Jim Pressman started at his family business, the Pressman Toy Corporation, in 1971 and then becoming President just 6 years later. His great leadership and unrivaled integrity brought the Pressman Toy Corp. incredible success. He sold the company in 2014 after 35 years of leading one of the most innovative and successful firms in the toy industry. 

Many of their most successful product launches, many of which became #1 Best Sellers, happened under Jim's leadership. These iconic games included: Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, Rummikub, Tri-Ominos, Wheel of Fortune, Deal or No Deal, Double Dare, Gooey Louie, Hydro Strike, Fib Finder, Dizzy Dizzy Dinosaur, Let’s Go Fishin’ and Topple.. Pressman also manufactured and supplied classic games like Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, and Chinese Checkers (which the company introduced to the U.S. market).

During his time at Pressman, Jim created new and lasting categories of games. He was responsible for taking widely popular game shows and turning them into board games, making Wheel of Fortune, The Newlywed Game, and many others. He also pioneered the "Gross" Game category in his launch of Gooey Louie which has been a huge success. 

Jim is a strong believer in US manufacturing and kept making high quality products in the USA through 2005 in New Jersey until the pricing was no longer competitive. After moving overseas, Jim's ensured continued equitable production and manufacturing of their products.

He also was a major donor at the charity Toys for Tots and the Strong Museum of Toys in Rochester, NY. He also frequently supported many other charities supporting children's causes including the Toys R Us's various fundraising initiatives. 

Many of Jim's lifelong colleagues frequently reference his incredible and unrivaled integrity, humility, and thoughtfulness, which lead them to nominate him for the Toy Hall of Fame. 

Testimonials from Hall of Fame webpage:

Nominated by: David Norman, President, Goliath

Long experience and record of accomplishment in the industry. 

Jim started at Pressman Toy Corporation in 1971, became President in 1977 and ran the company with great success and unimpeachable integrity. He sold his business in 2014 after 35 years running one of the most innovative and successful firms in the industry. Notable professional achievements include:

Wildly successful product launches that became the #1 game in the industry include such hits as: Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, Rummikub, Tri-Ominos, Wheel of Fortune, Deal or No Deal, and Double Dare along with other incredibly successful brands like Gooey Louie, Hydro Strike, Fib Finder, Dizzy Dizzy Dinosaur, Let’s Go Fishin’ and Topple.

Jim is a believer in US manufacturing and kept making high quality products in the USA through 2005 in New Jersey until the pricing was no longer competitive.

Innovative product, marketing introductions or significant process improvements.

Jim was the leader in introducing products based on game shows such as Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, Wheel of Fortune, Deal or No Deal and Double Dare. He was probably second to Hasbro in developing brands that have lasted over 20-40 years like Triominos, Rummikub, Gooey Louie, Let's Go Fishin and more.

Active involvement in the Committees or work of The Toy Association.

Jim was a long time supporter of the The Toy Association, serving on many important committees for well over 10 years and was an officer at one point as well.

Demonstrated commitment to ethical manufacturing practices.

First, he ran his own factory in the USA as long as possible. He had hundreds of employees and he was recognized both by his employees and externally as a great employer. Upon moving production to China, he was very careful to make products with company that supported employee human rights.

Charitable efforts benefiting children and/or children's causes.

Pressman's signature charity was Toys For Tots where he was a major donor. He also supported other charities like Toys “R” Us' various fundraising initiatives.

An unimpeachable record of integrity and respect in the industry.

I don't think you will find someone who has a bad word to say about Jim. If there is anyone who epitomizes what this award is it would be Jim. Employees, competitors, customer and vendors would all agreed that he is highly respected and wouldn't have a bad word to say.

Promoting the public's awareness of the toy industry as a significant and responsible member of the business community.

Pressman had two offices during his time, in Manhattan and in New Jersey. Each was involved in its local community.

