Toy & Game International Excellence Awards - the TAGIEs

Bernie Stolar. Former Sega of America president and Sony Computer Entertainment America vice president Bernie Stolar has passed away. 

The news was shared by GamesBeat, which said that Stolar's funeral service took place in Los Angeles over the weekend.

Stolar was a prominent figure in the games industry for decades and worked on the original PlayStation while at Sony, helping to launch the popular system while also signing key franchises including Crash Bandicoot, Ridge Racer, and Spyro the Dragon.

During his time at Sega, Stolar led development on the Dreamcast and acquired Visual Concepts, which was eventually sold to Take-Two Interactive and used by the publisher to create its 2K label.

Later on, Stolar became an advisor and director at in-game advertising company Adscape Media, which would later be purchased by Google.

Google then brought Stolar on board as its own games evangelist, helping the influential figure add to his already extensive résumé.

Those who knew Stolar have been paying tribute on social media after hearing news of his passing.

Mike Sellers. Veteran game designer, engineer, and university professor Mike Sellers has passed away. News of his passing was shared on social media by friends and peers, who described Sellers as someone with a great capacity for kindness and generosity.

Sellers began his career as a software engineer, working at companies including Tektronix and Mentor Graphics during the '80s. He eventually began applying his talents to games at New World Designers, where he worked as a lead UI and UX designer on a variety of products including children's games.

After that, he went on to establish Archetype Interactive and create massively multiplayer title, Meridian 59. After Archetype was acquired by 3DO, Sellers was snapped up by the studio to continue leading production on Meridian 59 and other game projects.

Eventually, Sellers would join Electronic Arts and work on titles such as SimCity Online, The Sims 2, and Ultima Online in his role as a senior game designer.

After departing EA in 2002, Sellers became a consultant before having stints at Online Alchemy, Kabam, and Rumble -- accepting leadership roles at all three companies.

In his later years, Sellers ventured into the world of academia and most recently served as the director and professor of practice on Indiana University's game design degree program.

Alison Quill. The founder and managing director of the specialist educational toy retailer Brightminds, Alison Quill, passed away in April. 

Toy World is sad to report the passing of Alison Quill, the founder and managing director of Brightminds, on 1st April after a long illness.

Brightminds told Toy World that only the day before her passing, Alison had contributed with her usual vigour and good humour at a board meeting, and that her drive, enthusiasm and knowledge shone through to the very end.

The specialist retailer’s official statement read: “Her colleagues will miss those attributes terribly but, above all, they – like us – will miss Alison the person. She was a regular fixture at various toy fairs at home and abroad, well known and respected throughout the industry. This world of ours now has one less genuinely good person.”

Alison was a science teacher who left the profession to form Brightminds in 1998. In her own words: “The National Curriculum became like teaching by recipe and I want to set off that spark in childrens’ minds.”

Alison was clear from the outset that the key was sourcing educational toys that inspire children to be curious about the world around them. Consequently, every product in the Brightminds range was tested and hand-picked to these guidelines.

Alison had been ill for some time and when news of her prognosis became apparent, she embarked upon a handover process as best she could, though her involvement in the day to day business had to be reduced. Her wish, according to her friends and colleagues, was that the company she had given so much to create and build continued to prosper and realise the aspirations of all of its employees, shareholders and loyal customers and suppliers.

The running of Brightminds is now being assumed by the remaining directors, led by David Crellin as interim CEO.

David says: “We have no greater desire than to carry on fulfilling Alison’s wishes in bringing a little joy and inspiration to the young people of this world. Whilst Alison can never be replaced, we do have the privilege of being given the opportunity to carry on her ethos and legacy. It is a mantle we intend to pursue to the best of our abilities”.

Toy World would like to join Alison’s friends and colleagues at Brightminds in sending condolences to her husband, John, and wider family

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Maureen Hiron (1942–June, 2022) In Maureen's own words from an interview we did with her...

I’m Maureen Hiron and I’m thrilled to be inducted into the Games Hall of Fame. I used to be the head of the Physical Education department of an Inner London comprehensive school. Then part of that school fell on my head, and at 32 I was pensioned off from teaching.

The future looked bleak. But I did have one ace up my sleeve. I was already an expert bridge player, having represented England and Britain at bridge. So I devoted my mental energies to the game. And the thought processes involved penetrated the cloud that enshrouded my brain.

Then a medical phenomenon occurred. It appeared that the former dormant areas of my brain had taken over the role of the damaged parts. The result was that I was able to reason with the intuitive mind of a child, yet still retain my acquired knowledge and 156 IQ level.

The first manifestation of this came on April Fools Day 1982. I was listening to music by my favourite composer, Bach – when in a lightbulb moment I invented the first of my games.

This was Continuo. A game that is a nice blend of skill and luck. That a 5-year-old can play on equal terms with all other ages. That many can play together, yet is also pleasing as a solo patience game. That is understood in seconds and transcends all language barriers. Yes – that’s a lot of claims for one small game, yet it all proved to be true, judging by the millions sold.

But Continuo was no One Game wonder for me. I’ve now had over 70 games published, which are sold in over 50 countries.

I’ve been asked, “What makes a game successful?” If I had the answer to that, I’d never invent a bummer!

But for me, it seems that the quicker I invent a game, the more successful it becomes. Especially if the rules are minimal.

Take 7Ate9 (Unter Spannung in Germany and various other names in other countries.) I was helping Irish Bridge International Desmond Deery putting new cards into the bridge duplicate boards, when I had another of those flashes of inspiration.

Me and my company HIRON GAMES LTD came to the attention of City of London financiers – maybe because of my high-profiling with the media – I had even been the subject of a BBC TV documentary A WILL TO WIN. In the time-honoured phrase, they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. The idea was that my company would make a reverse take-over of a major UK games company, which had a stock-market listing.

My life – written off by my previous employers, had taken a considerable upturn.

But tragedy struck again. I was diagnosed with cancer, so my business ambitions (I had reached the semi-finals of the Businesswoman of the Year competition) couldn’t be brought to fruition – I needed to address the problem of kicking this cancer into touch.

But even whilst an in-patient at the Royal Marsden Hospital – the world’s first specialist cancer hospital – I continued to invent games, using my fellow patients as play-testers. Including CHIP IN, which my company produced to spearhead the Marsden’s £25 million appeal – under the then presidency of Princess Diana.

