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For Immediate Release
Contact: Carrie Leum, (952) 401-0125; cleum@leumroberts.com

Manhattan Toy Names Arete Passas President

June 6, 2005 (Minneapolis, Minnesota) - Minneapolis-based Manhattan Toy, manufacturer of the popular Groovy Girls dolls and Whoozit toys, has named Arete Passas, a 25-year veteran of the children's products, educational and toy arena, as president. Having provided leadership and strategy for many well-known consumer brands - Oil of Olay, Crayola, Scholastic, Dixie and Mattel - Passas is expected to guide the privately-held Manhattan Toy's continued growth in the intense $35 billion worldwide toy market.

"Arete has a passion for great products and a strong track record growing sales and profits," says John Byrne, Chairman of the Board. "We're particularly impressed with her depth of leadership in strategic planning, creative development, and international marketing and look forward to working with her to continue to grow and evolve our brands."

"Manhattan Toy has built an admirable reputation as an innovator and solid performer in the toy industry and I'm thrilled to become part of the team," adds Passas.

Passas, a native of New Hampshire, has worked in the Twin Cities market since 1998 when she became EVP for Department 56 in Eden Prairie. As General Manager with Plymouth-based Halo Innovations, Passas grew the company's Infant Sleep Care line from start-up to a multi-million-dollar entity in just three years. Most recently she was vice president and a company officer at ValueVision Media's ShopNBC.com division.

Over the years and prior to her move to Minneapolis, Passas has held management positions at Mattel, James River Corporation, Scholastic, Richardson Vicks (a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble) and Binney & Smith (makers of Crayola). Responsible for the first change in Crayola crayon colors in the brand's 87-year history, she also introduced the popular Crayola "crayon tip" character that has become an enduring brand mark.

Passas holds an MBA from Cornell University and a BA, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of New Hampshire and currently serves on the Board of the Girl Scout Council of Greater Minneapolis. As president of Manhattan Toy, Passas assumes the position left vacant by Roger Bildsten, who resigned in December, 2004.

About Manhattan Toy

Manhattan Toy is one of the industry's most innovative makers of children's toys and is committed to the art of creative play and quality craftsmanship. Based in Minneapolis, MN, the Manhattan Toy family of brands include Manhattan Baby®, Whoozit®, Puppettos®, Groovy Girls®, Manhattan Toy® and Dr. Seuss™, representing more than 500 exclusive, original product designs distributed worldwide through more than 10,000 retailers. For more information visit www.manhattantoy.com and www.groovygirls.com.