Additional Comments

One of Jim's goals was to be excellent at one thing. He reduced his focus down from a huge array of products to concentrate on board games and to my knowledge probably guided his company to be the most successful next to Hasbro is performance is averaged over the 35 years he ran the company. He is a great and honest business man, very successful and very humble and I think a perfect candidate for this award.

Nominated by: Jean-Paul Teskey, Senior Vice President, Outset Media

Long experience and record of accomplishment in the industry. Jim started in the industry in 1971 (50 years ago!)- he be:came President of Pressman Toy in 1979 and ran the company until 2014. in his 35 years it would be difficult to find anyone as well respected and regarded as Jim. he had amazing successes and he did it with incredible integrity.

Innovative product, marketing introductions or significant process improvements. Jim launched Who Wants to be a Millionaire- which became the #1 hit game as well as some of the best selling games ever sold such as: Mastermind, Rummikub, Tri-Ominos, Lets Go Fishin, Wheel of Fortune, Deal or no Deal, Jeopardy and many others!

Active involvement in the Committees or work of The Toy Association. A member and supporter of The Toy Association for over 30 years- he was on various committees and also served as an officer for one term.

Demonstrated commitment to ethical manufacturing practices. Jim was always a long time supporter of U.S. manufacturing and had a plant that he owned and operated until 2005- at which time it was no longer competitive for games. That said he carried on with making sure overseas factories only had highest standards of quality and practices.

Charitable efforts benefiting children and/or children's causes. Jim was always supportive of various children's charities, esp in NYC and related to the The Toy Association, including but not limited to The Toy Bank and The Toy Foundation. Also fostered children inventor's and brought on games created by children regularly. 

An unimpeachable record of integrity and respect in the industry. As mentioned before- with almost 50 years in the toy industry it would be near impossible to find anyone as well respected and regarded by his peers and employees.

Promoting the public's awareness of the toy industry as a significant and responsible member of the business community. As mentioned- Jim was a part of Toy Association committees for many years- he built up the company his father founded in 1922 to have it become one of most recognized in the industry and outside of. Most people would have on their game shelf- at least one Pressman product if not more- from Mastermind to the "red box" chess/checkers or Rummikub or many others! Pressman helped bring joy to several generations of game players- esp from the 1970s till time of his sale to Goliath in 2014.

Additional Comments 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of Pressman Toy (still going strong as branch of Goliath)- would be an appropriate honor to Jim and the Toy Industry to induct him in February 2022!

Nominated by: Jeff Pinsker, CEO, Amigo Games Inc.

Long experience and record of accomplishment in the industry. Pressman Toy was founded in 1922. Although the company introduced numerous iconic toys such as the doctor's bag (originally developed to help kids get over their fear of doctors after the introduction of the polio vaccine), the company's most successful years were under the leadership of Jim Pressman, who became president in 1977. In many ways, the company was a pioneer of licensing and was one of the first to promote board games via TV advertising. Starting with Wheel of Fortune (which became the U.S.’s #1 game in the mid-80s), the company was among the first to bring TV gameshows to market as board games, creating a new genre of games and changing the way that millions of Americans experienced gameshows.

Innovative product, marketing introductions or significant process improvements. The company had an incredible string of successes, including: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Double Dare, Jeopardy, Deal or No Deal, and The Newlywed Game. Pressman supplemented these licensed products with classics, becoming a leading supplier of Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, and Chinese Checkers (which the company introduced to the U.S. market). But Pressman also had an incredible eye for product and marketing, launching top hits such as Rummikub, Mastermind, Gooey Louie, Hydro Strike, Let’s Go Fishin’, Topple, and Tri-ominos.

Active involvement in the Committees or work of The Toy Association. Jim has years of service to the TA, including board service and service on the Executive Committee. 

Demonstrated commitment to ethical manufacturing practices. One of Jim’s first jobs upon joining the company was to find a location for manufacturing. He supervised the construction of a plant in New Jersey and remained committed to supporting a local labor force to make Made in the USA products for 30 years, long after other companies had moved their manufacturing offshore.

