The Association for Games and Puzzles International (AGPI) awarded Mary Couzin, senior vice president and founder/leader of People of Play at The Toy Association, with its 2026 Outstanding Achievement Award at the organization’s AGPI Convention in Minneapolis on July 11. The honor recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the history, preservation, and advancement of traditional games, jigsaw puzzles, and mechanical puzzles.

Couzin leads People of Play (POP), a division of The Toy Association dedicated to fostering innovation and connecting the global toy and game community through year-round events, educational programming, and networking opportunities. In her role, she oversees POP's portfolio of industry-leading platforms and experiences, which strengthen the Association's engagement with inventors, designers, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers.

A longtime champion of the inventor and game design community, Couzin founded the Chicago Toy & Game Group in 2003, which was rebranded as People of Play in 2020. Today, POP's initiatives include the Chicago Toy & Game (CHITAG) Fair, The Toy & Game Innovation Excellence Awards (TAGIEs), the Young Inventor Challenge, the Toy & Game Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, and more. Before establishing POP, Couzin created, self-produced, and licensed her own toys and games while also launching discovertoysandgames.com, a resource for toy and game inventors.

A Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductee, Couzin has dedicated her career to advancing the toy and game industry through leadership, mentorship, and advocacy. She previously served on The Toy Association's Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards Selection Committee and PlayCon/ToyCon Committee, serves on The Strong's National Toy Hall of Fame committee and the International Toy Research Association organizing committee, and has been recognized with numerous industry honors throughout her career.

The Association for Games & Puzzles International (AGPI) is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and study of games and puzzles. Founded in 1985, AGPI brings together collectors, historians, authors, designers, and enthusiasts from around the world to research the history of games and puzzles, preserve their cultural significance, and share knowledge through publications, educational resources, and an international community. Learn more at AGPI.org.