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Sprig Toys, Inc.
Company Backgrounder
Sprig Toys, Inc. (www.sprigtoys.com), Sprig Toys, Inc.was founded in 2007 by a trio of award-winning toy industry veterans who made a conscious decision to change the way toys are made and how they are enjoyed by children. After witnessing the harmful environmental impacts of the toy-manufacturing process in China, the Sprig team vowed to make truly green toys that inspire and engage children in active, imaginative play.
Sprig’s first line, the kid-powered Sprig Adventure Series, rolled onto specialty toy store shelves across North America in September 2008, and was swiftly honored with multiple awards, including the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio’s 2008 Platinum Award and the National Parenting Center’s 2008 Seal of Approval. The centerpiece of the series, the Discover Rig, received three 2009 Toy of the Year (TOTY) nominations from the Toy Industry Association.
Made from Sprigwood™ a proprietary bio-composite of recycled wood and reclaimed plastic, the Sprig Adventure Series gets preschoolers off the couch and engaged in active, imaginative play. By pushing or pumping these battery-free vehicles, kids activate an internal generator that powers the electronics. Adventure Guides plug into the driver’s seats via a USB port and reward preschoolers’ active play with cleverly themed music and story “snippets.”
All of Sprig’s founders have strong roots in the toy and consumer products industries and are deeply dedicated to solving environmental impact issues through innovative design. The company uses recycled materials whenever possible and manufactures its products in Europe and North America to reduce its carbon footprint. Sprig is based in Fort Collins, Colo.
Meet the team:
Chris Clemmer: Chris Clemmer has been drawing and designing for as long as he can remember. His crayon- and Lego-based play as a young boy shaped and inspired his 12-year career in award-winning product design. Chris excelled as an inventor, product designer and brand manager for companies such as Radica Games, Marvel/ToyBiz, Fisher-Price and Hartz. In 2003, he joined Justin Discoe and David Bowen to form Sector 7 Studios, a collaborative design co-op dedicated to making products the Sprig way. Chris secretly enjoys coming up with goofy names for Sprig's line of Adventure Guides, and if you hang around him long enough, you’re sure to have Sprig's adventure music stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Chris received his BS in Industrial Design and a minor in "Buckeye Football" from The Ohio State University.
Justin Discoe: Justin “Patent Pending” Discoe is an avid inventor and toy tinkerer, who has been in the consumer products business for more than 11 years. An energetic idea man and creative problem solver, Justin is the MacGyver of Team Sprig. His in-depth understanding of overseas vendor sourcing, quality control, manufacturing solutions and factory relations is unparalleled. Justin’s award-winning and innovative product designs reflect years of success at Radica Innovations, Pumpkin Masters, Holiday Creations and Mattel-owned Tyco R/C. He earned a bachelor of fine arts degree with honors in product design from the Academy of Art College in San Francisco.
David Bowen: Inspired by his childhood disappointment when toys didn't “act like they do in the commercials,” David Bowen has dedicated his adult life to creating toys that finally meet his boyhood expectations. Over the last 12 years, David has worked for some great companies, designed some pretty cool products, and even won a few awards. That’s all well and good, but David is most proud of being a champion for thoughtful product design, and of his commitment to making toys in a socially responsible way. He earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in product design from the Academy of Art College in San Francisco.
Craig Storey: Toy industry veteran Craig Storey is Sprig’s Chief Executive Officer and overall head honcho, bringing nearly 13 years of industry experience to the team. Craig is the former Chief Accounting Officer and Vice President of Finance and Operations for Mattel-owned Radica Games. While at Radica, he knocked their socks off by improving worldwide operational efficiencies, enhancing cash flow management, and overhauling global sales forecasting and production planning processes. Craig graduated from Arizona State University with a BS in Finance and is a certified public accountant.
David Monahan: With over 20 years of business development and product manufacturing experience to his credit, David Monahan is a force to be reckoned with. If Craig Storey is the pilot of Team Sprig, David Monahan is his seasoned, level-headed wingman – specializing in marketing development, process/project management, investor relations and business strategy. David is a firm believer that speed, innovation and creativity drive business results, and his track record of success backs him up. While in a marketing role at Hewlett-Packard, he improved product line growth by 30 percent. Following his interest in green technologies, David co-founded Better Building Systems, a highly successful, pre-manufactured, sustainable housing business. David has a BS in Ceramic Science from Pennsylvania State University, and an MS and PhD in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University.
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Contact:
Tami Kelly: 925/417-0343
tami@sprigtoys.com
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