Judd Zebersky Steps Down, Leaving a Corporate Giving Legacy
Judd Zebersky ended his tenure as CEO of Jazwares on March 20, 2026, after nearly 30 years leading the company he founded. He leaves behind a business now part of Berkshire Hathaway and home to Squishmallows, one of the top-selling toy lines in the world. He also leaves behind a giving infrastructure built deliberately over those same three decades.
Jazwares Cares, the philanthropic arm Judd Zebersky established at the company’s founding, operates donation programs, school partnerships, and employee volunteer initiatives across multiple countries. The structure will continue under the company’s incoming leadership, a fact that reflects how deeply embedded Zebersky’s giving philosophy became in the organization.
The Hospital That Carries His Name
Two units at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital now bear the Zebersky family name. Judd Zebersky and Laura Zebersky donated $2 million to the hospital’s expansion campaign, helping fund a construction project that grew the facility from four floors to eight. The hospital named the Pediatric Emergency Department Registration Area and the Outpatient Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Unit in their honor.
The couple also collaborated with the hospital on a Lotsy Dotsy doll, designed to mirror the hospital’s clown character and distributed to young patients as a comfort during their stays. The project reflected Judd Zebersky’s practice of pairing financial support with product-based contributions.
A Decade of Make-A-Wish Support
The Zebersky family’s involvement with Make-A-Wish Southern Florida ran deep. Laura Zebersky joined the board in 2019 and became chair in 2022. The couple funded more than 100 individual wishes. Jazwares developed Star, a Squishmallow created for children with serious illnesses, donating more than 10,000 units to Make-A-Wish chapters in the U.S. and Canada. The InterContinental Miami Make-A-Wish Ball, where the Zeberskys served as benefactors, raised over $5 million. Judd Zebersky’s giving record stands as one of the defining elements of his tenure. Visit this page on LinkedIn, for more information.
Find more about Judd Zebersky on https://jazwares.uk/about-us/leadership
