Howard Ganz is President of Ganz Brothers, one of Canada's leading manufacturers of plush toys. Ganz is the 3rd generation involved in the business; it was started 60 years ago by his grandfather, father and uncle when they immigrated to Canada after World War II.

The company hit on something really big in April 2005, when it introduced Webkinz — which quickly became one of the hottest toys on the market. Each Webkinz comes with a secret code that is used to log into Webkinz World. Once there, children can feed and care for their Webkinz, much like caring for a real pet. By merging traditional plush with the Internet, Ganz tapped into two (previously separate) aspects of a modern child's life: play and the computer.

Soon, Webkinz had kids in a frenzy and parents in a panic trying to get their hands on one. Howard Ganz admits that he wasn't all that surprised. “We created a wonderful new line of plush toys that we loved, and as we discussed marketing approaches the team compared favorite toy experiences from their own childhoods. This helped us to create a concept that offered all of the best play factors of great toys, along with the Internet experience that reflects modern elements of play,” he explains.

But the company certainly isn't resting on Webkinz. Ganz continues to create solid product by staying on top of things. “The main challenge is to stay ahead of the curve, with regards to retailers and their needs, to changing trends in product lines, and to the way we do business ourselves, by utilizing new technologies,” Ganz says. So what more can we expect from a company that has brought us 50-plus years worth of toys and gifts? Says Ganz, “That's a secret. But stay tuned!”