New York — Licensing International, the leading trade association for the global brand licensing industry, today announced the 2025 Hall of Fame inductees. The Hall of Fame Awards honor executives’ legacies, bodies of work, and unique contributions to the global brand licensing community.

This year’s inductees are Allison Ames, President and CEO of Beanstalk; Susan Brandt, President and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises; Steven Ekstract, CEO and Chief Content Officer at entertainmentxtracks; The Hallmark brand and legacy, founded by J.C. Hall; international icon Dolly Parton; and film director, producer, writer, and actor Kevin Smith.

In addition to celebrating the inductees’ accomplishments, this event will also honor their leadership within the industry by raising funds for the Licensing International Foundation scholarship program. The program grants scholarships to deserving individuals around the world who are interested in a career in brand licensing. Since 2020, the Licensing International Foundation scholarship program has awarded more than $500,000 in funds to 54 scholarship recipients. The program is a crucial element of Licensing International’s ongoing work to support the next generation of licensing professionals and ensure the industry continues to grow and evolve.

These licensing icons will be honored at the 2025 Hall of Fame Awards in New York City on December 3rd. Taking place at Gotham Hall, the event will also spotlight rising talent currently making strides in the licensing industry.

The Rising Star program recognizes young professionals from around the world who have been nominated by their peers for their contributions to the global brand licensing industry. The 2025 Rising Star recipients will be announced later this year.

“There is more to celebrate at this year’s Hall of Fame Awards than ever before,” said Maura Regan, President of Licensing International. “We are honoring licensing veterans who have helped to shape our industry and our community. Their decades of commitment and creativity have helped to push the business forward, and I can’t wait to see what they do next. This event is also an opportunity to shine a spotlight on gifted newcomers in the form of our 2025 Rising Stars. It is crucial for the global brand licensing industry to connect with and support the next generation of licensing leaders.”

Those interested in sponsoring the 2025 Hall of Fame Awards should reach out to Maria Ungaro (mungaro@licensing.org).

About Licensing International
Licensing International is the leading trade organization for the $356+ billion global licensing industry. Licensing International’s mission is to foster the growth and expansion of licensing around the world, raise the level of professionalism for licensing practitioners, and create greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large. Founded in 1985, Licensing International members in over 40 countries enjoy access to an array of benefits, including extensive educational programming and worldwide networking events. Visit LicensingInternational.org for more information.

About Licensing International Foundation
The Licensing International Foundation was established in 2020 to mark a new chapter in the global association’s charitable initiatives and to continue its decades-long support of the brand licensing community. The Foundation is focused on the education of future licensing leaders through the Licensing International Scholarship Program, which awards grants to deserving individuals who are interested in a career in brand licensing. Visit https://licensinginternational.org/about/foundation/ for more information or to donate.