Gary Caplan

Gary Caplan, a licensing industry professional with over 25 years of experience, is President of Gary Caplan, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in the marketing and management of licensed products.

Caplan represents a number of leading consumer products companies who are active in the licensing business. His current client roster includes such well known companies as Buster Brown & Co. (division of Brown Shoe Company); Dan River, Inc.; DecoPac; Disguise, Inc.; Hanes (division of Sara Lee Corporation); Hedstrom Corporation; and The Thermos Company; among others.

Prior to establishing his own company in 1984, Caplan served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Stuart Hall Company. While at Stuart Hall, he pioneered the development of licensed products for the stationery, gift, and school supply categories. His strategies helped to shift the focus of the industry away from products driven mainly by price, while bringing increased awareness to the unique marketing opportunities provided by the use of licensed characters, logos, and entertainment driven events. Before joining Stuart Hall, Caplan was Vice President of Sales for K&M Company of Los Angeles.

Caplan is a frequent speaker at various seminars, universities, and trade groups worldwide. He is a founding member of LIMA (Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association) and has served two terms on its Board of Directors and another term as the association’s Vice President.

In 1989, Caplan was presented the Industry Support Award from LIMA to recognize his “continual unselfish contribution of time, talent, and energy to all phases of the licensing industry." In 1999, Warner Bros. Consumer Products honored Caplan by installing him into its prestigious Hall of Fame.

Caplan was inducted into the LIMA Hall of Fame in 1994, joining the ranks of such legendary industry figures as Jim Henson, Jim Henson Productions; William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, Hanna-Barbera; Jim Davis, creator of Garfield; Mark McCormack, founder of International Management Group; Charles Schultz, creator of Peanuts; Dan Romanelli, President, Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products; George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd; and Pete Rozelle, the former Commissioner of the NFL.

Gary Caplan, Inc.
4400 Coldwater Canyon Ave.
Suite 135
Studio City CA 91604
(818) 980-1191
gcaplaninc@aol.com