Genius Brands International has appointed industry veteran Stone Newman to the newly created position of president, global consumer products. The announcement was made by Genius Brands president Amy Moynihan Heyward, to whom Newman will report.
Newman will be working with retailers and licensees to build consumer products programs for brands like Baby Genius, Stan Lee’s Mighty 7, Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab and others. He will appoint and oversee a team of licensing agencies from around the world as subagents.
In addition to his new duties with Genius, Newman will continue to manage licensing programs for his former company, Art + Science International, including Psycho Bunny, From Frank and Archie Comics. These brands and others will now be managed under Genius subsidiary A Squared Entertainment.
Newman is an accomplished entrepreneur who founded Art + Science and toy and game manufacturer Sababa Toys. He also worked in marketing and licensing at Hasbro Toys, and got his start in the toy biz as a yoyo demonstrator and sales associate at New York’s legendary FAO Schwarz store.