The Licensing International Foundation, which supports the education of future licensing leaders, has welcomed Pam Kaufman, Cindy Levitt, and Carole Postal to its Hall of Fame.

Licensing International, the trade association for the global brand licensing industry, and the Licensing International Foundation, which supports the education of future licensing leaders, has celebrated the induction of Pam Kaufman, Cindy Levitt and Carole Postal to the Licensing International Hall of Fame. Held at Gotham Hall in New York City and hosted by CBS Saturday Morning co-host Dana Jacobson, the 2023 Hall of Fame Induction and Rising Star Awards event also honoured the future of brand licensing, recognizing Rising Stars in the licensing business and celebrating the 2023 Licensing International Foundation scholarship recipients. 2023 Rising Stars Rebecca Barlow, Alex Locke, Ololade Oloniyo, Leigh Simpson, Jeremy Smith, and Fernanda Zimbrón were also celebrated at the luncheon.

Pam Kaufman is the president & CEO of International Markets, Global Consumer Products and Experiences at Paramount, representing well over $6b  in worldwide retail revenue from a diverse slate of franchises, brands, and content including Paw Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Trek, South Park, Yellowstone, and Top Gun. Additionally, her purview includes gaming and themed entertainment such as hotels, resorts, live tours, Broadway, and VidCon.

“It is an honour to receive this distinction from Licensing International,” said Pam Kaufman. “I am immensely proud to work on the most iconic brands and characters, with the best team and partners, reaching fans in countries and cultures around the world.”

Cindy Levitt is nationally recognized for her expertise in trend retail and developing novel licensing programmes for the teen and young adult market. Best known for her more than two decades of work with retailer Hot Topic, Cindy recently retired as SVP of Licensing for Mad Engine.

Carole Postal is an industry luminary with a career built on trend licensing acumen and retail expertise. She launched her agency in 1997 as what was then known as CopCorp and, in 2017, the agency was renamed Spotlight in recognition of its focus on developing successful branding and licensing programs for entertainment and non-traditional properties. I

Established in 1989, the Licensing International Hall of Fame is home to the most esteemed global licensing executives of the last three decades. Pam Kaufman, Cindy Levitt, and Carole Postal join industry luminaries including Kathy Ireland, Martha Stewart, George Lucas, Walt Disney and Charles Schultz.

Nine students: Evelynn Chang, Ayana Dailey, Laura Fekete, Candace Gaston, Nirahja Logan, Carol Oviedo Gonzalez, Laura Romero, Claudia Ruiz and Pablo Ruiz Crespo, were celebrated as the recipients of the Licensing International Foundation 2023 Scholarship, awarded to accomplished students exploring a career in brand licensing.

“The impact Pam, Cindy, and Carole have had on the global brand licensing industry cannot be overstated,” said Maura Regan, president of Licensing International. “I am thrilled to see them join Licensing International’s Hall of Fame. In addition to being trailblazers in our industry, they are also leaders in our community. I know they will continue to fight to grow the licensing industry in every way that matters and it’s fitting that this celebration also spotlights the next generation of licensing professionals through the Rising Star Awards.”

Licensing International thanks the generous donors that made the event possible, including sponsors Hot Topic Inc., Paramount Consumer Products & Experiences, and Playmates Toys.

Nominations for the 2024 Hall of Fame are now open. To find out more about Licensing International, visit the website here.