Few executives can claim they personally learned injection molding, blow molding, and rotocasting before scaling a company to over 1,400 employees Judd Zebersky can. The founder and longtime CEO of Jazwares stepped down on March 20, 2026, closing nearly three decades at the helm of a company he built from scratch after walking away from law.

From Courtroom to Factory Floor

Zebersky earned his JD from the University of Miami School of Law, launched his own firm, and then made a decision that surprised everyone around him. He wanted to make toys. In 1997, he flew to China with no manufacturing background and spent months in factories studying design, engineering, and production from the ground up. “I went to remote places in China on dirt roads where entire families get around on a single motorcycle,” he told Miami Law in 2014. That firsthand knowledge shaped how Jazwares hired and operated for years afterward.

The company’s early model focused on licensed products, forging deals with properties like Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Fortnite. Judd Zebersky then pursued acquisitions to expand the portfolio: Wicked Cool Toys arrived in 2019, followed by Kellytoy in 2020, which brought Squishmallows into the lineup. Those huggable plush toys became a cultural phenomenon, with more than 100 million units sold in a single year and fans ranging from everyday collectors to celebrities like Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian.

Recognition and a Lasting Legacy

Alleghany Capital Corporation took an initial stake in Jazwares in 2014 and a majority interest two years later, with Berkshire Hathaway inheriting the company through its 2022 acquisition of Alleghany. Growth brought recognition: TIME’s Most Influential Companies list, Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators honor, and Fortune’s Best Workplaces in Manufacturing and Production designation all followed. Judd Zebersky personally received the South Florida Business Journal’s Ultimate CEOs recognition in 2024. He also leaves behind Jazwares Cares, the philanthropic arm Judd Zebersky founded alongside the company, which has donated millions of toys to children’s hospitals, Title I schools, and organizations including Make-A-Wish and Toys for Tots. David Neustein, COO for 14 years, assumes the CEO role on March 23, 2026. Refer to this article, for related information.

Find more information about Judd Zebersky on https://news.miami.edu/law/stories/2024/10/judd-and-laura-zebersky-toymakers-extraordinaire.html