Michael Keaton Takes the Helm of Toysmith

Michael Keaton stepped into the role of CEO at Toysmith.

The former president of Schleich North America also served 13 years at The LEGO Group, and is currently on the Board of Directors for both the Toy Association in the U.S. and the Canadian Toy Association. Toysmith markets signature brands such as Warrior’s Mark, NightZone, Get Outside, GO!, Outdoor Discovery, Beetle & Bee, Playground Classics, and Neato! Classics. The company also distributes products from Spin Master, Kids II, and others in the U.S.

“I am thrilled to join the team that has built such a well-respected toy distribution and manufacturing organization” Keaton says. “Not only is Toysmith the leader in customer service and helping our retail partners to achieve success, but more importantly our company has for decades shared my core values of delivering high-quality, open-ended play experiences for kids of all ages and backgrounds.”

He adds, “As a parent, I believe it is crucial to continue to embrace and promote creative, open-ended play for kids, especially in an era that is so digital in nature. I see it as an imperative, and can’t wait to continue providing these types of toys and activities for kids through my role at Toysmith for many years to come.”

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.