman
Karen Quadrio
Larry Scott
Neil Parkhurst
Neil Friedman
Pete Kelly
Jeff Falke
Jack McGrath
Steven Berman
Steven Kort
Jordan Kort
Art Janis
Anton Rabie
Charlie Emby
Tom Lowe
Peter Yanofsky
Richard Yanofsky
Allen Hassenfeld
Brian Goldner
Todd McFarlane
Merryl Reynolds
Mike Beachnau
Keith Billian
Bazil Grabovsky
Ryan Logan
Bruce Bradley
Carmine Russo
Roger Shiffman
Vic Bertrand, Jr
Sylvia Wong
YK Chan
B.K. Ma
Rich Henry
Bob LaPlaca
Hal Monchik
Les Friedland
Ivan Resnick
Craig Louisiana
Ron Platt
Phil Jacobs
Randy Karp
Kevin McNulty
Linda Frankel
Norm Anctil
Brenda Gaudenzi
Bob Simmons
Joe Lingg
Gail Jackman
Ludger Busch
Murray Bass
Alan Hess
Jim Skahill
Vic Petrone
Ross Smith
Gary Eaton
Brian Rubinstein
Ron Cohen
Len Latona
Isaac Larian
Bruce Katz
Ken Adams
Andrea Klein
Lee Leibold
Gene McKeown
Mike Tedeschi
Jay Dworsky
Pam Bernard
John Sohigian
Ron Lokos
Betsy Harrington
Norm Cohen
Mark Love
Fred Ertl, Jr
Bill Metz
Mez Markowitz
Henry Asher
Pete Asher
Tom Davidson
Larry Falcon
Mike Beachnau
David Canner
Ron Cohen
Irving Bravman
Bob Coones
Scott McCabe
Steve Springer
Doug Putnam
Ed Gershowitz
Oliver Chan
George Funk
Mac Prupes
Dan Spinazzola
Mike Ferris
Dan Goerdt
Jerry Kuenster
Randy Karp
Kathy Lietzau
Amy Scott
Bob Emerine
Angelo Scarola
Sid Strand
Steve Polansky
Tom Strauss
Steve Schile
Roger Richards
Bob Leff
Bill Konkel
Ellen Craig
Doug Putnam
Don Melcher
Harry Lehran
Ed Chanda
Fred Fortier
David Deans
Stephen Forst
Steve Beilman
Hay Jim just browsing my I pad and came across your news letter wow so interesting brings back great memories for me as well the first time I met you was at child world And our dear fried Bernie libou ( I get choked up just writing his name) said I will like working with you. You are a good guy fair and very knowledgeable we get a long great. And was invited to your home for dinner our friendship still lasts to this day March 9 2020. We are blessed by the all mighty To live this long and share great memories and future stories. Thanks for letting me into your journey. Enjoy life. Your friend Jeff Chernick I am in Thailand now for the winter
Thank you for an interesting article that I can relate to. The ending reads:
“…Please remember fondly those that have passed on!” Followed by a list of recognized names. This gives the impression that the list is of deceased veterans of the Toy Industry, especially because I recognize some of the initial names such as Jack Friedman and Fred Kort (RIP) – however I recognize several friends later on (i.e. Alan Hassenfeld, Neil Friedman, Hal Monchik) that are, to my knowledge alive. Therefore, kindly review this impression.
Congratulations on a life-time career, ALMOST as long as mine in the Toy Industry!
Jay Horowitz