I was an engineer at Hasbro for 20 years...

[Red Sox]

I never had any of the vehicles you designed as a child, but someday they will be mine! I just want to thank you for your part in the development of the best toy line ever and a huge part of my childhood (and now adulthood ). THANKS & YO JOE!!

[Kir Kanos]

I just wanted to mention that I got the Defiant set for Christmas when I was a 5th grader. It was the biggest joe item I had as a kid. Unfortunately, I "outgrew" toys shortly after getting the Defiant, and it was put in the attic, where it melted and warped for over 15 years. One day, I will have this playset again.

I often wonder what it must have been like to design the toys that so many of us collect. It would be a dream job to have. Thanks for stopping by!

[tykrazen]

I'm no hero, just doing my job, but I always put my heart and soul into it. There's nothing like seeing people in the checkout line with your product in the basket. Commercials are pretty cool also. Currently my big sellers are the Playskool ball popper and the My Little Pony Good Morning Sunshine mechanized pony.

You worked on the Playskool ball popper? That's one of my daughter's favorite toys!

[Obiwanjacoby]

Also wondering if you left any personalized "marks" on your work.

For example, some Hasbro people left their names on co-pilot canopies or initials on some ordinance. Did you?

Also, are there any action figures that were sculpted using your likeness?

-PJ

[GBPackRat]

I've always wondered how one becomes a toy designer...

If it isn't too personal, could you give us a little history about yourself and how you became a designer for hasbro?

Thanks again for fielding are questions,
Tanner

[code red shockwave]

Welcome, you can expect a lot of suggestions and questions from me.

[Blight]

Do have any forehand knowledge of how some of the COBRA vehicles might have been engineered? Maybe not something that was hands on, but perhaps talk between you and fellow workers while you were still at Hasbro.

And welcome to the boards, I'm sure you're going to be a very popular guy!

[Scrapiron-Scavanger]

Welcome!

So many questions, but I don't want to bombard you, so I just will ask one. From your inside knowledge of hasbro and your statement that China is now designing along with manufacturing, is that why Hasbro has been putting out sub-standard vehicles/figures for the past couple years?

BTW Gread job on the vehicles you designed!

[thoughtcrime]

Welcome to the fandom! Very cool of you to post and answer questions.

Could you give us any insight into the command structure at Hasbro during your time there? For example, how much input did designers such as yourself have regarding the yearly direction of the line? How many designers worked on the line at the time? Did you suffer typical workplace hassles like clueless managers/marketing people, or was everyone more or less on the same page? I'm sorry to hear you were laid off.

The only toy I have from your list is the AWE Striker, and its one of my favorite vehicles! Did you pick its driver?

[viperlord]

Sir I just want to say thank you for your work on some of the items that made my childhood great! I wore out at least 2 Awe Strikers (1 I got for my birthday and the other I traded away from a buddy) when I was but a wee lad, man that thing is one of the all time great toys! I don't have either of those now, but I have the rerelease from 2001 and almost 20 years later it still rocks! I never had the opportunity to own a Defiant, but my cousins had one that we played with for hours and hours! Such play value! I'd still love to get my hands on one of those for my own little collection Unfortunately I never had access to an Avalanche, but I still use the 92 Headquarters.

Thank you sir for many happy memories