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Jack Chojnacki

Jack Chojnacki
Bornc. 1941 (age 83–84)[1]
Milwaukee, Wisconsin[2]
Occupation(s)Co-president of Those Characters from Cleveland, AGC's licensing division
Years active1970s–1980s
EmployerAmerican Greetings
Known forStrawberry Shortcake
Care Bears
Holly Hobbie

Jack Chojnacki[nb 1] (born c. 1941)[1] served as the co-president of Those Characters from Cleveland Inc., a division of U.S. greeting card company American Greetings (AGC), in the 1980s. He assisted in the creation of several AGC franchises, including Strawberry Shortcake and the Care Bears.

Career

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A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin,[2] Chojnacki graduated from the city's Marquette University High School in 1958.[2] During the 1970s, he was among the staff of American Greetings, a card company based in Cleveland, Ohio;[5] he licensed the Holly Hobbie character early in his tenure there.[6] Later that decade, he set up the company's licensing branch[5] Those Characters from Cleveland[7][8] with another AGC employee, Tim Wilson (the creator of the comic strip Ziggy).[9] Its first franchise, Strawberry Shortcake, made its public debut in 1980.[5]

Beginning in the early 1980s, Chojnacki served as co-president of Those Characters from Cleveland[8] along with Wilson,[10] and vice-president of AGC's licensing operations.[11] Starting in February 1981, he assisted in the creation of another American Greetings franchise, the Care Bears.[12] He served as executive producer of 1985's The Care Bears Movie,[13][14] along with its 1986 prequel A New Generation;[15] he also was a creative consultant for the 1987 follow-up, Adventure in Wonderland.[16] After the Care Bears, Chojnacki helped out with another two AGC properties, Madballs[17] and Popples.[18][19] In 1989, the Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA) inducted him into the Murray Altchuler Licensing Industry Hall of Fame, as a charter member.[20]

Notes

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  1. ^ The surname's pronunciation has been given variously as "hoy-not-ski",[3] "hoy-nof-ski"[1] and "why-nat-ski".[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Chiu, Tony; Wansley, Joyce (May 10, 1982). "Who's Red and Sweet and Filthy Rich? Strawberry Shortcake, Toyland's Newest Tyke-Coon". People Weekly. 17 (18). Time Inc. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c Daniell, Tina (April 24, 1985). "Care Bear market is looking bullish". The Milwaukee Journal. Journal Communications. p. 7 (Part 3). Retrieved August 21, 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ Josephson, Nancy (June 20, 1983). "Get Along Gang gets '84 push". Women's Wear Daily (WWD) (145). Fairchild Publications: 14.
  4. ^ Pauly, Helen (February 1, 1983). "Strawberry sells like hotcakes". The Milwaukee Journal. Journal Communications. p. 17. Retrieved September 18, 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ a b c Engelhardt, Tom (September 1986). "Saturday Morning Fever: The Hard Sell Takeover of Kids TV". Mother Jones. 11 (6). Foundation for National Progress: 40. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  6. ^ Liebeck, Laura (June 4, 1990). "Transforming a license into a brand". Discount Store News. 29 (11). Lebhar-Friedman Inc.: 113.
  7. ^ Dougherty, Philip H. (November 17, 1981). "Advertising; 825/Strawberry Shortcake to Dancer Fitzgerald". The New York Times. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  8. ^ a b DeWolf, Rose (October 12, 1982). "Out to launch: Is there shelf life after Holly Hobbie? You bet". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 33 (FEATURES). Retrieved August 21, 2010. Jack Chojnacki, copresident of Those Characters from Cleveland, a subsidiary of American Greetings set up just to handle licensing, told a recent meeting...
  9. ^ Abelman, Robert (1995). Reclaiming the Wasteland: TV & Gifted Children. Hampton Press. p. 88. ISBN 1-57273-014-5. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  10. ^ McAllister, Liane (April 1984). "Character marketing—competitive and thriving". Gifts & Decorative Accessories (85). Geyer-McAllister Publications Inc.: 120. ...Adds Jack Chojnacki, co-president with Tom Wilson, of Those Characters from Cleveland, 'You see numerous characters, but only few sensible ones; the marketplace really boils down to 20 or 30 good properties'
  11. ^ Yoshihara, Nancy (September 9, 1980). "A Word from the Sponsor: Holly Hobbie Set to Go Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. p. E5. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  12. ^ Connelly, Sherryl (April 2, 1985). "High 'aaah" factor has meant millions". Boca Raton News. New York Daily News. p. 4B. Retrieved August 21, 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
  13. ^ Selznick, Arna (director) (1985). The Care Bears Movie (Animated film). The Samuel Goldwyn Company (distributor) / Nelvana Limited / American Greetings / CPG Products Corp.
  14. ^ Wyse, Wyndham (March 22, 2000). "Canadian, eh? Take One's unofficial list of 20 box-office hits". Take One. 9 (27). Canadian Independent Film & Television Publishing Association: 20–4, 29–31. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
  15. ^ Schott, Dale (director) (1986). Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation (Animated film). Columbia Pictures (distributor) / Nelvana Limited / LBS Communications.
  16. ^ Jafelice, Raymond (director) (1987). The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland (Animated film). Cineplex Odeon Films (distributor, North America) / Nelvana Limited.
  17. ^ Whitall, Susan (March 8, 1986). "The ugliest toys ever—Madballs!". Newsday. The Detroit News. p. 2 (Part II). Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  18. ^ "Industry forecast for '86 properties (Licensing Scope)". Playthings. No. 83. Geyer-McAllister Publications Inc. December 1985. p. 50.
  19. ^ Jones, Vicki (November 4, 1985). "Licensed to sell". HFD: The Weekly Home Furnishings Newspaper (59). Capital Cities Media: 15.
  20. ^ "About LIMA: Murray Altchuler Licensing Industry Hall of Fame". Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA). Retrieved November 3, 2010.
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