University of Richmond Announces Gottlieb Grant
April 18, 2024, New York, NY
In memory of our dear friend and colleague Richard Gottlieb, the University of Richmond has announced the Richard Gottlieb Toy Entrepreneurship Grant. Attracting more young people to this dynamic industry was one of Richard’s passions.
Working with the Toy Foundation, this program will kick off next year.
Richard’s family friends announced the program in an open letter, which follows:
Dear Industry Friends:
The world of toys and play was Richard Gottlieb’s passion. Sadly, he passed away in October 2023 from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. As a family, we have decided to purposefully celebrate his life’s work to perpetuate its importance and joy by starting a grant in his beloved field at his beloved alma mater, the University of Richmond.
We are working with the wonderful people at The Toy Association’s Foundation, The Toy Foundation (TTF), and the equally wonderful people at The University of Richmond (UofR), to establish a yearly grant that would allow UofR students to participate in co-curricular activities designed to enhance classroom instruction, introduce them the wonderful toy industry and connect them to internships and career opportunities.
Under the Richard Gottlieb Toy Entrepreneurship Grant, 4 lucky students and 1 faculty member would also attend the capstone event to these activities, The Foundation’s Education and Recruitment Program at Toy Fair NYC. Toy Fair was one of Richard’s favorite events where he came together with all “his people” from all over the world who shared his wonder and love of the world of toys and play.
We hope that you will join us in supporting this Richard Gottlieb Toy Entrepreneurship Grant, which we are kicking off now, so that we can ensure that steady pipeline of The University of Richmond’s alumni can learn about the wonderful careers available to them in the toy industry and lead a play-filled, blessed life like Richard’s.
Your contribution, in addition to being a great honor to Richard, is tax-deductible and can be made through the TTF website (please indicate in Richard Gottlieb in the Tribute Section), check, or transfer of stock. (When it asks where you would like the donation to go, say Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and then add Richard Gottlieb in the tribute section.)
On behalf of Richard, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for honoring him in this meaningful way.
Signed:
Andrew and Matthew Gottlieb, his sons
Joyce Richman, his sister
Wendy Levey, his wife
Steve Abdo, his lifelong friend and toy business colleague
Donations can be made to The Toy Foundation here. When donating, be sure to indicate that this is a “Tribute Gift” and enter “Richard Gottlieb Toy Entrepreneurship Grant.”
Click Here to Donate
When donating, be sure to indicate that this is a “Tribute Gift” and enter “Richard Gottlieb Toy Entrepreneurship Grant.”
Your support is truly appreciated.
UR Grant Students Get Insight at Toy Fair
One of Richard Gottlieb’s constant, and heartfelt, messages was that the toy industry ought to be considered as a viable–and attractive–career choice for young people. Richard, like many others in the biz, found his way here indirectly.
At Toy Fair New York, eight students attended thanks to the Richard Gottlieb Toy Entrepreneurship Grant, which was presented with the Toy Foundation. The $10,000 grant, specifically for UR students, honors the late executive and 1969 alum who founded the business development consulting firm Global Toy Experts and this publication.
The students toured the fair, met with executives, and got a firsthand look at the business–at least what was on display.
What was also significant was that in talking to the students, they had widely diverse backgrounds, majors, and interests, ranging from design to computer science to gender studies. All of these, by the way, have a place in the toy industry.
You can read more about their adventures here.
Richard Gottlieb Toy Entrepreneurship Grant Recipients at New York Toy Fair
Richard Gottlieb’s family and close friend and colleague, Steve Abdo, established a grant at the University of Richmond, along with The Toy Association in Richard Gottlieb’s name to carry on his legacy. The first recipients came to the NY Toy Fair 2025 for the weekend on March 1, 2025.
Steve Abdo, a manufacturer’s representative and long-time friend and colleague of Richard Gottlieb’s, arranged for the 8 students to meet with some of his clients: Best Ride On Cars, Nikok and Explore Scientific to learn about their businesses.
The students attended The Toy Association Trends Briefing and Global Toy News set up a seminar for them with Chris Byrne, The Toy Guy, who spoke about how he landed in the toy business, having started as an aspiring actor and now being a speaker and frequent tv personality in the toy world, author, theatre critic, podcast host for The Playground Podcast and the Editor of Global Toy News. Steve Velte, Global Toy Experts, talked about mergers and acquisitions in the toy business and the details, timing and steps on the investment side. Joe Farco, a Copyright and Patent lawyer, spoke about what was involved in getting a toy licensed and protected, as well as what it was like being a toy inventor.
The eight students, four boys and four girls, were Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors majoring in Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Pre-Business, Accounting-Finance, Business Administration-Marketing, and Anthropology. They were articulate, engaged, and all full of insightful questions, and one of the girls even gave us her resume!!
We can’t wait to do this again next year when the NY Toy Fair will open on February 14, 2026.
Undoubtedly, Richard Gottlieb was smiling as he watched these very bright and motivated students hearing about his beloved field of the business of toys and play and hoping that they too would find the joy and the purpose of this amazing business like he did. This business took him worldwide to speak at toy fairs in Germany and China, among other places, inspired him to found Global Toy News and enriched his life enormously. And it all started with his stellar education at The University of Richmond.
Breaktime: The Richard Toy Entrepreneurship Grant – Empowers the Next Generation
The Richard Gottlieb Toy Entrepreneurship Grant empowers the next generation of toy industry innovators, and this video is a testament to that vision. Created by a talented student recipient at the 2025 NY Toy Fair, it showcases the creativity and passion that drive the future of play. A huge thank you to the University of Richmond, Steve Abdo, and everyone involved in making this opportunity possible and continuing Richard’s legacy of fostering fresh talent in the toy world!
Click HERE to learn more about this amazing grant.