Charitable efforts benefiting children and/or children's causes. Pressman made substantial contributions to the Strong Museum and was a consistent donor of product to Toys for Tots. He also donated to children's causes by supporting various retailers' efforts (such as buying tables at the TRU charity events, for example). An unimpeachable record of integrity and respect in the industry. I first met Jim when I worked at University Games, starting in the early 90s. Pressman licensed our 20 Questions Game and turned it into one of the top-selling games in the nation. But every bit as valuable as the revenue was access to Jim’s deep industry knowledge, he unselfishly provided guidance and mentorship that helped grow the company, even though we were a competitor. I had the privilege of working with Jim again in 2014 when I succeeded him as president of Pressman Toy after its acquisition by Goliath. Just as 20+ years before, his encyclopedic knowledge of the business and the industry was invaluable in affecting a smooth transition. Jim did everything he could to help (unlike experiences I had with the leaders of other acquired companies), showing his integrity and commitment. Jim’s humility, thoughtfulness, and the fact that he could always be counted on to do the right thing led to widespread respect in the industry. I also know that he made sure to help every one of the Pressman team who was displaced by the sale.

Promoting the public's awareness of the toy industry as a significant and responsible member of the business community. Pressman actively promoted the value of play to the public through multiple promotional channels, and worked hard to make sure that its pricepoints made games accessible to people of all socio-economic statuses. The company had one of the broadest customer bases in the industry, and provided discounted pricing to special organizations such as schools and prisons. Jim was an active spokesperson for the company, The Toy Association, and the industry. 

Nominated by: Mark Chernick, CEO, Play Visions Inc.

Long experience and record of accomplishment in the industry. Jim has been a leader in the innovation of board games for decades. Innovative product, marketing introductions or significant process improvements. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Deal Or No Deal, Gooey Louie, Wheel Of Fortune.

Active involvement in the Committees or work of The Toy Association. Toys For Tots

Demonstrated commitment to ethical manufacturing practices. Long time Toy Association member who made a committment to complying with all rules of ethics.

Charitable efforts benefiting children and/or children's causes. Toys For Tots An unimpeachable record of integrity and respect in the industry. A highly respected and well known individual known for his high ethical standards.

Promoting the public's awareness of the toy industry as a significant and responsible member of the business community. Long time member of The Toy Association promoting the aspirations of himself and the industry.

Nominated by: Matt Nuccio, President, Design Edge.

Long experience and record of accomplishment in the industry. Jim has be a fixture of the toy industry for 40 plus years. His innovations in the games category have been tremendous, specially in the manufacturing process. Innovative product, marketing introductions or significant process improvements. Jim's hits are, but not limited to: Let’s Go Fishin’, Topple, Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, Rummikub, Tri-Ominos, Wheel of Fortune, Gooey Louie, Hydro Strike, Fib Finder, Dizzy Dizzy Dinosaur, Deal or No Deal, and Double Dare.

Active involvement in the Committees or work of The Toy Association. His long tenure on the TA board. Demonstrated commitment to ethical manufacturing practices. Jim is a believer in US manufacturing and kept making high quality products in the USA through 2005 in New Jersey until the pricing was no longer competitive.

Charitable efforts benefiting children and/or children's causes. Jim has been a long time supporter of the TA, serving on important committees and has been a member of the TA his entire career.

An unimpeachable record of integrity and respect in the industry. I grew up in the toy industry and till this day I have yet to hear anyone ever have a bad word to say about Jim, something that is extreme rare in our industry.

Promoting the public's awareness of the toy industry as a significant and responsible member of the business community. As a long time board member of the TA, Jim has promoted the advancement of safe and regulations in our industry.

Additional Comments I have known Jim Pressman for many years. Having worked with Pressman Toys both as a stand-alone company and as part of Goliath, I can honestly say that Jim Pressman is an outstanding example of what a member of our community should be. His integrity and locality is rare and his family legacy (Pressman Toys turns 100 this year) speaks volumes of how important the Pressman family has been to our industry. We need more Jim Pressman's in our world.

