Precious Moments Appoints John Plys to CEO

Precious Moments Family of Companies has announced the addition of John Plys, a veteran toy and gift industry executive, as chief executive officer.  

Plys has spent more than 15 years leading toy/gift/novelty companies, and has a proven track record in achieving substantial sales growth and profits, invigorating brands, driving economic value to shareholders and developing marketplace strategies domestically and internationally that connect brands to consumers while unlocking value for retailers. The appointment is effective immediately. 

"We are thrilled to welcome John to our Precious Moments family," says Don Butcher, president, Precious Moments Family of Companies. "John has expertise in everything from product design and brand development to sourcing, negotiation and sales growth. His perfect mix of leadership, experience, drive and enthusiasm will help us achieve our aggressive growth goals."  

Plys comes to Precious Moments from Alex Global Products, where he was chief sourcing and operations officer. Prior to that, he was chief sales officer and chief product officer for MJ Holding, and before that he spent 11 years as global vice president of sales and marketing at Ty. In addition to his deep toy and gift experience, Plys also spent two decades at Jays Foods/Borden Snack Food Company. 

"I am honored to be able to join the team that has created this heritage brand and am invigorated by the multitude of opportunities that lie ahead," says Plys. "The incredibly high brand recognition, combined with a fiercely loyal existing customer base and a recent focus on taking steps to make the brand even more valuable for new customers, perfectly positions Precious Moments for strong growth. I am excited to roll up my sleeves and get to work with the dedicated and talented Precious Moments teams in Chicago and Carthage."