Inventor Stories
Snap Ships™
Creators Scott Pease & Jeff Swenty
In a world where every building toy is blocky, two men came together to create something new and exciting! Scott Pease and Jeff Swenty are…the inventors of Snap Ships! The pair met at game studio Neversoft Entertainment in 2005 and became fast friends. After spending years working on popular video game franchises...
Ann Williams Group
Founder Sheila Wright
People often ask who Ann Williams is. Stemming from founder Sheila Wright’s inspiration to create the company, Ann Williams isn’t an actual person. The name is an idea brought forth from Sheila’s children—the combination of both their middle names.
The Island of El Dorado™
Creators Daniel Aronson, Michael Howard and Nick Tompkins
Strategy games. That’s a groan-worthy phrase for some people, right? The “non-gamers”, as they’re known, hear that phrase and run for the hills. The stereotype is that strategy games are long, boring and complicated, but that’s not the case. It’s just one genre of games among many different genres.
Colorforms®
Creators Harry and Patricia Kislevitz
Despite being an iconic toy, the story of Colorforms actually began in a bathroom! When art students Harry and Patricia Kislevitz decided to redecorate their home they were faced with a problem…
The Game of THINGS...®
Creator Tom Quinn
Tom Quinn has always understood the power of laughter Tom Quinn has always understood the power of laughter Tom Quinn has always understood the power of laughter Tom Quinn has always understood the power of laughter
Relative Insanity®
Creator Jeff Foxworthy
Comedian Jeff Foxworthy has a lot of accomplishments under his belt…things like books, Grammy nominations, TV shows, a great pair of jeans…but he holds nothing dearer to his heart than he does his big, loud family. And it’s apparent with his newest project, the Relative Insanity™ game, that his family can be his inspiration!
Utter Nonsense®
Creator Tim Swindle
Despite a high tech background as a software entrepreneur, Utter Nonsense creator, Tim Swindle, went decidedly low tech with his first foray into creating board games. Tim and his friend developed the basic concept for Utter Nonsense over several years while on weekend getaways and needing some entertainment for the group. It began as a simple hat trick: two piles of paper, one with accents and one with ridiculous phrases.
5 Second Rule®
Creator Michael Sistrunk
here’s a notepad on Michael Sistrunk’s bedside table, where 5 Second Rule™ started to become a reality.
Sistrunk embraces his creativity and writes down every idea, every game he dreams of, in that notepad. He’s had a lot of practice inventing games, he’s been doing it for over 15 years. Sistrunk grew up in a small rural town in Mississippi and didn’t have cable television or video games to occupy his time.
Kid O®
Creator Lisa Mahar
“Children are the most inventive, humorous, eccentric creatures on the planet.”
As founder of Kid O Toys, Lisa Mahar spent every day working to cultivate these qualities, which are natural in all kids. Kid O Toys are informed by research into childhood development as well as Lisa’s professional training
SET®
Creator Marsha Falco
The idea for the SET game actually had a surprising origin. In 1974 in Cambridge, England, Marsha studying the genetics of animals like cows and German Shepherds.