And I persuaded Brian Hitchen CBE, then editor of the Daily Star, to back the appeal. This he did, in a big way for two months, and often from the front page of the Daily Star. Sadly, Brian and his wife were killed in a car accident in Alicante, Spain.

I also involved the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher – happily playing CHIP IN with her in her study, whilst members of the Cabinet waited patiently downstairs.

I’ve not restricted myself to inventing games. With my late husband Alan we wrote several best-selling books, including The Ultimate Trivia Quiz Game Book, which reached No.2 in the British Bestsellers list.

I also worked on a number of TV shows, including Krypton Factor and Fifteen to One.

And in 1990 I was voted ‘Londoner of the Year’ in London Electricity’s ‘Brightening Up London’ awards.

Sadly, Alan died in 1999, and my idyllic world came crashing down. Alan Hiron was a bridge world champion and was bridge correspondent to The Independent. We were considered to be the perfect partnership – as opposites – for I was as hyper as Alan was laid back.

I proof-read Alan’s articles and he play-tested my games. On his death I was appointed Bridge Correspondent to The Independent, and soon added 6 columns per week for the Irish Independent.

The music you hear is ‘Forward to Freedom’ – composed in the Matzar genre which I created. I wrote the music – tweaked for the better by Sheyla Bonnick of Boney M. Sheyla wrote the lyrics, with tweaks from me, and the whole is arranged by Sheyla’s Icelandic husband Ingvar Areliusson. And singing it is Sheyla Bonnick – a founder member of Boney M.

Just Sheyla – including all harmonies – her voice has gone from strength to strength.

During my college days I wrote a children’s operetta, which I called CATS – based on T.S. Eliot’s ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.’ Sounds familiar? But I did it first.

Then music went onto the back burner, when I got bitten by the bridge bug, and later the games bug. However…

Whilst on a Caribbean cruise in 2011 I met Sheyla Bonnick on MV Braemar. Boney M were the star turn on that cruise, and I was the bridge lecturer. There was immediate empathy between Sheyla and I.

Then I brought Boney M over to Spain to perform at my 70th birthday party, which was a roaring success.

Having recently renewed my interest in music, I had installed a concert organ, which I was teaching myself to play. Sheyla was impressed by the pieces I’d composed, and in a style she’d never heard before. When Ingvar came to take Sheyla home, she asked me to play those compositions again.

Ingvar was also impressed – impressed enough to to suggest Sheyla and I do an album together. And so the album LOOK BEYOND – in the new musical genre of Matzar was created, sung in its entirety by Sheyla Bonnick

It transpired that Sheyla was a keen games player, and so became a trustworthy play-tester of my games creations. And I became her business adviser.

Boney M – and especially Sheyla Bonnick’s group (all former members formed their own groups) have come back into demand again. Whereas the voices of the others have gone downhill, Sheyla’s has gone from strength to strength. It is a pleasure and a privilege to work with her and Ingvar.

Especially as, in our breaks, we play-test my new games.

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Mark Hatherill died on June 13, 2022. Hatherill’s career spanned 35 years in the toy industry, including positions at Mattel, Playmates Toys, and Munchkin Inc., working with iconic brands such as Barbie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Star Trek. He also consulted with multiple start-ups throughout his career. He is remembered as a mentor, advisor, and inspiration to those who knew and worked with him. He is survived by his daughters Mikayla and Morgan, wife Yvonne, father Donald, and siblings Michele and Michael.

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Billy Kametz, voice actor who worked on numerous video games including Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Triangle Strategy, and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, has passed away.   Alongside his work in the games industry, Kametz also lent his talents to anime series including Attack on Titan, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, and Pokémon Journeys.  An obituary shared on PennLive explained Kametz had been battling colon cancer and passed on June 9, 2022.  "Anyone who has met Billy will tell you he is one of the most sincere, humble and loving people they have ever met," reads the obituary.  "His infectious personality and smile always lit up a room with so much joy and happiness. Billy always left a positive impression on anyone he came in contact with. His love for his family, friends and girlfriend was always most important to him and that love will carry on forever."

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Hidekazu Yukawa. Former managing director known as 'Mr Sega' appeared in several classic Dreamcast adverts. Former Sega managing director Hidekazu Yukawa has passed away aged 78. According to Famitsu, the games executive passed away from pneumonia in June 2021, but news of his death has only just been made public.

Yukawa took on the role of managing director in 1998, ahead of the release of the Dreamcast in December that year. He was also well known as 'Mr Sega' during his stint on account of his appearance in several comedic adverts promoting the launch of the console. Yukawa also made appearances in several Sega games, including Shenmue, and DLC for Sonic Adventure. Former Sega peers paid tribute to Yukawa on Twitter, including former Sonic Team head Yuji Naka and Sonic voice actor Junichi Kanemaru.

Andrew Simon Thomas, a prominent figure in the New York City game development scene and creator of several independent games, has passed away following a vehicle collision on June 1. He was 32.

Thomas' work included arena shooter Shillelagh and balance board-powered rolling game Roll Control. He'd previously worked at Shapeways, designing unique creations for the 3D printing platform.

Friends and colleagues on social media are mourning his passing, with some calling him "an amazing and chaotic creative force for good." Others noted his pivotal role in community organizing, referring to him as a great leader.

Digital Trends Gaming section lead Giovanni Colantonio (a longtime friend of Thomas) recalled their shared time in a high school punk band. "In that band, he pushed me to think completely different about art and be okay with making people uncomfortable and being totally out there," Colantonio wrote.

Heart Machine community and PR lead Yiyi Zhang said that Thomas "had an incredible drive to improve himself, create great art, and uplift others," and called him "a true inspiration and friend."

An image promoting the event captured Thomas' creative and anarchic spirit, turning a recently popular internet taunt into a commemorative message. "Andrew always evangelized touching grass as a way to stay grounded and find calm," the image reads.

Wilhelm K. “Bill” Maisch, a longtime fixture on the buying side of the industry died on June 6, 2022. Maisch was known to many for his work as the buyer for the kids’ category at AC Moore in addition to his time spent at H. Clay Moore & Associates, and Jacent Strategic Merchandising. Last year, Maisch joined Cra-Z-Art as vice president of new business development.

“Bill is a guy that I knew for nearly 20 years — he was a kind, knowledgeable, caring, and passionate merchant that helped me to build my businesses, and help to promote kids’ products,” says Doug Cass, co-founder of Kahootz Toys and specialty sales consultant at PlayMonster.

