Elliot Handler daughter, Barbara, who was the namesake of Barbie dolls; and a son, Kenneth (who died of a brain tumor in 1994) who was the namesake of Ken dolls. While a struggling art student and designer of light fixtures, Handler partnered with Harold Matson to design a realistic-looking miniature piano that received roughly 300,000 orders; however, they mispriced the product and lost a dime on each one produced. Mattel received its name from business partners Harold Matt Matson and Elliot Handler in 1945. Elliot's wife, Ruth, took Matson's role when the Handlers bought his share in the late 1940's. Ruth Handler
Ganz (toy company) several of the older Webkinz. The success of Webkinz, first released in 2005, and other similar items helped the fortunes of the Ganz family who then decided to start The Webkinz Foundation. The Webkinz Foundation is a charitable organization that focuses on supporting children's programs worldwide and provides the company with valuable marketing and tax benefits. Ganz (toy company) Ganz is a Canadian company best known for distributing plush animals and collectibles. They are the manufacturer of Webkinz, the toy with an interactive virtual-reality Internet site for children. Founded in 1950 by Holocaust survivors Samuel Ganz and sons Jack and