Hi Ben! Thank you for taking time to share a bit about yourself and your new role at Moose Games. Please share with our readers what do you do in our industry?

I recently stepped into the role of Global GM for Games at Moose Toys. Before that I led the Boys Toys business at Target.

What are you still hoping to accomplish?

Life is the journey to trying to become the best version of ourselves. So I am still working on that every day.

Why and how did you get into the Toy and Game industry?

I have always loved board games. All types. I just made the “responsible” decision out of undergrad to go law school because I wasn’t sure what the career path would look like in the Games world. After law school, I started working at Target and through an interesting mix of luck of planning I was able to get into the board game industry as the buyer for the Games category. From there, the rest is history.

What are you working on now?

Moose Games is a relatively new division of Moose Toys – David Norman kicked it off a few years back and I’m honored to pick up the torch and continue building the business. While it’s a newer category for Moose, we’ve seen major growth and success across our portfolio, which includes everything from preschool games to kids, family and party games. My goal for Moose Games remains is to continue helping people and their families create lasting memories through the connection that comes from playing our games.

What trends do you see in toys or games that excite or worry you?

The continued rise of adults playing with Toys and Games (and not just collectors) is something that excites me – the world needs more fun and people being able to embrace the joy of playing games.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Creating an environment where my team can shine. It is so rewarding to see the things that everyone at Moose is capable of creating. Innovation is truly at the heart of everything we do at Moose and the whole company takes that to heart, so it’s incredible to be a part of that and lead the Games team in particular to new creative heights.

Where did you grow up and how did that influence who you are today?

I was born and raised in Minnesota which I fully credit for my love of board games. There is not much else to do when it is below zero degrees outside in the middle of winter.

What are your favorite childhood memories?

Playing chess with my parents. Both were key in helping infuse a love in games early on. They will still frequently play games with us today as well!

Do you have any kiddos?

I have four kids (aged 6 to 14) which is the perfect focus group to have in this industry. They never hold back on giving helpful feedback on toys and games, and it’s great to see what aspects of our products they enjoy the most.

What’s the furthest you’ve ever been from home?

Moose’s corporate headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. The team in Melbourne is so incredibly creative and welcoming – they lead the Moose culture that inspires innovation in everything we do.

Tell us about your hobbies?

I enjoy running, learning new things, and playing board games. I am pretty easy to please.