Maisch is survived by his wife Lisa; his brother, Julius; his nieces and nephews, Nicole, Danielle, Leon, Matthew, Savina, Arianna, Valentina, Michael, Samantha, John, Bree, Trinity, and Caiden; his mother in law Theresa; his sister in law Doreen; his brother in law Michael; and his three dogs Max, Jetta, and Zuly.

Marilyn Feoranzo - With great sadness, we at Beacon Media Group share news of the passing of our friend and colleague, media specialist Marilyn Feoranzo. Marilyn brought passion, skill, and wit to her tremendous work with clients every day — skillful and astute in her mastery of media planning, and tough in her negotiation and execution of top-performing media buys across the industry. She worked tirelessly to ensure clients got nothing less than the best in media delivery. And she made us laugh every day.

Across a career spanning four decades, Marilyn managed hundreds of millions of dollars in media spending with a specialty in network, cable syndication, and radio markets at Bozell Ad Agency, eventually acquired by True North, where she worked on the JCPenney and Bausch & Lomb accounts before moving on to Unilever working on brands including Dove and Lipton Tea. She then moved to the Wyeth Ad Agency, where she worked on over-the-counter and direct-to-consumer brands such as Advil, Centrum, and ChapStick before moving to Beacon Media in New Jersey to focus her specialty on the kids and family market. With Beacon Media, for more than 10 years, she developed and executed TV buying strategies for many of the largest brands in the toy industry, including MGA Entertainment’s L.O.L. Surprise! and many more.

Marilyn retired from her duties to focus on health and family in her final year, and while we are tremendously sad that she is gone, her fire, commitment, and example will long be part of our legacy and an approach that helps drive our team to success in the future.

Marilyn leaves behind a husband, Bill, and daughters Nicole and Danielle.

Rest In Peace, dearest Marilyn. We are eternally grateful to have known you. — The Beacon Media Group Team

Lizzie Wilding. Lizzie Wilding, VP of commercial operations at UK studio Dovetail Games, has passed away. The company shared the news on its website and explained Wilding had been battling colon cancer. "Dovetail Games and the industry have lost one of their brightest lights, a fantastic colleague, an amazing mentor, and most importantly a wonderful friend," wrote the studio. "Lizzie was a wise, caring, witty, fearless woman who we shall remember with great fondness and love. She was passionate about this industry and it’s people. She was an avid gamer, who always put players first and loved nothing more than making them happy by providing engaging, fun experiences." Wilding was one of the first recipients of the MCV Top 100 Women in Games Awards and spent over five years working at Dovetail, initially joining the company as VP of publishing. Prior to that, Wilding spent time in communications and marketing roles at major game companies like Jagex, Natural Motion, Codemasters, and EA. Dovetail explained that although Wilding "shied away from the limelight," she continuously went above and beyond to support her colleagues, many of whom turned to her as a mentor and guide. "Her light shone brightly at Dovetail and she leaves a hole not only with us but in the wider industry. She will be greatly missed," continued Dovetail.

"If you have followed her journey via social media over the past few months you will know that she has voiced a wish for everyone with any medical concerns to get looked at as early as possible, however small. Cancer is a cruel illness that doesn't care about your age, fitness level, or lifestyle. We encourage you to make that call.

"Our thoughts are with her family, husband Sam, children Zoe, Billy, Lucy, Robert and Jacob as well as her mother, uncle, and grandfather. Your presence we miss, your memories we treasure -- fly high Lizzie."

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Paul Hyslop has died at 70. Known as 'H' to his friends, Hyslop spent much of the past two decades working at Just Flight, a UK-based publisher specialising in developing and publishing add-ons for Flight Simulator. His career began at Microprose, where he helped to establish the military software simulation brand in Europe, after which he went to work at Tomb Raider publisher Eidos, before joining Just Flight in 2002. Prior to working in video games, Hyslop worked for New English Libraries and even, according to Just Flight CEO Andy Payne, "ran a pub or two." 

He passed away on Monday, May 30.

"He treated everyone he met with absolute respect and never discriminated," Payne told GamesIndustry.biz. "You could be a junior PR person or designer, or you could be a global video games company CEO and H would treat you in exactly the same way. He took younger members of the industry under his wing, always with a smile and always wanting to see them do well.

"H was very much [a] father, uncle, brother and occasionally a son to so many people. It is a cliché, but everyone loved working with H, you just had to be careful not to take his advice all of the time, given his favourite saying was 'eating is cheating.' And he always knew how to have a good time, he knew all the places to go in all the cities we ever visited. His laugh was infectious, his loyalty unquestioned and his teamwork exemplary.

"A man with a wonderful waft of Kouros, a man with no ego, a man with friends of all ages, literally everywhere he went. And boy could he sell."

Colin Cantwell, an animator, conceptual artist and computer expert who played significant production roles in seminal science fiction films like “2001: A Space Odyssey, “Star Wars” and “WarGames,” died on May 21, 2022 at his home in Colorado Springs, Colo. He was 90. His partner, Sierra Dall, said the cause was dementia.  Mr. Cantwell’s work on several influential movies reached its peak with “Star Wars,” George Lucas’s hugely successful space opera. To impress Mr. Lucas, Mr. Cantwell built two elaborate steampunk-like spacecraft models from parts he had culled from dozens of hobbyist’s kits. He got the job before Mr. Lucas had found a studio. Mr. Cantwell produced the original designs for spacecraft familiar to fans of “Star Wars” (later retitled “Star Wars, Episode IV — A New Hope”): the X-wing, the Rebel Alliance’s starfighter; the TIE fighter, part of the Galactic Empire’s imperial fleet; the wedge-shaped Imperial Star Destroyer; the cockpit for the Millennium Falcon; and the Death Star, the Empire’s enormous battle station, with a weapon capable of destroying a planet. Read More...

