Maxine Clark is the Founder and past Chief Executive Officer of Build-A-Bear Workshop. She started the iconic company, brand, and experience in 1997. It is renowned for its unique DIY experience and unrivaled plush toys, loved by all. 

Build-A-Bear, turning 25 in 2022, has over 90% aided awareness, sold more than 200 million plushes, and has +$5 Billion in total revenue.

The creation of Build-A-Bear Workshop in itself was one of the most innovative developments in the toy and retail industry reinventing a classic toy like the teddy bear into an efficient and replicable do-it-yourself process that makes a heart-filled memory - both at the same time. The idea of putting equipment and hardware into a retail space such as industrial level equipment with a stuffing machine so that kids could actively participate in the production of a classic toy or putting in computer equipment that customers used themselves - was groundbreaking. The idea to have furry friends, as Build-A-Bear plush products are known, registered into a database as they were being given their name which included a Find-A-Bear program that could reunite lost furry friends with their owners if they were ever lost or separated, fueled a contactable marketing list of millions of connected consumers.

From the first order for merchandise in 1997, with just a single store - strict attention has been made in order for Build-A-Bear products to represent high standards for quality and safety. Maxine set up processes to certify factories and pass toy safety tests complying with all standards required by all countries with stores that sell BuildA-Bear products. High-quality materials and stuffing products were chosen. Suppliers were required to be compliant with the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI), CARE (Caring, Awareness, Responsible, Ethical) certification, or comparable designation. 

Maxine has also been an advocate and philanthropist, as the founder of the Build-A-Bear Foundation, where she still serves on the board in an emeritus position. The Foundation has donated more than $18 million to deserving causes in support of its mission (to add a little more heart to life to those in need) as well as over 300 thousand furry friends in the last five years alone. After retiring from her position as Chief Executive Bear, Maxine has continued to have a remarkable personal philanthropic impact through the Clark-Fox Family Foundation, where she currently serves as CEO. 

Maxine and her husband, Bob Fox, launched a $10 million pediatric cardiac intensive care unit with a sizable multi-million dollar personal gift to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Maxine is a recent past member of the national Board of Trustees of Teach For America and is on the local St. Louis regional board, an Emeritus member of the Board of Trustees of Washington University in St. Louis, The Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Barnes Jewish Hospital and its Goldfarb School of Nursing, the Board of Directors of Beyond Housing, the national Board of PBS where she is the newly elected Vice Chair of the Board, and the local Nine Network of Public Media Board of Directors. 

Testimonial and additional information from Hall of Fame webpage:

Long experience and record of accomplishment in the industry. The experts said it was a fad, but the dynamic founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Maxine Clark, defied the skeptics, reinventing both the toy and retail industries in the process. Hailed as one of the most important changes in retail in the last century by Inc. Magazine, back in 1997, Build-A-Bear was a forerunner of recognizing the importance of elevating consumer experiences well before the term retail-tainment existed.

Today, the brand enjoys over 90% aided awareness and has sold more than 200 million furry friends. In fact, the sun never sets on this global company which has generated over $5 Billion in cumulative revenue and will be celebrating its 25th year in 2022. The Silver Anniversary marks an impressive milestone for this make-your-own plush company which is now beloved across multiple generations having facilitated countless heartfelt moments and memories for children and children at heart.

Part of Maxine’s inspiration was based on her personal understanding of the comfort and importance of a teddy bear, from the memory of her own special childhood plush animal. Embracing that memory and encouraged by the young daughter of a friend, she was driven by a desire to create something where a child could make an emotional connection with a stuffed animal. This desire led to the famous and beloved Build-A-Bear process, where a furry friend is chosen, stuffed, dressed and named by their new owner. Importantly, this process also included adding a small satin heart to the plush animal during a signature “heart ceremony”, bringing it to life through this unique bonding experience.

As Build-A-Bear has become an iconic brand, Maxine has also become an icon herself. She is a sought-after speaker with generous accolades and honors associated with entrepreneurism, education, retail, women’s leadership and toys and it is well deserved.

