The Toy Association inducts industry icons into 2026 Toy Industry Hall of Fame
The Toy Association announced the three visionaries who will join the esteemed Toy Industry Hall of Fame:
- Melissa and Doug Bernstein, founders of Melissa & Doug
- Isaac Larian, founder & CEO of MGA Entertainment
- Posthumous honoree, Stanley Weston, inventor of the G.I. Joe action figure and founder of Leisure Concepts.
The 2026 Toy Industry Hall of Fame Inductees will join an impressive roster of 98 industry leaders who each have had a significant impact on the lives of children through toys and play. Since its inception in 1984, the Toy Industry Hall of Fame has recognized top leaders from manufacturing, retail, entertainment, licensing, and other sectors.
Melissa and Doug Bernstein and Isaac Larian
“Melissa and Doug Bernstein and Isaac Larian have earned their place among the very best of our industry by redefining play for generations,” said Greg Ahearn, president & CEO of The Toy Association. “Melissa and Doug built a legacy of timeless, beautifully crafted wooden toys that have sparked imagination and discovery for decades, and Isaac’s entrepreneurial spirit and passion for innovation have given rise to global brands that took retail and children’s imaginations by storm. Their induction into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame honors their extraordinary legacies.”
Stanley Weston
Continued Ahearn: “The Toy Association is equally proud to posthumously induct Stanley Weston, who changed toy history by introducing a new genre of play known by many today as ‘action figures.’ His creation of G.I. Joe gave children the power to imagine themselves as heroes, while his work in licensing built a foundation for modern entertainment. We look forward to celebrating all the 2026 Hall of Fame inductees at the Toy of the Year® Awards ceremony in February!”
The Bernsteins and Larian were nominated and voted on by members of The Toy Association in recognition of their significant contributions to the industry and the impact they have had on the lives of children through a lifelong commitment to toys and play. Weston, the 2026 posthumous inductee, was recommended by the Hall of Fame Subcommittee on Posthumous Selection and voted on by the Hall of Fame Committee. The process for selecting posthumous inductees helps to ensure the recognition of any deserving person who has contributed to the U.S. toy industry since 1800 who might have been overlooked in previous years.
The 2026 Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductees will be honored during The Toy Foundation’s Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards on Friday, February 13, 2026.
Source: Presss Release The Toy Association