Judd Zebersky’s departure from Jazwares on March 20, 2026, was not a sudden exit. It was the conclusion of a run that began in 1997, when a Florida attorney with no manufacturing experience decided to build a toy company from scratch. In the years between, Judd Zebersky built a business that employs approximately 1,400 people, distributes products across more than 100 countries, and owns one of the most culturally resonant toy brands in the world.

From Attorney to Manufacturer

Judd Zebersky trained as a lawyer at the University of Miami School of Law and built his own law firm before choosing a different direction. The pull of consumer products and creative enterprise proved stronger than the stability of legal practice. In 1997, he flew to China and spent months learning toy manufacturing with no prior experience in the field. He studied blow molding, injection molding, and rotocasting. He observed hair rooting processes and absorbed engineering specifications. The education he received on factory floors in rural China laid the groundwork for everything Jazwares would later become.

The company grew steadily through licensed entertainment partnerships, gaining traction with products tied to Fortnite, Minecraft, and Sonic the Hedgehog. A defining turning point came in 2020, when Jazwares acquired Kellytoy and gained control of Squishmallows. The plush collectibles, each with a distinct character profile, expanded from a niche following into a global phenomenon. Celebrity collectors, viral social media moments, and devoted fan communities made Squishmallows a signature property.

The Handoff

Judd Zebersky’s final years at Jazwares brought significant external validation. TIME named the company among its Most Influential Companies. Fortune and Fast Company recognized Jazwares for workplace quality. Zebersky received the South Florida Business Journal’s Ultimate CEOs recognition in 2024. His successor, David Neustein, assumed the CEO role on March 23, 2026, inheriting a company shaped by one founder’s unconventional path and three decades of deliberate growth. See related link for more information.

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