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John R Hall, Jr.  (February 28, 1946 - May 3, 2022) - John Hall began his career in toys with Child Guidance, which was eventually bought by Gabriel and then by CBS Toys. Ultimately, Hasbro purchased this group and John and his wife, Nancy, moved to Rhode Island with their two children, Jonathan and Kirsten, where he had a long career working at Hasbro as Sr VP, Director of Product Development for Playskool. He was affectionately known and embraced the moniker “Dr. No” by toy inventors for his discerning taste. John, with his characteristic dry humor also didn’t mind being referred to as “Dr. Know”. (information from Bob Fuhrer) 

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David Ward. Co-founded Spectrum Games in 1983 (which would later become Ocean Software) has died at age 75. Ward's passing was announced by his son Ben Ward. Colleagues, friends, and family on social media described him as a legendary fixture of the United Kingdom game industry. Ocean Software had its heyday in the era of ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 games. He helped shepherd games like Daley Thompson's Decathalon, Rambo: First Blood Part II, and Short Circuit across the finish line. As the U.K.'s Science and Industry Museum notes, Ward and Ocean Games found a successful model for the video game business in an era when its competitors began to flounder. Part of the company's success was built on acquiring cheap licenses for popular films and producing games based on them. Ocean Software technically still exists today, though that's because it was purchased by Infrogames in the late '90s. Today, Infrogames is better known as, ironically enough, Atari SA. In 2004, Ward and Ocean Software co-founder Jon Woods were inducted into the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (better known today as The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment, or Ukie) Hall of Fame. ELSPA director general Roger Bennett credited the pair for coining "the terminology of the games industry" and laying the foundation for licensed game adaptations that is still in use today.

Nick Alfieri. Independent games publishers Digerati and Big Sugar have announced that Nick Alfieri, founder and CEO of both companies, died late last week. Calling Alfieri's passing "unexpected," the statement provided by the two companies described it as a painful loss, and that his colleagues are beyond devastated at the news. Friends and colleagues on social media echoed these sentiments, praising his enthusiasm and collaborative attitude. Developers who signed games with his companies were thankful for his efforts to shepherd their games to release.

Big Sugar and Digerati have published a number of unique games, including a virtual reality entry in the Sam & Max franchise: Sam & Max: This Time It's Virtual. Other notable games from these two companies include Glee Cheese Studios' A Musical Story and Ludomotion's Unexplored 2.

Alfieri is survived by his wife and young daughter.

GEORGE PEREZ  (1954 - 2022) - Writer, artist, and humanitarian George Perez died of pancreatic cancer on May 6, at the age of 67. Born in the Bronx in 1954, Perez worked on numerous series for both DC and Marvel over the years, as well as for other publishers such as Malibu, CrossGen, and BOOM! Studios. Perez was known for his skill with complicated scenes, and he contributed to such groundbreaking projects as DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths and the Marvel-DC crossover JLA/Avengers. Perez was also one of the founding members of The Hero Initiative, a nonprofit that assists comics creators in need. He received the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award in 2005, and in 2017 he was inducted into the Eisner Awards Hall of Fame. READ MORE...

Mel Squires - (the following is from Jerry Cleary) - Melvin Squires long time industry executive passed away at age 85 on April 23 rd , 2022 after fighting a courageous battle with cancer. He is survived by his beloved wife and best friend, Deena (nee Label). He is the loving father of Deborah Cleighton( the late Robert Cleighton) and David Squires (Diane) Proud grandfather of Skyler and Brayden Cleighton and Tyler Squires. He is also survived by his loving sister Helene Zeitz ( the late Marvin Zeitz) and former wife Bonnie Squiress. Mel was the leading buyer and general manager for A Ponnock & CO. a leading toy wholesaler who serviced the greater Philadelphia area and Mid-Atlantic states. Mel later served as a key account executive at both TYCO and TYCO Preschool. Mel is remembered for being tough but fair, a hard work ethic, a keen eye for product, his love of sports and a great sense of humor. He will be missed by all those he worked with during a long and distinguished toy career. Rest in Play Mel.

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Robert Krakoff -  (October 4, 1940 - April 26, 2022)  “Razerguy”, the co-founder and former president of gaming hardware company Razer, died last week at the age of 81. Maybe you’ve never heard Krakoff’s name, but it’s possible you’ve been impacted by his far-reaching legacy. In 1999, Krakoff was behind the first-ever gaming mouse: the Razer Boomslang. Not only was it the foundation of Razer’s now-massive lineup of gaming mice, it arguably jumpstarted the entire gaming peripheral industry. Below, you can see Krakoff himself in an ad promoting the Razer Boomslang mouse in 2002 — alongside professional gamer Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel, who signed a historic sponsorship deal with Razer long before the word “esports” entered the lexicon.  

Origin stories can be complicated, and the story of Razer is more convoluted than most. Razer wasn’t actually a company until 2005 — it was the trademarked brand of an entity called Kärna, which had invented an opto-mechanical encoding wheel that could track a mouse’s movements at 2000 dpi, far higher resolution than other mice at the time. (Yes, the first gaming mouse rolled on wheels, even though optical mice were becoming a thing.)

Kärna went bankrupt in 2001, and Krakoff co-founded Razer the company with current CEO Min-Liang Tan in 2005, but neither man invented the gaming mouse: This case study (pdf) details how a marketing agency named Fitch created the entire Razer brand, including the name, the iconic three-headed snake logo, the website, the packaging, and most importantly, the design and engineering of the Boomslang mouse itself.

None of this is in dispute: Razer’s first press release says the Boomslang was “designed by Fitch, Inc. for kärna.”

But it also quotes a “Robert Krakoff, general manager for Razer” — who would not only become the public face of the company for its first decade and change, but make an incredible impression as one of the most accessible public faces of a company you might ever have the pleasure to know.

You’d get a little message from Razerguy with every Razer product you purchased, and his public email address wasn’t just for show. He was known to respond to fans and sit down for interviews with scrappy journalists who barely had a following. Sometimes he’d give them jobs. According to his Facebook page, he studied journalism at UCLA himself, though he did so on a football scholarship.

He was also remarkably candid: in 2009, he told me, Sean, a similarly unknown journalist, that the company didn’t actually need to sell a single unit of his brand-new Razer Mamba wireless mouse at its then-exorbitant price of $130. The point, he said, was to inspire a huge audience of gamers with the innovation, knowing they’d choose other cheaper mice and merchandise from Razer.

A known leftie, he also told me he wished Razer could make a left-handed mouse, but that he didn’t have power as president of the company to make it happen — the board had apparently decided it didn’t make financial sense. A year later, I smiled when I saw Razer release the first left-handed gaming mouse, a mirror-image version of its best-selling DeathAdder.

While Krakoff still advised the company for years as a “President Emeritus,” Razer wasn’t his last act by a long shot. He also founded MindFX Science, a brand that focuses on selling energy drinks and supplements, serving as “a healthy alternative to the highly caffeinated energy drinks and pre-workout products.”

