Paul Vitale, Executive Vice President of Finance & Operations at The Toy Association, will retire on Dec. 31 after 16 years with the Association.
Robert (Bobby) Heins, current Vice President of Finance & Accounting, will fill the role of Senior Vice President of Finance & Administration, effective Jan. 1.
In his position, Vitale served as the Chief Financial Officer, and in various ways like a Chief Operating Officer, with numerous responsibilities. Vitale served as an advisor to the Association’s President and each department head, and was responsible for the management of the Association’s information technology (IT), finance, human resources, facilities, research, and credit program.
During his time with the organization, Vitale achieved various milestones. This includes 16 years of adjustment-free audits, spearheading the implementation of Adaptive Insights software to elevate financial budgeting and forecasting processes, and aiding in the relocation of the Association’s New York office.
He also oversaw the transition of the Association to a professional employer organization in 2014 — cutting down benefit costs while bolstering the human resources framework — and oversaw the upgrade of IT support by introducing new software for streamlined employee expense reporting.
Vitale’s advocacy also played a role in the addition of a research position to the organization’s staff. In addition, he received the 2015 Nonprofit CFO of the Year Transformational Leader Award, nominated by then President of the Association, Carter Keithley, and the executive committee.
“Paul Vitale has blessed us with one of the finest financial minds and range of operational acumen found anywhere in the trade association and nonprofit community,” says Steve Pasierb, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Toy Association. “He is respected, kind, decent, trusted, and thoughtful. In addition to being simply a wonderful person with whom to work, Paul and his team built best-of-class reporting, controls, and stewardship that strengthened and helped advance the Association together with human resources services and employee benefits, which strengthened and helped retain our professional team.”
Vitale joined The Toy Association in 2007, following five years as the Senior Director of Finance for the New York City Chapter of the American Red Cross. Vitale also held positions at Commercial Capital Corp., Barron’s Educational Series, Arthur Andersen, and his own accounting practice.
“The toy and play community will never fully realize the depth of commitment, care, and effectiveness Paul delivered in every aspect of his role, which was so essential to the Association’s ongoing mission of protecting and advancing the toy community. Similarly, his role included back office and financial support services to several smaller nonprofits across the toy industry,” Pasierb says. “Paul will be profoundly missed by us all, but departs having built a strong team and mentoring talented future leadership in Bobby Heins who will continue the standards and momentum he created. It has been the highest honor and deepest pleasure of my career to have worked alongside Paul on a daily basis.”