However, her greatest pride and much of her recognition is linked to the philanthropic intent that she had for the company from the very beginning. It is clear that Maxine always had her heart in the right place, as she envisioned the company’s core value of giving.

This led to the establishment of Build-A-Bear Foundation, where she still serves on the board in an emeritus position. Since its inception, the Foundation has donated more than $18 million to deserving causes in support of its mission as well as over 300 thousand furry friends in the last five years alone, with the goal to add a little more heart to life to those in need. As impressive as that is, after retiring from her position as Chief Executive Bear, Maxine has continued to have a remarkable personal philanthropic impact through the Clark-Fox Family Foundation, where she currently serves as CEO.

Maxine Clark innately knew that a toy is much more than toy. She tirelessly nurtured and elevated that belief to create a global company with heart. Clearly, only a true visionary could have reimagined the classic teddy bear in a way that has had this much lasting positive impact.

Innovative product, marketing introductions or significant process improvements.

The creation of Build-A-Bear Workshop in itself was one of the most innovative developments in the toy and retail industry reinventing a classic toy like the teddy bear into an efficient and replicable do-it-yourself process that makes a heart-filled memory - both at the same time. The idea of putting equipment and hardware into a retail space such as industrial level equipment with a stuffing machine so that kids could actively participate in the production of a classic toy or putting in computer equipment that customers used themselves - was groundbreaking. The idea to have furry friends, as Build-A-Bear plush products are known, registered into a database as they were being given their name which included a Find-A-Bear program that could reunite lost furry friends with their owners if they were ever lost or separated, fueled a contactable marketing list of millions of connected consumers.

Under Maxine’s leadership, innovation has defined Build-A-Bear’s history in both products and marketing campaigns. Maxine was a pioneer in combining passion and relevance with products empowering consumers to have a voice through the merchandise they purchase. Lines featuring a cause animals, in which a portion of proceeds was donated to charities, were created supporting animal welfare, children’s literacy and health and wellness. Licensed relationships with popular entertainment properties, fashion brands and culturally relevant organizations were started and continue broadening appeal across ages, geographies and demographics.

Understanding that the hug of a teddy bear would lead to an emotional brand connection, Maxine started an outbound licensing program in order to expand the Build-A-Bear brand into other toy, consumer product and entertainment categories.

The appeal of Build-A-Bear led Oprah Winfrey to recreate a workshop space on the stage of her televised talk show so that she could personally demonstrate the fun of making a bear for a friend (in this case, Quincy Jones) as she recorded a custom message on the highly innovative record your voice sound chip that is put inside the finished product. And of course, the idea to bring the furry friend to life made the process into a mission with purpose when Maxine created the now iconic satin red heart that goes into every furry friend sold at Build-A-Bear that’s over 200 million times and counting.

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

Build-A-Bear Workshop is a member of The Toy Association and is currently represented by President and CEO Sharon Price John who is a member at large of The Toy Association Board of Directors. In addition, CFO Voin Todorovic is a member of The Toy Foundation Board of Trustees. Given Maxine’s deep roots within the industry and career before turning her passion to toys and teddy bears, she focused her active involvement within the retail real estate industry. Accordingly, Maxine was a member of the board of trustees for the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) including serving as an educator through ICSC University.

Demonstrated commitment to ethical manufacturing practices.

From the first order for merchandise in 1997, with just a single store - strict attention has been made in order for Build-A-Bear products to represent high standards for quality and safety. Maxine set up processes to certify factories and pass toy safety tests complying with all standards required by all countries with stores that sell BuildA-Bear products. High-quality materials and stuffing products were chosen. Suppliers were required to be compliant with the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI), CARE (Caring, Awareness, Responsible, Ethical) certification, or comparable designation. These programs promote ethical manufacturing, from fair labor treatment to employee health and safety, in the toy industry worldwide. The commitment to quality and ethical manufacturing has resulted in less than 0.5% of products recalled from the thousands of styles that have been created in Build-A-Bear’s history. And it has paid off with consumers. Over 80% of US consumers surveyed agree that Build-A-Bear is a high-quality brand and one that they can trust.