Fitness seemed to be an important part of Krakoff’s life. He played for the Los Angeles Rams for five years in the 1960s. As he grew older, Krakoff said he loved playing tennis, biking, and fitness training. He and his wife, Dr. Patsi Krakoff, even ran a blog focused on fitness and nutrition tips for seniors, and co-wrote a book about the secrets to staying young.

But under the name RM Krakoff, he also had a literary career all his own — writing a dozen books since 2009. After working as a copywriter, Krakoff said he “put his proverbial pen where his mouth was (the ink tasted like shit).” He dabbled in both fiction and nonfiction writing, penning everything from black comedies to sci-fi fantasies. His description of America Unbound: Fighting Demons in a Vanished Democracy is... a lot.

On Krakoff’s Facebook page, he said he would split his time between Jalisco, Mexico and Peoria, Arizona, as he enjoyed being “a sunbird and spending six months a year in each home.” He leaves behind two children, Scott and Robin, and five “very cool” grandchildren. Scott contributed the cover art for most of his novels.

“We are saddened by the passing of Co-Founder and President Emeritus, Robert Krakoff, known by everyone as RazerGuy,” reads a statement from Razer on Twitter. “Robert’s unwavering drive and passion for gaming lives on and continues to inspire all of us.”

Don Rubin (April 6, 1945 - April 8, 2022) Donald Joel Rubin, one of the world's premier creators of games and puzzles, died of cancer at his home in Santa Rosa, California on April 8, 2022. Don was born April 6, 1945 in Malden, Mass. He graduated magna cum laude from Boston University's College of Communication. 
His exceptional career evolved from teaching school in Maine, to serving as a creative consultant, scriptwriter, game designer, photographer, puzzler, research historian, contributing editor and writer. In the late 1980's his creation "The Real Puzzle" was first published in the Boston Phoenix, then The Real Paper, prior to its syndication in over 300 national and international newspapers and magazines through United Features Syndicate. The Real Puzzle generated so much fan mail that the U.S. Post Office gave Don his own zip code. Don became a mini expert in each field that was the focus of the weekly puzzle and attributed his creativity to a "poor diet and lack of sleep". He wrote many books including, "The Real Puzzle Book", "What's the Big Idea", "Those Incredible Puzzles", "Think Tank", "Brainstorms" and "More Brainstorms". His Parking Lot Puzzle has been called "one of the greatest puzzles of all time."
As print media gradually began to fade, Don refocused his creative genius on interactive games with original content working as a Senior Game Designer at Shockwave, Firemint, Ringzero Networks, and Electronic Arts. Don was a member of the Screen Writers Guild, with clients including Paramount Pictures, PBS NOVA, several Fortune 500 companies, and educational institutions. Don won numerous awards for editorial design, art direction, television and film design, photography, game design, advertising copywriting, and Web content development.
Although Don did not have children, he was an animal lover. At times he cared for many dogs, both his own and friends, bottle-fed a kangaroo, herded and fed cattle on an Australian working ranch, and back at home in Santa Rosa helped with the dogs, cats, chickens and bees.
Many friends sought out his keen intellect and insight into everything from current events, arts and cultural trends, to his astute reflections on everyday life. Don was a great fan of Samuel Beckett and could recite, "Waiting for Godot" in its entirety from memory, quoting recently, "I've talked with you about this and that, I explained the twilight, admittedly. But is it enough, that's what tortures me, is it enough
" (Pozzo)

Wieland Herold (1950-2022) - (from his son Florian Herold) - Wieland Herold has passed away. Wieland was a lot of things.

He was a husband, father of four children, school leader. But he also had a significant role in the press world of board games. For many years he acted as part of the jury "Game of the Year", as part of the "Göttinger Author Meeting" and as the editor of the magazine "Game and Author".

In recent years, he had put his focus on family, but still wrote about games and book reviews for his blog almost daily. At the end of his life, he was still a premier lecturer and photographer.

He was a great supporter of the development and the rights of German playwright.

What is important, he was also a beloved friend, a four-time grandfather and was always there for the family.

In my brother's h2o publication, there will be a game that he has contributed a lot to soon. This was the first time he worked hard on a game himself. It comforts me because after his death there will be something of him that will always remind me of him.

At the end of his life, he was not alone.

I asked him if anything is still open? He said “No, that’s all said.”

His words remain. He was a master of words. If you want to know more about him, you can read it at: http://www.mit80.de/

His last post is from mid-December. As long as he could, he always wrote texts.

I miss him every second.

He was my father.

Florian Herold

Undrea Leach. Streamer, voice actor and consultant Undrea Leach passed away in February. As reported by Game Developer, Leach entered the games industry via her work as a Twitch streamer, and later expanded into voice acting, appearing in indie titles such as Last Line of Retreat and Starcrossed. Leech also worked as a diversity consultant, and co-ran an initiative that helped industry professionals look for new jobs in games alongside writer Mitch Dyer.  Peers and friends shared tributes to Leach via Twitter. Fellow streamer Brooklyn (bklynbridge) said "she was a light in countless lives and she is missed terribly," while Dyer commented: "This is devastating. Nothing but love to her friends and family." Leach's family is raising funds via GoFundMe to cover burial costs.

Gilbert Gottfried, Aladdin Voice Actor and Comedian, Dead at 67 'After a Long Illness'. April 12, 2022. Known for his work in comedy films and as Iago in Disney's 1992 classic Aladdin, Gottfried was instantly recognizable for his over-the-top, exaggerated voice. A standup comic with a podcast called Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast! — the last new episode of which aired on April 4 — Gottfried was also known for his work on the popular PBS Kids show Cyberchase. His notable films include Look Who's Talking Too, Problem Child and Beverly Hills Cop II. He was also the focus of the 2017 documentary film Gilbert, about his prolific life and career. Gottfried reprised his Aladdin voice role of Iago — the villain Jafar's morally torn, wisecracking parrot sidekick — in the sequels The Return of Jafar (1994) and Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996), as well as in various other Disney specials and series.