Nominated by: Michael Albert, President & CEO,TCG TOYS

Long experience and record of accomplishment in the industry. Consistent developer and marketer of numerous Classic Game and Toy products.

Innovative product, marketing introductions or significant process improvements. Gooey Louie, Domino Rally , Rummikub, Triominoesa dn so many more.

Demonstrated commitment to ethical manufacturing practices. Beyond reproach.

An unimpeachable record of integrity and respect in the industry. No finer a man exists in our industry.

Nominated by: Michael Kohner, President, The Michael Kohner Corporation

Long experience and record of accomplishment in the industry. I have known the pressman family since i entered the biz in 1966 and they are responsible for great licensed game show games and all around integrity. Innovative product, marketing introductions or significant process improvements. Foresight for gross games like Gooie Louey and staples like Let's Go Fishin'.

Active involvement in the Committees or work of The Toy Association. I believe Jim was a TA board member. Demonstrated commitment to ethical manufacturing practices. As far as I know.

An unimpeachable record of integrity and respect in the industry. No question about it.

Promoting the public's awareness of the toy industry as a significant and responsible member of the business community. Jim Pressman set an example of class and integrity and deserves a nomination. Additional Comments This is a really qualified nomination without political requirements to be honored.

Nominated by: Steve Meyer, President, Meyer/Glass Design

Long experience and record of accomplishment in the industry. In Jim’s 40 plus years in the toy industry, he has been a leader, innovator, and trendsetter. Under Jim’s stewardship, Pressman evolved and grew from a family run toy company to an industry leading game company. Jim provided strong leadership, a steady hand and entrepreneurial vision to take Pressman Toy in new directions with innovative product introductions, licensing opportunities and marketing strategies, while at the same time maintaining and growing the company’s core and classic games business. He pioneered the early licensing of TV properties such as Wheel of Fortune and Who Wants to be a Millionaire, paving the way to a new category of game opportunities.

Innovative product, marketing introductions or significant process improvements. Jim has been responsible for the release of countless groundbreaking products. His early approach to licensing was highly successful with the likes of Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Scooby Doo, and Nickelodeon’s Double Dare among others. In addition to licensing, Jim has worked closely with the inventor community, establishing strong partnerships to bring new, innovative products to market such as Gooey Louie, Hydro Strike and Domino Rally. Jim would take a chance on these items where others would not. Gooey Louie became the 1st game in the new gross game category. Time and again, Jim’s keen product sense combined with his market perspective have led to industry changing products and trends.

Active involvement in the Committees or work of The Toy Association. Although I am not directly familiar with Jim’s involvement in The Toy Association, I know he was an active contributor and participant over the years for the Association and its committees.

Demonstrated commitment to ethical manufacturing practices. In working with Jim as an inventor, I did not have direct experience here but I know this would definitely be a top priority and that Jim was always committed to ethical manufacturing processes and relationships.

Charitable efforts benefiting children and/or children's causes. In addition to Jim’s mission of creating great joy for children around the world, he and Pressman Toy have supported and continue to support many charitable efforts benefiting children and/or children’s causes. An unimpeachable record of integrity and respect in the industry. Throughout the industry, Jim’s reputation and integrity are without question. Jim has always had the utmost respect of his employees, industry peers, and the inventor community. As inventors, we always knew that Jim would give us and our items fair consideration. We were always appreciative and grateful for our partnership and hold Jim in the highest regard.

Promoting the public's awareness of the toy industry as a significant and responsible member of the business community. Jim is a beacon for the industry and represents Pressman Toy and the toy industry to the public and business community in the best possible way.

Additional Comments Jim is an industry icon and leader and belongs in the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. It would be especially fitting for Jim to be inducted as the company celebrates Pressman’s 100th anniversary in 2022.