Licensing and merchandising industry veteran Caren Shalek is joining family entertainment company PorchLight Ent. as svp, consumer products with the mandate to build an expanded consumer product representation business focusing on childrens and family brands.
Shalek will open PorchLights first New York office and start building with such popular PorchLight brands as JAY JAY THE JET PLANE, TUTENSTEIN and FOUR EYES. PorchLight has also recently acquired representation to other important brands including BENJAMIN BEAR and NEW MCDONALDS FARM. The company is aggressively marketing its PBS series JAY JAY THE JET PLANE with a 35-city tour at air shows across the country and with an exhibit with Orlando Science Centers set to open in 2006. Additionally, PorchLight is in discussion with airports across the country to have JAY JAY activity centers for families to entertain their children during their stay at airports.
William Baumann, PorchLight coo, stated, The addition of an experienced senior consumer product executive as Caren is a key step in the advancement of PorchLights strategy to become a leading manager of ancillary rights for kids and family brands. Under Carens direction, we envision substantial growth in this part of our business.
Caren Shalek stated, PorchLight has many well known kids and family properties and Im excited to get started on all their wonderful brands. Bill and Bruce Johnson and I see other properties on the horizon that we feel we can develop not only for television, but for other licensing opportunities. Im truly excited about the prospect of working with Bruce and Bill and their entire staff.
A veteran of the consumer products and licensing business, Shalek comes from a diverse background that includes product development, marketing, design and production. She joins PorchLight Ent. after a 5-year stint with Mattel/Fisher-Price where she was vp, consumer products. Prior to that, she served as group vice president of licensing for North America and product development worldwide at Childrens Television Workshop, where she handled North American licensing and product development for SESAME STREET.
Shaleks team already in place at PorchLights Los Angeles office consists of Rene Rodman, DIRECTOR, LICENSING & MARKETING; Jeffrey Engelen, director of international licensing; and Sarah M. Senechal, marketing and licensing coordinator.
PorchLight Ent. is a multi-faceted company focused on the production and distribution of family entertainment. PorchLight Ent. can be found at www.porchlight.com.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
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