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

Maxine Clark gives tirelessly to numerous charities with both her time and financial support. Soon after Build-ABear Workshop was started, Maxine established Build-A-Bear Foundation infusing a sense of volunteerism and giving back into the company’s culture. In fact, one of Build-A-Bear’s corporate core values is GIVE. Maxine also developed a program called Huggable Heroes that celebrated young people that gave back to their communities with innovative charitable programs. Maxine and her husband, Bob Fox, launched a $10 million pediatric cardiac intensive care unit with a sizable multi-million dollar personal gift to St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

Maxine is a recent past member of the national Board of Trustees of Teach For America and is on the local St. Louis regional board, an Emeritus member of the Board of Trustees of Washington University in St. Louis, The Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Barnes Jewish Hospital and its Goldfarb School of Nursing, the Board of Directors of Beyond Housing, the national Board of PBS where she is the newly elected Vice Chair of the Board, and the local Nine Network of Public Media Board of Directors. She is also a board member of Parents As Teachers, New America and a member of the Committee of 200 from which she received the 2006 Luminary Award for Entrepreneurial Achievement.

An unimpeachable record of integrity and respect in the industry.

Maxine Clark, founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop, is widely admired and respected by leaders across multiple businesses and industries. She has received numerous awards and recognition as a testament to the tremendous impact she has had throughout her career.

Maxine was named one of the Wonder Women of Toys by Playthings magazine and Women in Toys in 2005 and was also one of the National Finalists in Retail for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2004. In 2005, the National Association of Small Business Investment Companies made Build-A-Bear Workshop Portfolio Company of the Year; it was named one of the International Council of Shopping Centers Hottest Retailers of 2004 and the Retail Innovator of the Year for 2001 by The National Retail Federation. In 2006, Maxine was inducted into the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame; in 2008, she was named one of The 25 Most Influential People in Retailing by Chain Store Age. In 2017 Maxine was named to the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame and in 2019 was given the Missourian Award for her outstanding public service to Missouri. Build-A-Bear Workshop has also been named to the FORTUNE Best Companies to Work For list for ten consecutive years as well as named to Forbes 2021 list of the best mid-size employers. Maxine is a graduate of the University of Georgia and holds an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Saint Louis University and A Doctor of Humane Letters in Education from the University of Missouri St. Louis and an Honorary Associates degree from St. Louis Community College. In 2006, she published her first book The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company with Heart. In addition to her seat on the Build-A-Bear Workshop Board, Maxine is a member of the Board of Directors of Footlocker, Inc. and privately held Big Dot of Happiness.

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

Over 10 billion media impressions in 2020. And in 2019. The level of coverage that the company experiences today was made possible by Maxine’s vision and understanding that the public is interested in the story behind the company. In fact, a story published in a local St. Louis paper before the first store was even opened about Maxine’s new concept, led to the first angel investor that would help fund the early expansion of the company. As a company that has products that are in the toy category, Maxine was the entrepreneur, business expert and passionate personality that promoted the public’s awareness that a product and a store could be more and could actively contribute to making the communities where we operate better because we operate there.

Additional Comments

Maxine Clark started a one-of-a-kind toy company that became a beloved consumer brand that continues to positively impact the lives of millions of consumers. Maxine created an idea that was so big that it has withstood tests such as a global recession, retail apocalypse and most recently a pandemic. She created a corporate culture that remains committed to giving back as well as delivering a personal and unique experience for every guest that crosses the threshold of a store or clicks through their phone or computer to a digital site. Maxine is the visionary that believed that a toy company could have and fulfill a bigger mission not just sell toys, but actually add a little more heart to life. As the company that Maxine started in 1997 crosses into 25 years in 2022, what could be a more befitting recognition than being elected into The Toy Industry Hall of Fame?

- Sharon Price John, President and Chief Executive Officer, Build-A-Bear Workshop