Shopkins Inventor Among Toy NomineesShopkins Inventor Among Toy Nominees

The Chicago Toy & Game Group has announced the nominees for the eighth annual Toy & Game Inventor of the Year Awards, set to be held in November as part of the Chicago Toy & Game Fair.

Included among the finalists are the inventors of Shopkins and Disney's upcoming Playmation line, as well as the creators of a number of  licensed Star Wars products.

Here are the nominees (products associated with licensing programs are highlighted in bold):

EXCELLENCE IN TOY DESIGN

·      Mark Boudreaux, inventor of Star Wars Millennium Falcon and more

·      Jacqui Tobias, inventor of Shopkins

·      Lucie Follett, inventor of Stargazer Lottie

·      Hasbro Design team with Furby inventors Richard Levy, Caleb Chung and Dave Hampton, inventor of Furbacca

·      David Small and Paul Rago, inventors of Legendary Yoda

 RISING STAR DESIGNER

·      Alex Siedband, designer of Rush Hour Shift-Thinkfun and Connect 4 Twist & Turn-Winning Moves

·      Tristan Williams, Ben Drummond and Dean Tempest, designers of Dinkee Linkee for kids

·      Jeff and Mindy Glickman, designers of Woo! By Fat Brain, Smiles by Back Alley Traders and Tiny World Space by Identity

·      Laurie Peterson, designer of Malia’s Beach House, Marine Rescue Center, Day at the Beach, Fairytale Theater and Pet Portrait Studio

·      Scott Baumann, designer of Squigz

EXCELLENCE IN GAME DESIGN

·      Roberto Fraga, designer of Spinderella

·      Inka and Markus Brand, designers of Buggaloop

·      Elan Lee, Matthew Inman and Shane Small, designers of Exploding Kittens

·      Don Reid, designer of Bellz Magnetic Game

·      Jim Keifer, designer of All In, Stratego Conquest and Rotten Apples 

YOUNG INVENTOR OF THE YEAR

·      Duncan and Hayden, inventors of Two Bros Bows

·      Subham Banerjee, inventor of Braigo

·      Katlyn Chiles, inventor of State the Picture

·      Tre and Dominic LoBracco, inventor of Noochie Golf

DIGITAL TOY OR GAME

·      Andres Garza, inventor of Meccano MeccaNoid

·      Jim Wyatt, inventor of Real FX

·      Adam Wilson and Ian Bernstein, inventors of BB-8

·      Disney Playmation Team, inventor of Disney Playmation

·      Issac Squires and Carly Gloge, inventors of Smart Toy-Fisher Price