Fujiko Fujio A (real name Motoo Abiko) - passed away on April 7th, 2022 at his residence in Kawasaki, Tokyo. He was 88. Fujiko Fujio A is perhaps best known for his collaboration with Fujiko F. Fujio (real name Hiroshi Fujimoto) under the collective pseudonym Fujiko Fujio. The duo penned the world-famous Doraemon manga about the titular robot cat from the future and his friendship with the boy Nobita. The manga ran from 1970 to 1996. The pair worked together before parting in 1987, with Abiko taking the Fujiko Fujio A pseudonym, and Fujimoto taking the Fujiko Fujio F (later Fujiko F. Fujio) pseudonym. Fujimoto passed away in 1996. Doraemon has launched one of the most successful children's media franchises in the world, inspiring numerous anime films and three separate television anime runs, the third of which began in 2005 and is still ongoing and remains one of the most highly rated anime on Japanese television week after week.

Motoo Abiko also penned a number of successful manga series, including Ninja Hattori-kun, Kaibutsu-kun, Pro Golfer Saru, and Warau Salesman. Ninja Hattori-kun inspired a television anime that ran from 1981 to 1987, three anime films from 1982 to 1984, and a live-action film in 2004. Kaibutsu-kun inspired two television anime that ran from 1968 to 1969 and 1980 to 1982, respectively, as well as two anime films in 1981 and 1982. Pro Golfer Saru inspired a 1982 TV anime special, a television anime that ran from 1985 to 1988, and two anime films in 1986 and 1987. Warau Salesman inspired a television anime that ran from 1989 to 1992, as well as The Laughing Salesman NEW, a 2017 television anime that represents the latest adaptation of his individual work.

Jake Sivner - Toy World is sad to report the recent untimely passing of industry ‘rising star’ Jake Sivner at only 22 years of age. Following the sad news, friends and colleagues have issued the following statement:  “Jake had a zest for life and lived it to the full. Blessed with his dad’s charisma and confidence, he built up so many great relationships in such a short space of time and left a good impression on everyone he met. He was always professional and courteous and carried himself in a way you would expect from someone 10 years his senior. Everyone was always surprised when they realised just how young he was.”

Ben Russell, Zuru’s SVP, remembers Jake’s first days working in Hong Kong: “Jake started at Zuru as an intern in January 2018, supporting the sales manager for Asia during the Hong Kong and Nuremberg Toy fairs. At only 18 years old, Jake already had an impressive knowledge of the industry. When given the opportunity to pitch product, it was clear that he was a natural and very talented salesman. Jake had big ambitions and was eager to start working, so at the end of his internship, we were more than pleased to offer him a role as a sales executive, supporting sales in Asia.”

Although enthusiastic about gaining a position at the company, Jake continued to push for more responsibilities, and within his first 12 months was promoted to account manager with full territory responsibilities for Southern Europe.

Ben continued: “There were many highlights and wins for the business while Jake was at Zuru, but it was also clear that he needed more than we could offer at the time, so Jake decided to move on to become sales director with a puzzle & games company covering all markets. Jake remained a friend of Zuru and myself after he left, and we were all looking forward to seeing him again once the fairs and industry travel started again. Jake had a heart of gold and embodied the expression of ‘living life to its fullest’. His loss will be felt not only by those closest to him but also by those lucky enough to have crossed paths with this charismatic and charming young man.”

Since leaving Hong Kong, Jake went about setting up his own company, JAS Ultimate, and growing a range of toy brands into North America. The statement continues: “He had a keen eye for supply gaps that his company could support and aside from toys, worked with factories in South East Asia to develop and grow a range of kids furniture solutions. This would have been a whole new revenue stream through Wal-Mart and Target and a fine example of the broad commercial head Jake had on those young shoulders.”

Jake’s father, Marc Sivner, founder of Singleton Trading added: “Not only have we lost our precious son but we’ve lost a rising star in the toy industry.”

Michael G. Landsman, 85. He was the president and CEO of a number of companies: Superior Toy, Tudor Games, Peoria Plastics, HG Toys, and Miggle Toys. Michael was always generous and philanthropic, donating to a wide range of organizations. He loved golf, card games, traveling, and dining with his beloved Delayne. He will be deeply missed by family and his wide circle of friends.  Michael was the beloved husband of Delayne, née Hillman; devoted father of Barry J. Landsman and Stacy (Mark) LeBrun; proud grandfather of Rachel (Kevin) Daley and Ryan LeBrun; dear brother of Stephen A. (Beth) Landsman; caring uncle of Mark Landsman, Scott Landsman, and Sari Knight; treasured son of the late Sam and Jeanne; loving nephew of René (late Sheldon) Engerman; will be missed by many close cousins. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Michael's exceptional caregiver Bob. Michael was born in Chicago and grew up in West Rogers Park and Oak Park.

​

Charles Marx, passed on April 4, 2022. Charles was the son of David Marx and newphew of Louis Marx. Louis and David co-founded the Louis Marx and Company.  From a friend and collegue of Charles, Jerry Cleary, "Charles was a great guy and a terrific Toy Person in his own right. Charles always carried himself with dignity and class and never used his name or celebrity back in the day to bully or take advantage of colleagues or customers. A family man, he was charismatic, kind and respectful of all who worked with him. Charles had a great eye for product and built a terrific segment of business for the company back in the day when retailers like Sears and Montgomery Ward had a significant market share in toys with their catalog operations. The customers loved Charles who had a great knack for supporting and balancing the needs of customer and company. I don't think Charles ever got the credit he deserved for his contributions to our industry. He was a true role model in how to conduct yourself as a businessperson and as an individual. I think I was the last salesperson hired by the old Louis Marx company and I have many fond memories of working with Charles for many years.  I lost touch with Charles over the past several years and just wanted to express my thoughts on  this wonderful person. May he rest in peace!!"

​

Estelle Harris, Mrs. Potato Head in 'Toy Story' series, dies at 93. Harris was best known for her distinctive voice and comedic timing, forever cemented by her role as the mother of George (Jason Alexander) in Seinfeld, where she appeared on 27 episodes. Her foil was Jerry Stiller, who played Frank Costanza, and the three characters engaged in countless scenes of lovable bickering. 

She also had a robust voice career, anchored by her work as Mrs. Potato Head in the second, third and fourth chapters of the Toy Story series. Channelling the verve of her Seinfeld role, she has a loving and nagging relationship with Mr. Potato Head, perfectly voiced by Don Rickles.

From there, she popped up in many animated projects large and small, including films such as Brother Bear (2003) and Tarzan II (2005) and series such as Hercules, The Wild Thornberrys and Godzilla: The Series (all from 1998). – Reuters

​

Scott Bennie - Games writer, producer and designer Scott Bennie has died from pneumonia at the age of 61. News of his passing was shared on his Facebook page, reported via PC Gamer. Bennie is best known for his stint at Interplay during the 1990s, where he worked as a producer and designer on several RPG games including the studio's The Lord of The Rings adaptations and strategy title Castles: Northern Campaign. 

