Former Hasbro President and CEO Alan Geoffrey Hassenfeld, whose family founded the toy company, died this week at the age of 76, the board game company, which created Mr. Potato Head and Play-Doh, announced.
“Today, the entire Hasbro community is mourning the loss of Alan Hassenfeld, our beloved former chairman and CEO, a cherished mentor and dear friend,” Hasbro said in a statement posted on Facebook on July 9.
“Alan’s enormous heart was, and will remain, the guiding force behind Hasbro—compassionate, imaginative, and dedicated to bringing a smile to the face of every child around the world.
“His tireless advocacy for philanthropy, children’s welfare, and the toy industry created a legacy that will inspire us always. While we grieve deeply, we also celebrate Alan’s remarkable life and the incredible impact he made.”
The company sent its condolences to his family, friends, and “everyone who had the privilege of knowing and loving him.”
The company’s announcement was accompanied by a quote from Hassenfeld: “It has always been our dream to bring sunshine to the world over where there has been darkness, especially for children.”
Hasbro, the country’s second-largest toy company, did not disclose the cause of Hassenfeld’s death.
Hassenfeld was born in November 1948 in Providence, Rhode Island, and graduated from Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970.
After graduating, he joined the family business, Hasbro, based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in 1970.
Hassenfeld rose quickly through the ranks of the family business, serving as special assistant to the president, until he was promoted to president. He became one of the key architects of Hasbro’s international operations and spent much of his time traveling abroad.
In 1980, he was named executive vice president, and he became president in September 1984.
After the sudden death of his brother Stephen from pneumonia in June 1989, he served as president and CEO of the company.
Hassenfeld stepped down as CEO in 2003 and, in August 2005, retired from his position as president and assumed the role of chairman emeritus. He resigned from that position in March of last year.
Hassenfeld was the last member of the family to serve on the board, according to Hasbro.
He received numerous honors from distinguished universities around the world and won three Emmy awards from the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for his contributions to children’s programming and documentaries.
He was also an honorary adviser to the Toy Association and a trustee of the Miriam Hospital Foundation in Providence, Rhode Island.
He was also elected to four Halls of Fame in the United States, including the Toy Industry Hall of Fame, the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame, and the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association Licensing Industry Hall of Fame.
The toy, board game, and family entertainment company was co-founded in 1923 by his grandfather, Henry, and his great-uncles. The company began as Hassenfeld Brothers and initially sold fabric remnants, but in the 1940s, its manufacturing expanded to the creation and sale of school supplies and later to the manufacture of toys under the name Hasbro, according to the Hasbro website.
In 1952, the company created Mr. Potato Head, which changed the toy industry by being the first toy advertised on television. The family-owned company went public in 1968.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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