Focus is his specialty

If there's one way to jump into a new position at the helm of a toy company, it's to tackle Toy Fair a mere six weeks into the job. Perhaps Tim O'Connor's prior experience gives him some leverage: This new president of Germantown, Wis.-based Brio USA recently served as senior vice president of sales and marketing for Hasbro's Tiger Electronics division. "My experience has prepared me for the things that really drive this business: a sense of urgency and a need for toys that can really sell," he told PLAYTHINGS.

At a time when the independent retailer is facing an uphill battle against the ubiquitous big boxes, O'Connor knows he must maintain the company's focus. "We need to find new toy lines to sell to specialty and seek out other opportunities where the potential Brio customer is shopping," he stated.

O'Connor is well aware of how easy it is to fall victim to the larger retailers, as some of his competitors are beginning to do. But he is not tempted. "We know how important the specialty market is to us," he said, "and we won't do anything to jeopardize that growth. "

And O'Connor realizes just how much of an impact a brand name can have on a toy's success. In fact, he recalls his own childhood favorites, which, coincidentally, include the Erector lines, as well as Lincoln Logs and chemistry sets.

O'Connor now has the opportunity to put those construction skills to good use, as he builds Brio for the future. He concluded, "I'd like to be able to go to next year's Toy Fair and have the specialty folks say, 'I didn't think you could do it, but you did. You've helped make the Brio brand even more relevant to our customers.'"