He also worked as a writer across several Star Trek titles, including Starfleet Command 1 and 2, Starfleet Academy, as well as the original Fallout game. Bennie also contributed several tabletop games throughout his career, including Dungeons & Dragons, Marvel Superheroes, and Hero Games' Champions. Industry figures, peers and former colleagues paid tribute to Bennie and his work on Twitter. Developer and Interplay founding member Rebecca Heineman called Bennie "a great game designer and writer," and added, "I will miss him." InXile studio head Brian Fargo wrote: " I was saddened to hear that Scott Bennie died today. He was a brilliant writer who worked with us at Interplay on some true classics like Star Trek: Judgment Rites and Starfleet Academy. RIP." Author Matt Forbeck said: "I'm sad to hear of the passing of my old friend Scott Bennie, who I met through the wonderful, tight-knit community of Hero Games designers back in the early 1990s. He was a sharp man, full of neat ideas, and bumping into him at a convention was always a highlight of that week."

Mohammad Fahmi - Coffee Talk creator and writer Mohammad Fahmi has passed away. The news was shared on social media by Fahmi's family and his colleagues at Coffee Talk developer Toge Productions. "Today we've received the most devastating of news. Our beloved Fahmi, the writer of Coffee Talk and a beloved friend of Toge Productions has passed away. We are absolutely devastated by his early departure," wrote the studio.

"Thank you for everything you had done for Toge Productions, for the indie game industry, for your friends and family. We will never forget you and you will always be in our hearts." Over the years, Fahmi worked on numerous projects including What Comes After, Afterlove EP, and Code Atma as a game designer, writer, and director. He also spent time at Gameloft as a programmer and designer, lending his talents to games such as Asphalt 6: Adrenaline and The Oregon Trail: American Settler.

Dean O'Donnell, a Massachusetts game industry fixture who wrote games and taught at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, has died at age 57. Word of O'Donnell's passing comes from an obituary posted in The Boston Globe. Some of his former students have taken to social media to share news of his passing as well. O'Donnell's life in games contributed to a number of early independent games from the early role-playing-game era, and eventually contributed words to the Titan Quest expansion Titan Quest: Immortal Throne. He taught at WPI for the last 29 years and helped create the university's Interactive Media and Games Development program. On Twitter, former students remembered how he encouraged them to chase social meaning in their game ideas, and expand the boundaries of what was possible in narrative games. His interests also included alternate reality games, table-top roleplaying games, and "overly complicated board games." He is survived by his wife, his sister, two nieces, and his great-niece.

R.I.P. Marcus King. ICv2 columnist, GAMA officer, and longtime game and comic retailer Marcus King passed away Tuesday, March 22, following heart surgery, according to numerous Facebook posts by friends.  King’s own final Facebook post, on Sunday afternoon, shared a selfie from his hospital bed and revealed he was going to have heart bypass surgery on Monday.  He’d had a heart attack, and was also suffering from Covid and pneumonia.

"This will be my last update with my old heart in bad shape,” he wrote. “In the morning, I am having either a triple or quadruple bypass, they’re just not sure. I will probably post again in three or four days, hopefully. Thanks for being my friend.”

King was a columnist for ICv2 from 2010 to 2017, sharing the lessons he’d learned in his 30+ years as a retailer. "Marcus was an original thinker, and he contributed many great columns to ICv2, sharing lessons he’d learned in decades in the business, and reflections on his life as a retailer," ICv2 CEO Milton Griepp said of King. "He had a warm heart, a sense of humor, and a generous spirit. He will be missed."

King began his retailing career in 1986, when he opened his first store in Anchorage, Alaska.  He opened Titan Games in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1994, and a second store in Kalamazoo in 2009 (see "View from the Game Store – Defining Success"). Although he he was best known as a retailer of tabletop games, he also handled (and wrote about) comics, collectible video games, and other products of interest to his customers.

In 2011, King sold his Michigan stores and moved to Kentucky, where he continued to retail, including a stint managing a retail store for online retailer Troll and Toad, and most recently at Main Street Games & Comics in London, Kentucky.

King was also active in GAMA for many years, including as board member and Vice President beginning in 2005, as a board member in the Retailer Division, and as a speaker at GAMA events.

King was passionate about retailing, constantly experimenting and sharing what he learned with fellow retailers in his column, posts on other sites, and on social media.  He was one of an early generation of game and comic retailers who pushed the business forward and unselfishly helped to grow the pie for everyone. His columns hold up: here’s a list.

Before he passed away, King had set up a Facebook fundraiser to help with expenses, money that will doubtless be needed by his family. Our condolences to his family and friends.

Emilio Delgado, ‘Sesame Street’s’ Luis for more than 40 years, has died. The actor died Thursday at his home in New York City. He had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, in 2020, according to a report from TMZ, citing his wife. Delgado had remained active in theater, starring in “Quixote Nuevo,” a version of “Don Quixote,” before the pandemic struck in early 2020. His extensive stage work included serving as artistic director of the Barrio Theatre Ensemble of East Los Angeles.

Still, he’ll be best remembered for the popular children’s program. Delgado had cited the PBS show’s importance as a cultural touchstone in the way people of color were depicted on TV.

“For the first time on television, they showed Latinos as real human beings,” Delgado told the Houston Chronicle in 2020. “We weren’t dope addicts. We weren’t maids or prostitutes, which were the way we were being shown in television and in film. Here, on ‘Sesame Street,’ there were different people who spoke different languages and ate interesting foods, and they were all Americans.”

“A beloved member of the Sesame family for over 50 years, his warmth and humor invited children to share a friendship that has echoed through generations,” Sesame Workshop said of Delgado in a statement to CNN. “At the forefront of representation, Emilio proudly laid claim to the ‘record for the longest-running role for a Mexican-American in a TV series.’ We are so grateful he shared his talents with us and with the world.” READ MORE  . . . 

