Judd Zebersky on Philanthropy and the Company He Founded
Long before Squishmallows made Jazwares a household name, the company’s approach to giving had already been established. Judd Zebersky created Jazwares Cares when the company was founded, building a charitable arm that would grow alongside the business. Over the years, the organization donated millions of toys to children’s hospitals, Title I schools, and nonprofits including Make-A-Wish, Toys for Tots, and Ronald McDonald House. The Zebersky family also contributed $2 million personally to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and have been consistent supporters of Make-A-Wish Southern Florida.
A Legal Career Left Behind
Zebersky earned a JD from the University of Miami School of Law and practiced law before deciding the pull of consumer products was stronger. In 1997, he made a move that surprised those around him, traveling to China with no manufacturing background to learn the toy industry from the inside. He spent months in factories across southern China, studying injection molding, blow molding, rotocasting, and production engineering. “I went to remote places in China on dirt roads where entire families get around on a single motorcycle,” he said. That experience directly shaped the company’s operational culture.
Growth, Acquisition, and Industry Recognition
Jazwares built its early business around licensed entertainment products connected to Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Fortnite. The 2020 acquisition of Kellytoy added Squishmallows, which became a viral sensation on TikTok with celebrity fans including Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian. The brand sold more than 100 million units in one year, with individual prices ranging from $5 to $30. Alleghany Capital invested in Jazwares beginning in 2014, taking a majority stake in 2016 while preserving Zebersky’s operational control. Berkshire Hathaway inherited the stake when it acquired Alleghany in Q4 2022. Jazwares appeared on TIME’s Most Influential Companies list, and Judd Zebersky received the South Florida Business Journal’s Ultimate CEOs recognition in 2024. He also appeared on The Business Report’s Top 50 Entrepreneurs list in 2023. He stepped down as CEO on March 20, 2026. Like this page on Facebook, for related information.
Learn more about Judd Zebersky on https://jazwares.uk/about-us/leadership
