Former Hasbro CEO Alan Hassenfeld, last member of the founding family to sit on the board, dies at 76

Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)Alan G

Hassenfeld, a renowned philanthropist and former CEO of iconic toy company Hasbro Inc. , the maker of G

Joe and Play-Doh, has died

He was 76, according to the toy company

Hasbro, the nation’s second largest toy company behind Mattel based on annual sales, declined to offer more details

Hassenfeld’s family foundation, Hassenfeld Family Initiatives, wasn’t immediately available to

Hassenfeld was born in vidence, Rhode Island and graduated from Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts

Known initially as Hassenfeld Brothers, it sold textile remnants but expanded into school supplies and later toy manufacturing under the Hasbro name in the 1940s, according to Hasbro’s website

Hassenfeld rose quickly in the family serving as special assistant to the president and worked his way up the ranks

He became one of the key architects of Hasbro’s international operations and spent extensive time traveling overseas

Hassenfeld labored for years in the shadow of his older brother Stephen

He stepped away from that role last year

Hassenfeld was the last family member to sit on the board, according to Hasbro. “All of us who have ever had any connection to Hasbro today are mourning the found loss of Alan Hassenfeld, our beloved former Chairman & CEO, mentor, and dear friend, ” Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks in an e-mailed statement to The Associated Press. “Alan’s enormous heart was, and will remain, the guiding force behind Hasbro — compassionate, imaginative, and dedicated to bringing a smile to the face of every child around the world

His tireless advocacy for philanthropy, children’s welfare, and the toy industry created a legacy that will inspire us always. ” Hassenfeld was involved in many charitable and social causes both nationally and locally in Rhode Island

His concerns ranged from childhood hunger to issues involving refugee settlement in the state

As chairman of the Hassenfeld Family Initiatives, he oversaw the foundation’s mission of globalizing safety and human rights within the area of children’s ducts; empowering women in countries; and enhancing the economy, education and opportunities in Rhode Island

Hassenfeld was also founding benefactor of Hasbro Children’s Hospital in vidence, and his family’s contributions helped to establish the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute at Brown University

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