Ira P. Hernowitz - June 23, 1965 - March 6, 2022. Ira passed away after a long battle with cancer. Ira was born in The Bronx, NYC in June of 1965. He went away to sleepaway camp at Camp Olympus in upstate New York at a young age. The friends he made at camp would stay with him throughout his life, and the experiences he had there shaped him into the kind, generous leader that he was.  He attended the Bronx High School of Science and later Syracuse University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science and met his wife, Nancy. His passion and brilliance led him to an illustrious career in a wide variety of businesses, including Hasbro, Toys “R” Us, Kindara Fertility, and Carson Dellosa Education. In every position he held, he was a leader and an innovator while also incorporating kindness into everything he did and constantly pushed others to exceed expectations. He traveled extensively and had no hesitations about trying new foods or ordering sushi for the table. Those around him knew he could always be counted on for a nuanced opinion or sage advice.  He was deeply loved by his family and friends. They knew him as tenacious, brilliant, and resilient in the face of challenges. He was a mentor, a comedian, and had an incredible patience and perspective that endeared him to everyone he met. He was a skilled writer, an avid golfer who belonged to both Potowomut Golf Club in RI and Suntree Country Club in FL, and a frustratingly good Scrabble player. He was a kind soul who cared deeply about the well-being of all people. All who knew him will carry him with them always.

Steve Webb, head of Retail at Cartamundi, has passed away after a short battle with cancer, Toy World is sad to report. Dan King, general manager UK at Cartamundi, reached out to Toy World to say: “Steve had been fighting cancer for the last 10 months and he leaves behind his wife Nic and children Gracie and Jack. He was so brave and showed so much tenacity and positivity throughout this battle, which was why he was such a great sales person. Steve had only recently started his position but in the short time he was with the company he quickly became a much-loved member of the team. We are all going to miss him terribly and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.” Before taking up the role at Cartamundi, Steve spent several years at One For Fun (formerly H. Grossman) as strategic account manager. Prior to this, he also worked for A.B.Gee as a national account manager. David Mordecai, One For Fun CEO, said: “Steve was full of life, fun and laughter, and throughout his illness always tried to beat it and never ever moaned or got depressed in any shape or form. He was an inspiration to us all. He would rather be talking about his time playing football with Wimbledon and the Crazy Gang and having a pint. As his illness worsened, his bravery in how he dealt with it was remarkable. Our hearts go out to his family. He will be sorely missed by his colleagues everywhere, his customers, his friends and most of all his family.”​

Kim Jung-ju - founder of free-to-play giant Nexon, has died at age 54. Word of Kim's passing comes from The Korea Times, who was informed of his death by a Nexon spokesperson. He apparently died last month in the United States. Nexon did not provide a cause of death in its statement to The Korean Times. It did state that Kim "had been receiving treatment for depression, and we are sad that it seemed to have worsened recently."  Kim founded Nexon in 1994 after graduating from Seoul National University. The developer and publisher grew to be a powerhouse in South Korea's game industry on the back of games like MapleStory, and KartRider. Its recent hits have included Mabinogi and Vindictus.

Nexon is now headquartered in Tokyo under parent company NXC Corp., where it went public on the Japanese Stock Market in 2011.

Kim is survived by his wife and two daughters.

John Maxim -  Prolific toy and game inventor-engineer John Maxim died on February 6th at his home in Dallas, Texas, it was announced by his son, Michael. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer. John began his career in the early 70s at Mattel in Preliminary Design. After several years at Mattel, he left to become an independent inventor. Among John’s many licensed inventions were Bumble Ball (Ertl), The Cutter (Crayola), Guzzlers (Ideal Toys), SpectraColor Image Pad (Irwin), Wibbly Wobbly Egg Race game (Vivid Imagination), Power Command Hot Wheels (Mattel) and countless other playthings. John was awarded dozens of patents. Later in his career, he was a founding member of the Sunshine Santas, a tight knit group of independent inventors residing in south Florida. John came to his ingenuity naturally. It was in his DNA. His family tree includes Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim (1840-1916), an American-British inventor best known as the creator of the first automatic machine gun, the Maxim gun. He was knighted in 1901. Hiram Percy Maxim (1869-1936), an MIT graduate, invented the first commercially successful sound suppressor for firearms (the silencer). He also developed mufflers for internal combustion engines. John’s son, Michael, an engineer, spent eight years at Space X before leaving to follow in his dad’s footsteps as an independent inventor.

In his final days, John enjoyed his lifelong passion for creating toys, communicating with colleagues around the country about projects in development. (written by Richard C. Levy)

John Galt - His work spanned movies, TV, and video games, had died at age 81. Developer/publisher 3D Realms shared news of his passing on Sunday. Galt had worked with 3D Realms on games like Shadow Warrior and the original Prey. He voiced main character Lo Wang in Shadow Warrior, and played Grandfather Enisi in Prey. His other video game credits included John Romero's Daikatana, Ion Storm's Deus Ex, and more. 

On the silver screen, he provided the voice for President Lyndon B. Johnson in Forrest Gump and Oliver Stone's conspiracy film J.F.K. Galt's long acting career began in 1958, and he would make the jump to the world of television in 1974. In a 2019 interview with YouTube channel Jake The Voice, he explained that he landed the role of Lo Wang after doing monster voices for 3D Realms.

Bernard Smith - Toy World is sad to report that industry stalwart Bernard Smith has died aged 79, on 18th January after a short illness. Bernard Smith enjoyed a long and successful career in toys, starting in 1967 when he took on the role of area sales manager at Mattel. He then built up his sales expertise with roles at Tonka, Peter Pan and JW Spears – a company he returned to as sales director in 1990. This was followed by further stints at Mattel, Kitfix Swallow, United Overseas, Upstarts and University Games. Bernard decided to slow the pace a little in 2014, but loved the toy trade so much that he only managed semi-retirement and continued to keep his hand in as a sales agent for Rascals, a role he kept on until very recently. At the Toymaster Show in May 2013, Bernard was recognised by his industry peers as the recipient of a Golden Teddy. His nomination described him as ‘honest, kind, trustworthy, hardworking, loyal and friendly  – he brightens up the office with his great sense of humour.’ Friend and colleage Tom White shared a personal memory about the day: “Bernard’s face was a picture as his name was announced, and he froze in his chair from the complete shock of it!” Bernard’s motto was to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and his co-workers said that customers ‘loved and respected him’. Over his many years in the trade, he trained and supported a vast number of sales executives throughout the industry, who found him a dependable source of support, even through times of change and challenge. Bernard is survived by his wife Jo, son James, daughters Emma and Sara, stepsons Tom and Jack and nine grandchildren.