Toy Association Mourns Passing of Former WiT President Joan Packard Luks

The following article is based on a press release issued by Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment on September 5, 2023.

September 6, 2023 | Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WiT) announced the passing of its former president, Joan Packard Luks, a celebrated licensing executive, long-time friend of The Toy Association™, and mentor and advocate for many across the toy and licensing communities. Luks passed away on Tuesday, September 5. 

Throughout her career, Luks dedicated herself to the world of licensing and was a longstanding member of Licensing International. In the 1990s, she served as the director of licensing at GUND, where she forged partnerships with industry giants such as Disney, Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop, Warner Bros., and many others. Her strategic vision and commitment to excellence helped elevate GUND into a significant player in the industry, with a portfolio that included properties such as Winnie the Pooh, Sesame Street, Dragon Tales, Dora the Explorer, Beatrix Potter, Barney, Curious George, Pat the Bunny, Scooby Doo, Harry Potter, Olivia, and others.

For the past two decades, Luks led her own company, The Serenata Group. She also collaborated closely with her partner, David Wollos, for over 15 years at The ThinkTank Emporium, where they crafted strategies and partnerships for children's intellectual property, licensing, and publishing projects.

Luks was an integral part of the WiT community. Her commitment to making WiT feel like a close-knit family helped to welcome everyone with open arms, and her tireless work to support, offer sage advice, invaluable guidance, and abundant opportunities to the next generation will be remembered by current and future WiT leaders and women throughout the play community for years to come.

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