Business View Magazine - November 2016

146 Business View Magazine - November 2016 TIA offers an array of member benefits, which are com- municated to members via the Association’s weekly Toy News Tuesday e-newsletter, other targeted emails (such as committee emails), TIA’s website, and phone and in-person meetings. These benefits were created to help members grow and protect their businesses, provide guidance and insight into the complexities of the toy industry, and foster a community of networking. Current benefits include: discounts on exhibit space at TIA marketplace events; expert guidance on regula- tory, technical and safety issues; educational offerings including live and on-demand webinars, research and data studies; representation and advocacy of the in- dustry’s best interests at the federal, state and local levels of government; and PR and promotional oppor- tunities. Forty-eight people make up the Association’s staff, which is split into eight departments: • The office of the President & CEO, Steve Pasierb. • Account Executives, which support the meetings and events and membership departments. • Meetings & Events, which is responsible for produc- ing TIA events, including the North American Interna- tional Toy Fair (the largest toy and youth entertainment product marketplace in the western hemisphere), Fall Toy Preview (an annual long-lead buying event that highlights products for the following year’s fourth quar- ter), PlayCon (TIA’s international conference of play professionals) and Play Fair (a new but rapidly expand- ing business-to-consumer event). • Membership, which is responsible for acquiring and retaining members as well as engaging members in appropriate TIA activities. • External Affairs, which is responsible for advocating