For Immediate Release 10/30/06
For More Information Contact:
Susan McNeill 302-996-9054

Martin Uniacke Will Take the Helm of McNeill Designs for Brighter Minds as President

Statewide – McNeill Designs for Brighter Minds recently announced that Martin Uniacke will join the Delaware-based toy and game manufacturing firm as company president. In his new position, Uniacke will develop strategic marketing efforts in the U.S. and abroad, oversee the firm’s 90+ member national sales force, and spearhead the expansion of the firm’s various toy and game lines.

“The addition of Martin Uniacke to our team represents an outstanding opportunity for the firm,” says company Chairman Donald W. McNeill. “His in-depth knowledge of this specialized industry and extensive experience gleaned from some of the world’s largest toy, game, and novelty manufacturers are both crucial for McNeill Designs’ continued growth.”

Uniacke joins McNeill Designs for Brighter Minds from Collectible Concepts Group where he served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the licensed entertainment, sports, and music collectible firm. Uniacke’s career also includes national sales and managerial positions at Ty Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of plush toys and originator of the wildly successful Beanie Babies™ lines; Applause, the manufacturer of popular gift and collectible lines such as industry stalwart Raggety Ann™; and Manhattan Toy, whose 500+ original products include well-known names like Groovy Girls® and Dr. Seuss™.

Founded in 2004, McNeill Designs for Brighter Minds produces games and toys of all kinds. The company’s award-winning games include: You’ve been Sentenced! a language game where players use word cards to build sentences, challenging their ingenuity in a hilarious, competitive environment, and Twisted Fish a challenging memory game which requires strategy, deception, and bluffing skills, plus an intact sense of humor.

Industry-wide recognition of the firm’s products has been consistently positive. Both McNeill Design’s language game You’ve been Sentenced! and the memory game Twisted Fish are fresh from a double win at the recent FAO Schwarz Toy Auditions, held at the FAO Schwarz flagship store in New York. FAO Schwarz conducts the Toy Auditions each year to seek exciting and special toys for their customers -- scouring every corner of the world for toys that customers just can’t find anywhere else.

You’ve been Sentenced! also recently received a prestigious Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award 2007. The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio was founded in 1989 as the only independent consumer review of children's media such as toys and games, books, and videos. The Oppenheim Toy portfolio does not charge entry fees or accept ads from manufacturers. When consumers see the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio award seals on products, they can be assured that they are "award-winning" because they were selected by a noted expert and further tested by the most objective panel of judges and kids.

As well, rave reviews were received from industry expert and game reviewer Tom Vasel of The Dice Tower who writes, “I could recommend the game because it has a unique box structure, or because it comes with more cards than any other game that I've ever seen. I could recommend it because it can be used with English classes or folks wanting to increase their language skills. I could recommend it because it can handle up to ten players fairly easily. But I won't - I'll simply recommend it because it's fun.”

Consumer response to McNeill Designs’ products has also been overwhelmingly favorable. You’ve been Sentenced! and Twisted Fish have been featured and recommended in a variety of national media outlets such as the homeschooling magazine The Old Schoolhouse, the Mensa society’s publication Parenting for High Potential, the language enthusiast’s Verbatim, and the parenting magazine Metro Kids. In addition, the firm and its products have been highlighted on several regional and national television programs, including a Pitch to America segment on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Future offerings include several spin-off versions of You’ve Been Sentenced! now underway including language translations versions, an educational color-coded version, and licensed specialty versions. The firm is also currently developing numerous other unique games, toys, and products for 2007.