People of Play (POP), a division of The Toy Association, has announced the honorees for the 18th annual Toy and Game Innovation Excellence (TAGIE) Awards, scheduled to take place on November 8 at Joe’s Live in Rosemont, Illinois.
Mike Moody, CEO of Seven Towns, receives a Lifetime Achievement Award. Moody has spent more than 30 years shaping the toy and game industry, beginning as a buyer for John Menzies PLC before becoming a marketing leader at Tyco Matchbox Toys. At Seven Towns, one of the world’s leading invention studios, he has guided creative development for products including Rubik’s, Junior Monopoly, Boglins, Weebles, and more.
Fellow Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Phil Orbanes is a celebrated game designer, author, and co-founder of Winning Moves Games. A former senior vice president of research and development at Parker Brothers, Orbanes has written extensively on Monopoly and board game history and has served as chief judge of the U.S. and World Monopoly Championships for more than 30 years.
Judy Ellis will be honored as this year’s Industry Game Changer. Ellis founded the world’s first baccalaureate program in Toy Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in 1989, mentoring generations of industry leaders and advancing inclusive and ethical design. A Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductee, Ellis has been recognized globally for her contributions as both an educator and visionary designer.
This year’s ceremony, themed “Friendship,” includes awards in 13 additional categories, with public voting open through Oct. 24. The event will be co-hosted by Karri Bean, Senior Licensing Manager at Disney Consumer Products, with Jazwares’ Chief Brand Officer, Jeremy Padawer, delivering the keynote address.
“The theme of ‘Friendship’ feels especially fitting for the TAGIE Awards this year because so much of what drives our industry comes from collaboration,” says Mary Couzin, senior vice president and founder/leader of People of Play at The Toy Association. “The toy and game community thrives on shared creativity — inventors, designers, marketers, and educators coming together to bring ideas to life. Mike, Phil, and Judy each embody that collaborative spirit. Their work has not only inspired countless products and careers but has also built lasting connections that remind us why this industry feels more like a family than a business.”
Founded in 2008, the TAGIE Awards celebrate innovation, creativity, and leadership in the global toy and game industry, and are presented annually in conjunction with the Chicago Toy & Game Fair and other industry events.
Tickets are available online. Learn more at peopleofplay.com.
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